Homemade Mexican Black Beans are so easy to make, and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry right now! They're one of my favorite Mexican side dishes. But I also serve this as a main and use the leftovers for quesadillas with Monterey Jack cheese and pickled onions.
For a quick tip, don't drain the cans of black beans (frijoles negros) for a better sauce!
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Want to make this recipe perfectly the first time? I want to help with that. So, check out this Table of Contents to see which sections of this post will help you the most.
Jump to:
- ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- 🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
- 🔪 Recommended Equipment
- 📝 Instructions Overview
- 🎯 Why This Recipe Works
- ⏰ Tips to Simplify and Save Time
- 👩🍳 Preparation Tips
- 💡Ideas for Possible Variations
- 🥬 Make it Vegan
- 🍽 Ways to Use Mexican Black Beans
- 📇 More Mexican Recipes with Black Beans
- Easy Mexican Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)
It's so useful for quick meals to have dishes like these Mexican black beans in the refrigerator, all made and ready to go. If we have last-minute company, someone brings a friend home for dinner, or I just need a super quick vegetarian dinner during the week, this is the perfect dish to have on hand. And if I have some fluffy cooked rice tucked away in the refrigerator or freezer, I have a meal.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Super easy and fast side dish or main entree.
- Many ways to use leftovers - For example, with nachos, in quesadillas, or making my first-place winning huevos rancheros using these beans instead of plain black beans.
- Great protein dish for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
- Flexible for using your favorite spices and herbs.
- Make-ahead friendly.
- Budget-friendly.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
The secret to faster and easier meals often lies in the ingredients. For example, store-bought items and ingredients you make ahead and store in the refrigerator (or freezer) can turn a 60-minute recipe into a 30-minute meal or less.
Go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post for all of the ingredients, measurements, and directions for this black beans recipe.
- Black beans - Either purchase canned black beans or black beans cooked from dried.
- Red onion - You can substitute white onion, but red onion is best for this recipe.
- Hatch chiles—Depending on how spicy you want these beans, use Anaheim, jalapeño, or Serrano peppers. If you want to use Hatch chiles but can't find them in your grocery store, visit The Hatch Chile Store or purchase them canned.
- Herbs and spices - This recipe uses dried oregano (dried Mexican oregano if you have it), dried red pepper flakes, chipotle pepper powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
- Chopped fire-roasted tomatoes - I buy them in cans at my grocery store, or you can make your own fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Red bell pepper - Starting with a whole bell pepper adds flavor and texture to this dish, but you can substitute jarred roasted red peppers if that's what you have on hand.
- Lime juice - Both freshly squeezed and bottled juice are fine in this recipe.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a commission at no additional cost. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.
🔪 Recommended Equipment
Having the right equipment for recipes makes prepping so much easier. Check out my favorite kitchen tools and equipment that can save you time in the kitchen.
📝 Instructions Overview
🎯 Why This Recipe Works
- Many Mexican recipes with black beans recommend draining and rinsing them. But in this recipe, not draining the beans means a sauce is created from the canned black beans' liquid combined with the liquid from the tomatoes. Even though the liquid is partially absorbed when stored in the refrigerator, the beans stay moist and flavorful.
- Sautéing the herbs and spices with the red onions and chiles makes the flavors pop.
⏰ Tips to Simplify and Save Time
- Use canned black beans, canned chopped tomatoes, and jarred roasted red peppers.
- Purchase chopped Hatch chiles from The Hatch Store or canned chiles.
- Make the entire dish beforehand, and serve warm or at room temperature.
👩🍳 Preparation Tips
- Roast the red bell pepper while you make the rest of the dish. Peel and seed it before adding it at the end of the preparation.
- You can also dice and sauté the pepper with the red onion instead of roasting it.
- If you use black beans cooked from dried, make them ahead of time, save the cooking liquid, and store everything in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The quickest way to cook them is in the Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker.
- If you use canned black beans and prefer to make this dish without a sauce, drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the skillet.
💡Ideas for Possible Variations
Some of these variations are mentioned in other sections of this post.
- Use fresh, ripe tomatoes in place of canned. I recommend Roma tomatoes (plum tomatoes), which are not overly juicy.
- Add cooked rice for a heartier main dish.
- Use pinto beans in place of black beans.
- Use Anaheim, jalapeño, or Serrano peppers instead of the Hatch chiles depending on how spicy you like your food. Anaheim chiles are the mildest, and Serrano chiles are the hottest. Hatch chiles vary according to the soil they're grown in and can be mild or spicy.
- For additional smoky heat, use 1 teaspoon of minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in place of chipotle pepper powder.
- Add corn to this black beans recipe for a Mexican vegetable side dish.
🥬 Make it Vegan
- Either eliminate the cotija cheese used as a finishing garnish or use a plant-based cheese.
🍽 Ways to Use Mexican Black Beans
- Serve it as a Mexican side dish or vegetarian entree, or top the beans with tomatillo green-chili salsa verde or mango salsa.
- Make quesadillas with Monterey jack cheese, corn, and pickled onions.
- Use these black beans the next time you make huevos rancheros.
- Add them to a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, avocado slices, and plant-based chorizo. Serve this with Jiffy Mexican Cornbread.
- Layer them on tortillas with thinly sliced cabbage, cotija cheese, tomatoes, and avocado crema for Tuesday night tacos.
- Make Nachos with corn chips, diced tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño slices, and melted cheese.
- Include them in the filling for these vegetarian enchiladas.
📇 More Mexican Recipes with Black Beans
- Casseroles are total winners for weeknight dinners like this Mexican quinoa casserole, Mexican Stuffed Pepper Casserole (Vegetarian), or Vegetarian Enchiladas.
- When the weather is hot, make these Simple Mexican Tostadas (Vegetarian).
- If you have a brunch coming up, make this Baked Chiles Rellenos Casserole Recipe with Eggs for a hearty crowd-pleaser.
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Easy Mexican Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large red bell pepper or 2 jarred roasted red peppers
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups diced red onion (1 large red onion)
- 2 tablespoons diced Hatch chiles (see Ingredient Notes in post)
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced or Gourmet Garden garlic paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano or Mexican oregano, if you have it
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¾ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chipotle pepper powder or hot paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked coarse black pepper
- 1 can chopped fire-roasted tomatoes (see Ingredient Notes in post)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, NOT drained
Garnishes
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, drizzles over the beans
- 4 slices lime, for freshly squeeze lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup grated cojita cheese
Instructions
- Roast the bell pepper under the broiler for 10 minutes, and either wrap in foil or slide into a zippered baggie. Peel, seed and dice. Alternatively, use two jarred roasted red peppers, and dice.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the diced red onions and chiles. Sauté until the onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Add all of the herbs and spices (minced garlic, oregano, salt, cumin, chipotle pepper powder, red pepper flakes, and black pepper). Sauté until fragrant, about 2 - 3 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and black beans, including the liquid for both. Cook on a low simmer for 10 minutes. If the sauce cooks off too much, add a little water.Adjust for seasoning, and serve with garnishes as desired.
veenaazmanov
This is definitely a healthy and nutritious side dish. Sounds easy to make and delicious to eat.
Cathleen
This looks so good!! I have so many beans at home and was looking for something to make with them, so this came at the most perfect time! So excited to try this this weekend 🙂
Lauren Michael Harris
We loved this black beans recipe! It was so much better than a plain ole can of black beans topped with sour cream like we usually do. Don't think I'll ever go back now!!
Erin
Weirdly enough, I've never made black beans before! I'll have to give these a try. I love your idea of using them in a quesadilla!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
While this is a side dish, this is easily a meal for me. It's so flavorful and so easy to make! We loved this! It's awesome on a burger and in tacos too!
Tristin
Luckily, I had everything I needed to make these beans and I am so glad I did because they were a delicious side dish. Going to try them in your Huevos rancheros next time!
Alex
That's a great tip not to drain the cans! These beans came out so wonderfully. My new black bean recipe for sure! Thanks.
Amy Liu Dong
It looks so easy and delicious! I will def make this and serve this with Corn Chips or Tortilla Chips.
NATALIA
Absolutely loved making and tasting these Mexican Black Beans! I'm excited to say that I gave this recipe a try, and it's a total game-changer. The authentic Mexican flavors in these beans are incredible!
Jamie
I'm a fan of bean dishes, and this looks amazingly delicious and very tasty! Such a great idea to make an awesome dish from our leftovers! Totally love it!