Meet my go-to, foolproof black bean recipe! If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to cook black beans from scratch, this guide is for you. These beans are rich and creamy, yet lively and full of flavor. They rival the frijoles negros I’ve loved in Costa Rica, Mexico and Belize, and they make a delicious side dish or meal component.
Home-cooked black beans offer far more flavor than canned beans, especially when you include the right seasonings. I’m thrilled with how these turn out. Dried beans are also less expensive than canned beans, and they reduce waste (no cans to throw away).
Plus, black beans are very good for you. Black beans are rich in fiber and plant-based protein, and a fantastic source of folate, thiamin (vitamin B1), phosphorus, manganese and magnesium. If you’ve ever read that beans are “unhealthy,” it’s because beans contain lectins until they’ve been sufficiently cooked. Lectins, which are naturally present in many plant foods, are considered an anti-nutrient. If you’re eating properly cooked beans, as instructed below, there’s no reason for concern.
You might be surprised to hear that black beans are actually so blue that they appear black. Black beans are full of anthocyanins, a powerful group of flavanoids that also makes blueberries, purple cabbage and red onions so nutritious. You can read all about black bean nutrition here.
If you’re learning to cook dried beans, start them early. The wild card with dried beans is that you’ll never be 100 percent certain when they’ll finish cooking. Better to start cooking well before you’re in a rush for dinner. Let’s get to it!
Watch How to Cook Black Beans
Black Bean Seasonings
Many black bean recipes incorporate bacon or lard, but these beans are free of meat products (they’re vegetarian and vegan). I played around with spices and flavorings until I came up with a clear winner.
You can simplify the recipe by omitting any of the seasonings listed in the ingredients, but for the best flavor, I recommend using all of them. Here’s what I add to the pot before cooking:
- Red onion and garlic lend a savory backbone to these beans. We’ll chop up the onion and add it raw (I tried cooking it first, as I do for most recipes, but the flavor is distracting at that point). We’ll peel the cloves and add them whole. Once the beans are done, we’ll just smash them against the side of the pot and stir them in. Easy!
- Bay leaves further amplify the savoriness of these beans, offering an herbal flavor somewhat similar to oregano or thyme. Mexican black beans typically incorporate an herb called epazote that is somewhat reminiscent of oregano, so you can see how bay leaf would work as well.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (just a splash) makes these beans cook up nice and creamy.
- Ground cumin is commonly added to black beans, because they’re perfect together!
- Orange zest offers a subtle “je ne sais quoi” flavor. Just one small strip (peeled with a vegetable peeler) makes a big difference. I never would have thought to add orange, but Serious Eats suggested this Cuban twist and I love it.
- Red pepper flakes lend some heat. If you prefer mild beans, reduce or omit them.
After cooking, I like to stir in some chopped cilantro (skip it if you don’t like it) and a squeeze of lime juice to brighten up the whole pot.
Black Bean Yield & Conversions
Dried black beans are typically sold in one-pound bags, so I wrote this recipe to use the whole bag. It yields a big pot of beans (about six cups). If you don’t think you’ll be able to finish off the whole pot within five days, you can easily halve the recipe, or freeze leftovers for later.
Here are some measurements and conversions that might be helpful:
- Dried (raw) black beans: 1 pound = 16 ounces = scant 2 1/2 cups
- 1 pound dried black beans = 6 cups cooked black beans = four 15-ounce cans of cooked black beans
- Each 1/2 cup of dried beans yields a little over 1 cup cooked beans
The Great Bean Debates
To Soak, or Not to Soak
Here’s a compelling argument for not soaking beans by Kenji Lopez on Serious Eats. In summary, un-soaked beans require only marginally longer on the stove (as little as 20 minutes longer), have a deeper color (likely also more nutrients), and better flavor (less watered down).
Beans that are larger than black beans, such as chickpeas, may benefit from a soak. In my experience, soaking black beans is an unnecessary extra step.
To Salt Before Cooking, or Afterward
This is another highly contested matter, and once again, I leaned on Serious Eats for guidance. In their experiments, salted beans cooked more evenly. Unsalted beans actually absorbed too much water and popped open before their skins sufficiently softened. You can see their side-by-side comparison here.
Another bonus of salting early is that your beans will be more flavorful than if you reserved the same amount of salt until after cooking.
Stovetop vs. Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)
Cooking your beans on the stovetop is the way to go. I truly wanted to offer a reliable Instant Pot shortcut, but my Instant Pot bean experience has been too frustrating to recommend.
Here’s the problem: When you’re cooking beans in a pressure cooker, you can’t keep an eye on them. Cook times for beans in the Instant Pot vary with every batch, for reasons explained below. Many times, you’ll need to re-pressurize the pot and cook the beans longer. How much longer is always a guessing game. Sometimes, the beans cook unevenly because they run out of water along the way. Or, if you accidentally cook them a few minutes too long, the beans become mushy and bland.
You’ll also love stovetop black beans for their condensed, stewy cooking liquid. It’s delicious! You’ll never achieve the same nice cooking liquid with Instant Pot beans because the water can’t evaporate during cooking. Instant Pot beans will be watery, even if you manage to cook the beans properly—such beans would be fine as a replacement for drained canned beans, but they won’t make a great side dish on their own.
Timing Issues with Old Beans and Hard Water
Here’s the frustrating reality about cooking beans from scratch: You’ll never know exactly how long they’ll take to cook. Sometimes, very old beans will never soften sufficiently.
If you just bought your beans from a store with good turnover, they might be done cooking after just an hour-long simmer. Most likely, they’ll be done by an hour and a half to two hours.
Check your bags for a harvest or expiration date. Ideally, we’ll cook them within a year of harvest. Store your beans in a dark, cool place in the pantry in an air-tight container. If you don’t remember how long your dried beans have been sitting in your pantry, I can’t say how long they might take—or if they’ll ever fully cook through. This is a risk you take with cooking beans from scratch.
Another factor, which surprised me, is that the minerals in hard water can slow the cooking process! I live in an area with hard water, and I’ve witnessed the difference water can make. We can thank Melissa Clark for this clue.
My fresh-from-the-store beans cooked up in a mere hour when I used filtered water. My next batch, the same beans purchased at the same time, took over an hour and a half because I cooked them in tap water.
So, use filtered or distilled water if you can. Here’s a map of hard water areas in the United States, and here’s the affordable water filter (affiliate link) that seemed to improve my cooking time. I also have a larger filter system at home, which is great.
How to Serve Black Beans
These black beans are a great side dish to serve with Mexican, Cuban or other Latin American-inspired meals. Here are some of my favorite options.
- Burritos: Sweet Potato Burrito Smothered in Avocado Salsa Verde or Vegetarian Breakfast Burritos
- Casseroles: Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
- Chilaquiles: Chilaquiles Rojos or Chilaquiles Verdes
- Enchiladas: Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas, Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas or Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas
- Quesadillas: 10-Minute Quesadillas or Crispy Mushroom, Spinach and Avocado Quesadillas
- Tacos: Favorite Breakfast Tacos, Halloumi Tacos with Pineapple Salsa & Aji Verde or Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos
Or, replace the bean component in the following recipes with these home-cooked black beans:
- Austin-Style Migas with Black Beans
- Kale, Black Bean and Avocado Burrito Bowl
- Simple Kale and Black Bean Burritos
- Southwestern Kale Power Salad with Sweet Potato, Quinoa & Avocado Sauce
- Spicy Sweet Potato and Green Rice Burrito Bowls
Lastly, these beans are a fantastic burrito bowl component. Add any of the following:
- Rice: Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice or Mexican Brown Rice
- Something saucy: Classic Pico de Gallo, Creamy Avocado Dip, Cilantro Hemp Pesto, Guacamole, Red Salsa or Salsa Verde
- Maybe some extra greens or veggies: Chunky Avocado Salsa, Fresh Corn Salsa, Quick Collard Greens or Marinated Kale
- Garnishes and accents: Quick-Pickled Onions, toasted pepitas, crumbled Cotija or feta cheese, sliced cherry tomatoes, etc.
View all of my recipes containing black beans here.
How to Cook Black Beans
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
This foolproof recipe yields perfectly tender and delicious black beans. Make a pot and enjoy black beans all week! No need to soak the beans before using. Recipe yields 6 cups beans (the equivalent of 4 cans); you can freeze leftovers or cut the recipe in half.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounces or scant 2 ½ cups) dried black beans*
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- One strip of orange zest, about 2 inches long by ½ inch wide
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit or reduce if sensitive to spice)
- 8 cups water**, more if needed
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, optional
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- First, pick through your black beans for debris (sometimes tiny rocks can sneak in). Place the beans in a fine mesh colander or sieve and rinse very well. Pour the beans into a large Dutch oven or saucepan (4 quarts or larger in capacity).
- Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, salt, cumin, orange zest and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pot. Pour in the water.
- Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Give the beans a stir to make sure none are stuck to the bottom of the pot, and set a timer for 1 hour. Leave the pot uncovered and adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer (you should see several small bubbles popping to the surface at any given moment).
- Once the timer goes off, test a couple of beans by using a fork to press them against the side of the pot. If they’re easy to press through, taste a few (carefully! they’re hot!) to see if they’re sufficiently plump, tender and delicious.
- Otherwise, continue cooking, testing in 15 to 30 minute intervals as needed, until they’re done. If you’re running low on liquid, add water in 1-cup increments so the beans are covered at all time. (As mentioned in the post, if your beans are old, they can take several hours to cook and require a lot more water, and some very old beans may never cook through.)
- Once the beans are very tender and tasty, you can increase the heat a little to reduce the cooking liquid into a more gravy-like consistency, about 5 to 15 minutes (it will continue to thicken up as the beans cool).
- Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully remove the orange zest and both bay leaves. Use a fork to press the garlic against the side of the bowl to break it up. Add the cilantro, if using, and lime juice. Stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt, if needed. Use as desired.
- Allow leftover beans to cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze leftover beans for several months.***
Notes
Recipe created with guidance from Serious Eats.
*Bean note: It’s very important that your beans are fresh. Freshly purchased beans from a store with good turnover can cook in as little as one hour. Older beans can require several hours on the stove (and several more cups of water). Very old beans may never soften all the way through, and will never be suitable for consumption.
**Water note: If you live in an area with hard water, the minerals in the water may impede the cooking process (your beans will take longer to cook). Use distilled or filtered water if possible.
***Freeze it: I like to freeze leftover beans with their cooking juices in wide-mouth, pint-sized mason jars. You could also use small freezer bags—once frozen flat, they can be stacked. Regardless of your container, be sure that your beans have cooled to room temperature before freezing. If you’re using a rigid container (instead of a bag), allow some room at the top for expansion, and wait until the beans are fully frozen before securely attaching an air-tight lid. Defrost the containers in the fridge for several hours before using as desired.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Joseph
You are 110% correct on da water. I use bottled water. and a slow cooker on low 7ta eight hours. den leave it on warm all day . smash wit a fork some beans against da side to thicken sometimes I add a remigrated acne chili wit da water adds a nice flavor Never tried bay leaf or orange but. will soon Its great to see a twist on tradition thank you. Mr. Joseph !!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you have figured it out too! Thanks for sharing, Joseph. I appreciate your review.
Joseph
hi Kate have you tried Ananazi beans ,,, please do you are in for a treat.
★★★★★
Shai
Hi Kate,
I love your recipes. The tabouleh has been out of this world!! Anyways, wondering if you’ve tried this in a pressure cooker? Any additional tips if taking that approach? I plan on giving it a go so I will share anything Iearn here as well…
★★★★★
Kate
Hey Shai! So glad to hear it! That’s a good question. I just added a whole section about the Instant Pot since I’ve been getting lots of questions about it. :) I greatly prefer these beans when cooked on the stove, for reasons explained in the new section.
If you really want to try it—you could try combining all of the ingredients in the pot (except for the cilantro and lime juice, which go in after cooking). Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes (35 minutes if you’re certain your beans are super fresh. Many recipes suggest even less time, but lower times have never been sufficient in my experience.). Allow the steam to release naturally for 20 minutes.
The frustrating part—after all that, your beans may still not be fully cooked, and it’s not safe to consume undercooked beans (also, not tasty). If you need to cook them longer, make sure there’s enough liquid in the pot to keep them fully submerged. Try 5 minutes more. Repeat as necessary.
MiJo
Hello. Can this be cooked in an Instant Pot?
Kate
Hi MiJo! I have outlined my thoughts on the Instant Pot in the post. :)
Richard Tarasofsk
Hi- this looks yummy. What would need to be modified to cook the beans in an instant pot?
Kate
Hi Richard! I have outlined my thoughts on the Instant Pot in the post. :)
Richard
Indeed you did – and apparently I missed it! Thanks.
Kate
You didn’t miss it! I added it later because I got a lot of Instant Pot questions. :) If you really want to try it, I’ve provided some guidance in the first comment reply on this post. Hope your beans turn out great, however you cook them!
Judith Capriotti
What are your thoughts about sprouting black beans to remove phytic acid from the beans?
Thx!
Judy
Kate
Hi Judith! Good question. I’ve honestly never had the patience or foresight to sprout beans, but I understand that sprouted beans offer increased bioavailability of a few nutrients. Here’s some information I found on the subject: “The good news is that eating vitamin C in the same meal as nonheme iron significantly increases its absorption even in the presence of phytic acid [Hallberg L. 1981, Siegenberg et al. 1991]. Good sources of vitamin C include red peppers, parsley and broccoli [USDA Nutrient Database].
Compared to the absorption of iron, the zinc and magnesium bioavailabilites in beans are relatively good at about 25% and 50%, respectively [Sandström et al. 1989, Insel et al. 2004].”
Christine Whittington
I live at 10,200′ altitude *and* have hard water, so I cook beans in a pressure cooker. I usually just use beans, water, and olive oil (no salt, but might try that), but I think this recipe will work perfectly in the pressure cooker. I will try it and let you know! It looks amazing.
Kathy
I’m at 4500 feet and also use a pressure cooker! With our hard water and altitude, the beans would take at least 2 hours to simmer until done, I’m sure! This recipe will work well in my Instant Pot. I will need to have an orange on hand the next time I cook black beans!
Sounds yummy!
Kate
Please do! I just didn’t have much luck with my Instant Pot.
Christine Whittington
This recipe worked beautifully in the pressure cooker! I cooked them on high pressure for 32 minutes. I always cook beans the shortest time, then simmer for a bit until tender. My pressure cooker has “simmer” and “keep warm” functions so it is more like an Instapot than a traditional pressure cooker. The only things I changed: I used regular tap water. I did not add cilantro at the end because my daughter is a cilantro-hater. I think she was switched at birth! Like most cilantro-haters, she says it tastes like soap.
★★★★★
Christine Whittington
Also, my daughter used the beans to make her signature black bean chili–worked very well!
★★★★★
Adrienne Muller
Do you know how I would cook in an instapot
Kate
Hi Adrienne! I will be adding more to the post about that soon, but unfortunately I didn’t like the instant pot results. The results were pretty inconsistent and I didn’t love the flavor.
SG
Regarding salting black beans before or after cooking, I’d like to offer one more benefit to adding salt before: beans will cook faster in salted water. Saltwater boils marginally faster, has a higher boiling point, and has higher mass (meaning it transfers heat faster) than unsalted water.
Kate
Thanks for your input, SG!
Laura
This recipe sounds great. I have very old beans that I hate to throw out. If I cook them in the slow cooker for a long time, would they be safe to eat, even if they are tough?
Kate
Hi Laura, I’m not sure. Sorry! I don’t have luck with old beans and would check the best used date for sure.
Laura
Thanks Kate.
Therese
Looks like a great recipe
Just a question:
I have heard that when you soak beans, the soaking water contains oligosaccharides, released from the beans during soaking, that can lead to digestive discomfort, and should therefore be discarded.
If skipping the soaking (as you suggest), is the oligosaccharides not released in the cooking water then, which therefore wouldn’t be advisable to intake?
Or have I misunderstood something?♀️
Kate
Hi Therese! Good question, and I’ll to the best of my understanding, though I’m not a food scientist. It appears to be true that soaking beans for several hours (then discarding the soaking water) reduces the oligosaccharide content. Oligosaccharides are not inherently unhealthy—in fact, I think we’re learning that oligosaccharides are what give beans such good “prebiotic” powers. They can, however, produce gas as they are fermented in the colon. I honestly don’t have trouble with beans, maybe because I eat them so often. If you do, you might want to soak the beans, just be aware that your cooking time will be reduced.
Laura
I was just wondering about making black beans from scratch! It’s like you read my mind! Can’t wait to try.
Kate
Let me know what you think, Laura!
4waystoyummy
This recipe sounds fabulous, love the addition of orange zest. Beans are something I am trying to eat a lot more of! I admit I had a bad experience years ago with the beans staying “hard” in a chili I made, so I switched to using canned beans. But after having success with making refried beans from scratch I was back to cooking dried beans. And much more economical! I’ll always wonder why the beans I cooked years ago wouldn’t soften.
★★★★★
Louie
This was a great article on black beans. I learned so much! Thank you. These delicious beans will be made at my house very soon. I receive your emails and really enjoy your recipes. Thanks for sharing your talents.
Hayley
I never cook beans from scratch but I’m excited to try. Intrigued by the use of orange zest (it seems very South American) too!
Mary Ellen
Thank you, C&K! Can’t wait to try. I always learn so much from your recipes – there is so much useful detail. Just made your 30 minute rice recipe for the millionth (almost) time today – it’s foolproof!!
★★★★★
ZB
Would you recommend doing this in an Instapot?
Kate
HI ZB, I’m working to add more on that in the post. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the results. It was pretty inconsistent.
Annette
I too was just thinking about making a pot of black beans to go with my perfectly cooked quinoa(thank you for that info). I will be trying this tomorrow and was wondering if I might be able to adapt it for my slow cooker so I don’t have to babysit it all day. Have you tried this with any luck?
Love your site and many of your recipes are my go to favorites!! Thanks for keeping us healthy!
Kate
Hi Annette! I haven’t don’t this in the slow cooker, but if you plan it right it does only take an hour. :) Sorry to not be more helpful!
Kathy
The Smitten Kitchen website has a recipe for making beans in a slow cooker.
Joycelyn
Interesting, but since I’ve been looking for a good recipe for salted black beans I can cook ahead to use in assorted recipes, I’d omit all the spices and such suggested save for the salt kosher only and a smidge of oil.
We don’t have beans in pound bags where I am and rarely use volume measurements unless it’s one of Grans hand written recipes received from one of her friends.
The smallest package I can get of freshly packaged ( so important to not buy old beans) black beans as well as all other beans at my health food shop is 900 gram bags so will have to do a bit of weighing before going ahead.
Thanks for posting!
Lauren Lagergren
Just reading the description and recipe is making my mouth water. I’ve made black beans many, many times both on the stove and in the Instant Pot. And now I am going to quit soaking and start adding the salt when they’re cooking. Great time saver!
★★★★★
David Adamson
I cook mine pretty much the same, no soak, no salt, add seasonings but I us the Instant Pot and they come out great.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing your variation, David! I’m glad you enjoy your Instant Pot result. I just couldn’t quite get mine to be what I wanted, so stovetop for me!
kaajal
Hi
curiously i see a lot of people cook in the Instant Pot.would it be ok to cook the black beans from scratch in the Instant Pot
would appreciate your thoughts
thanks
kaajal
Kate
Hi! I have information on my thoughts regarding the Instant Pot in the post. :)
Sasha
Just want to put my hand up in support of the microwave for cooking beans. It doesn’t save a lot of time (it’s around 45-50 minutes for beans depending on the size and the amount), but it’s a lot less effort as you don’t have to hang around waiting for them to boil and then turning them down, and they don’t need stirring. It’s better not to fill the container beyond about 1/3 full and only just cover them with water as otherwise they tend to boil over.
John Gregg
I made black beans over the weekend almost to the T except used a white onion because that’s what I had. I did not use red chili flakes but used 12 oz. of Ortega chili’s and chipotle chili powder. Neither are very hot but add great flavor. I also added a half of a cup of fresh squeezed orange juice at the end of cooking.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing your version, John! I appreciate your review.
Barbara
What a fantastic and informative article! Answered all my questions and frustrations and way more. Thank you Kate!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Barbara! I’m happy to hear it.
Deb Focht
I have been cooking beans in my crock pot for years. I cook them without salt for health reasons. I always cook the entire package which takes about 4-5 hours on low. No mess, no fuss. Drain and put into 2 c ziploc bags for the freezer. Lay them on a flat small cookie tray, stacked alternately with seal on left, next one on right. Easy to do. After they are frozen, I tore in my freezer in a bin container for easy access.
At first I put in a half onion, peeled but uncut. It did not seem to make much flavor difference and I was putting them in recipes that had plenty of spices.
Thank you for your recipes and tips.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Deb!
HeatherG
I cook beans from scratch all the time but have never tried it like this, and can’t wait. One supposed benefit of soaking and rinsing before cooking (I typically soak and rinse thrice) is that… and sorry about this but, those rinses apparently get out the *gas* that the beans otherwise produce. I love the idea of cooking with salt water! Thank you for the recipe.
Kate
Hi Heather! Thanks for your note. I hope you love this method. It’s true that soaking and rinsing beans before cooking reduces the oligosaccharides that can cause flatulence. I’ve heard some rumors that cooking beans with bay leaves (this recipe does) can help as well. Anecdotally, I didn’t have any digestive issues with these beans, but I eat a lot of beans! If you do run into trouble, try some fennel tea. :)
Johnette LaBorde
Thank you Kate! I love that you tell us we can cut the recipe in half as many of us are cooking for just one person. I will try this recipe and keep you posted.
johnette
Kate
Please do, Johnette! I hope you love it.
Cathryn Kasper
Hello Cookie and Kate!
I’m nearly 75, been cooking beans from scratch for over 50 years, and these are THE BEST BLACK BEANS EVER!
Thank you so much for this recipe and all the research you did to make it perfect!!
Cathryn in Corvallis
★★★★★
Kate
Well, that’s great news Cathryn! Thanks for your comment and review.
Deborah
The BEST black beans I’ve ever had, let alone cooked myself. I can’t stop eating them!
★★★★★
Marilyn Mullen
I’m a huge fan and use your cookbook and online recipes almost every day. As a vegetarian for almost 50 years, I love beans! However I was shocked last year to be diagnosed with osteoporosis in my lumbar spine & hip joints, so I’ve gotten serious about building bone naturally. (Highly recommend “The Healthy Bones Nutrition Plan & Cookbook,” by mother & daughter team Kelly & Kelly.) I now soak all my dried beans, nuts and seeds to “Disarm Anti-Nutrients in Plant-Based Foods,” as one chapter is entitled.
★★★★★
Jean Marie
These beans are EPIC! They are off-the-charts delicious! I will be making them frequently. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!!!!
★★★★★
Sean
Nice recipe (like just about every one I’ve seen on your website). I also like the combination of flavors in the black bean burrito bowl and that’s quickly becoming a staple here. A couple of points on the water discussion–I’ve not had any problems cooking beans of a great many varieties in my water, which is some of the hardest water in California. Old beans, it’s true, take a lot longer and big old beans never really cook satisfactorily, and not just in my water. Other point–the filters mentioned above won’t do anything to make water “softer,” that is, they won’t reduce the dissolved ‘hard water” minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Technologies for that generally center around water softeners of various persuasions, including salt-based household (ion-exchange) softeners, more sophisticated ion-exchange zeolite-based units ($$$), and reverse osmosis (RO) units. Of these, only the salt based unit doesn’t result in “pure” water–it leaves sodium in the water through the calcium-sodium exchange process. RO units are somewhat more practical but they have a number of drawbacks, including a backflush requirement and short filter life in hard water areas. Second best but still acceptable (and how I do it): our grocery store and a number of other places in town and out in the world have “Glacier” purified water dispensers which provide very pure water for roughly $.40 per gallon. I use that water to feed the plants, change the aquarium water, and for most of my cooking, beer-brewing, and bread making (fermentation loves pure water). It’s perhaps a bit inconvenient but it’s quite reliable and it comes with all kinds of peace of mind. So again, I love this website (and Cookie is a pretty cool dog too), and I hope it continues for a few dozen more years.
Lynn
Made these in my crock pot and it was so easy! And the beans have such great flavor! Made enough to freeze for later!
★★★★★
arlene
Being cuban, i found this recipe delicious. Not my mom’s recipe, but nothing can ever be!! just a quick note, in our family, we leave the bay leaves in. when dishing out the beans (or anything with bay leaves), it is considered good luck if your the one who got the bay leaf!!
★★★★
Hannah
I have never really been into black beans, they’ve always seemed kind of meh to me, but I had some in the cupboard so I gave this recipe a go anyway. These beans do not disappoint! So much more flavourful than any other black beans I’ve ever had, I find myself putting them in everything!
Thanks for the recipe C+K, you’ve got a black bean convert in me!
H L
The beans were flavorful but next time I will add a jalapeño and cover the pot while simmering. This was the first time I cooked beans uncovered and I think the beans cook more thoroughly when covered. I appreciated all the thoughtful notes in the recipe explaining the “why’s” behind the instructions and the InstaPot challenges (..yes)
★★★★
Virginia
This was my first time attempting dry black beans and it was a huge success! This recipe is fantastic! It did take me more like 2 – 2.5 hours cooking time and probably 10 cups of water, (don’t know how old my beans were), but it was so worth it. So easy and delicious. The orange ended up cooking right down into the beans and I didn’t remove it (Bc I couldn’t find it) – didn’t make a difference. My 15 year old daughter commented at least 5 times on how yummy they were with the lime cilantro rice (which by the way was also excellent). Definitely the BEST recipe for dry black beans I’ve ever eaten. Thank you for posting!
★★★★★
Jonny
Just made these beans tonight and followed the recipe exactly but with low expectations. I mean, I’ve been cooking dried beans for decades and they’re just beans, right? Wrong! These beans are fabulous, Kate. Wonderful combination of flavors! Can’t wait to share the recipe with several friends — giving all credit to you, of course. Do you know whether this type of no-soaking recipe works for garbanzos, Great Northern, and other beans? Got any ideas about seasoning these other types of beans?
Thanks for a great recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Jonny! Hooray, I’m so glad to hear it! To answer your question—I believe chickpeas might benefit from a soak, since they’re larger than black beans, which are pretty small and thin skinned relative to other beans. I’m not sure about Great Northerns. I think that cooking almost any variety of bean with onion, garlic, olive oil, salt, and bay leaves would produce a superior result! Not sure I’d add cumin or orange peel to the other varieties, though. I haven’t tried. Hope this helps!
BrooklynBeka
Have you tested adding Baking Soda to a batch? I saw in your post about Hummus that you use it there. I read that adding a pinch helps break them down a bit faster.
I grew up watching my mother make them on the stove all the time! We used to drink the cooking liquid before the beans were completely done for the nutrients!
I have also done them in the Crock Pot if I want to be able to let them go without scorching risks, Piece of cake!
★★★★
Kate
I haven’t tried, that may be true. I did notice a funny flavor with the chickpeas, as to why I suggested rinsing them really well. If you did that with this recipe, you would loose all the great flavor. Using fresh black beans wouldn’t be necessary for that step. Hope this helps!
Mireille
I did not have an orange on hand, and omitted the orange rind in the recipe. Black beans were still the most delicious that I have ever eaten! My entire family of 4 loved them!
★★★★★
Carol
These beans are great. I’ve cooked dried beans for years and always soaked them. I didn’t soak them today, I used filtered water, and the seasonings in your recipe. It’s too hot here to boil on the stove so I cooked in my slow cooker on high for six hours and they are perfect! I think the filtered water was a good idea.
★★★★★
Christine
This turned out great. It is so easy and so flavourful.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited you loved them, Christine! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Sherri
I have good results cooking beans in a slow cooker/crockpot. Sure, it takes hours but it’s hands off and difficult to over cook the beans and they turn out creamy. Once I figured out the timing for my slow cooker I realized that I can cook beans overnight and they’re ready to refrigerate or freeze the next day. One of my kids will even eat beans for breakfast when they’ve been cooked overnight!
Tim
OMG, Kate, I never thought I’d say it, but your black beans have got mine beat, hands down. The depth of flavor is impressive. The beans are perfection. I followed your directions, suggestions and recipe exactly. Only changes are personal taste: Next time, I will cut down the red pepper flakes to (a generous) 1/4 teaspoon. I also added another teaspoon of salt at the end. Just glorious. Thank you from your newest fan (& fam)!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited you love them, Tim! Thanks for sharing.
Tracy
These beans were restaurant quality – far superior to doctored canned beans
★★★★★
Regan Brown
These are the best black beans I have ever had!!
★★★★★
Jenni
2nd time making this and I can’t bring myself to have canned black beans ever again. this morning I made my guest and myself a burrito bowl with this recipe, the corn salsa recipe, and BEST OF ALL the pickled onions recipe… along with greens and forbidden rice. Perfect Thank you Kate!
★★★★★
Cynthia Rogers
Can I still use same ingredients if I am using canned black beans?
Kate
Hi Cynthia! This was specific to cooking dried beans that helps get the best flavor. I haven’t tried this combination with canned. It would likely taste great. However, I’m not sure the adjustments without trying it (less water, cook time, etc).
Maz
Wow wow wow thank you for this! just made a half batch and they’re seriously the best beans I’ve ever made!! I think the orange zest cooked off, couldn’t find it
★★★★★
Kristie
Just made this recipe and it is sooooo easy and more importantly, sooooo delicious!!!! I didn’t have any cilantro on hand, made the recipe in the spur of the moment craving. Decided to put my homemade canned giardiniera (hot peppers, carrots, green olives) in it when serving to replace the lemon/lime juice and to add spice for me but not for the kiddo. YUM! Thank you so much for sharing this. I thought I’d have to wait till tomorrow to make my black beans because I hadn’t soaked them. I’ll get the cilantro tomorrow and have it again! Thank YOU!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited you loved them and that it worked with your creative touches! Thanks for sharing, Kristie.
Wendy
I’ve been trying to cook more dried beans over the past few months for all the reasons you mention (availability, less environmental impact, cost). This is probably batch 8 or so and it’s the first batch of beans I’ve actually liked. And so easy!
★★★★★
Doug in Vegas
Hi Kate. For us novices, would you mind sharing how much of each ingredient you add? How much onion, garlic, how many bay leaves, etc. I promise to put on my big boy pants and adjust it according to taste later, but I’d like to duplicate yours first and go from there. Thank you!
Kate
Hi Doug! I’m not sure what you feel is missing as all of that is listed in the ingredients list.
Kate
These are delicious beans! I made them as written (no soak, pre-salted, all the extras), but subbed lemon peel for orange. They remind me of the beans I ate every summer in Chiapas (but dare I say, better!). Really, really good. I used to soak the beans and cook them in a crock pot, but they lost their color and were often pretty bland even after seasoning. Now I know better. Thank you!!
★★★★★
nancy
Fantastic black beans! Who knew lemon was so incredible on black beans?!
★★★★★
Kate
I agree! Thank you for reporting back on how much you loved this recipe, Nancy.
Maggie
I made your recipe adding a few extra vegetables and some roasted pork loin – absolutely delicious! Thanks for the tips on cooking black beans. Mine were freshly harvested from our garden yesterday. Will look for more of your recipes.
★★★★★
S Stroderd
I appreciate your enthusiasm in trying to come up with different tastes. I did cook the whole recipe. After and 1 1/2 hrs of cooking I had to remove the Orange zest and put in my favorite smoked sausage. The whole thing took entirely too long to cook, which was at least 2 more hrs. Bottom line–smoked sausage not orange zest. All other ingredients were fine.
★★
Heidi
Oh my, I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. It’s the first time I’ve cooked beans from scratch and they were exquisite. The only changes I made — adding 50g extra beans (so I could use up the bag) and subbed in lemon peel instead of orange (it’s all I had). Came out *PERFECT*. Hilariously, they took me seven hours to cook…but I think the beans were old and our water is quite heavy with limestone. 100% would make again. THANK YOU!
ArtyJ
The correct strategy is
1) Soak the Bean (a bit of salt)
2) Pressure cook for 30 minutes with garlic, onions and seasonings. I use chicken broth instead of water. I also add green peppers if I have them
3) Drain, saving the liquid
4) add about 1/2 the liquid and slow cook on high until done.
You can speed things up, do it in 1 pot and monitor doneness; there’s no rule that says 100% of the cooking has to be pressurized. Use the pressure cooker to save an hour
I’ve found using broth instead of water makes them fantastic every time.
KB
I’ll never go back to canned beans again! These were so easy and so yummy! I’m not sure why some people mentioned the hassle of babysitting them or wanting to do them quicker in an instant pot – they took 5 minutes to prepare and an hour to cook. Once they boil, turn the heat down and walk away for an hour. Easy peasy. I’m using them to make your veggie black bean enchiladas tomorrow.
★★★★★
Isabelle Germain
These were delicious! This will definitely change the way I cook black beans from now on. The kids loved them too – very satisfying. We have hard water and it probably took close to two hours to cook fully but they turned out well so it was with it!
Jolene Freitas
First time black bean cooker-er here!
I’ve been watching a lot of Dave Ramsey, and he’s always talking about saving money and has this saying: Beans n’ rice! Rice n’ beans!!
Well it got me to thinking….I never made that before. So here I go! Just started my first pot using your recipe because the cumin, cilantro and orange zest made me raise my eyebrows!
Details to follow…………..
Jolene Freitas
I had started soaking the beans already, then I found your recipe so…. but, I cooked it per recipe (minus orange peel and lime juice that was not on hand), and it took about 3 hours on simmer. I made white rice on the side and put the cilantro in there instead. It was great, but why did it take so much longer? I used filtered water.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Jolene! Thank you for your comment. I’m happy you enjoyed this one. I’m sorry it took so long! It could have been your beans were a bit older.
Rachel
I made these black beans a few weeks ago & they turned out great. Wondering if chick peas would be about the same (with perhaps diff seasoning..)
Kate
Hi Rachel! Sorry, I haven’t tried with other beans just yet. I’m not sure it will work the same as chickpeas are larger and more dense.
chris
How can you know if the beans you are going to buy are “fresh” or old. They don’t seem to have a packaged date. Perhaps there is a good place online?
Kate
Hi Chris! There should be a date on the package. Or go to a store where you know they are replacing inventory often.
Marshall
I made this as written, but also added some smoked ham and pickled jalapenos that I recently canned. Served over steamed cous cous. Delicious! Thanks for the great recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback, Marshall.
Carol
Making this for the 3rd time today. The addition of the orange is amazing. The funny thing is I bought the beans for a craft project that was a bust and had 10 lbs of beans to not waste, and I’d never cooked dried beans before. Searched and found this recipe to try first and I’ve gone no further. Today I’m also making slow cooker carnitas for the first time to go with the beans. Wish me luck!
★★★★★
Kate
Let me know what you think, Carol!
Mark
Wow. I’ve had lots of black beans in my day and these were the best. Can’t wait to try other things from you! First time here and so impressed. And I did lots of research on black beans prior to cooking!
M.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, I’m happy to hear it!
Nan
I love that you added some citrus. So many recipes forget to add that dash of acid at the end that brightens the dish. I use easy beansy spice mix (it’s a local thing) and then I serve with lime wedges. I’m going to try your zest idea, that’s a good one!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Nan! I’m glad you loved it.
ebuff
Simple, elegant, and timely. Savory comes through … i Thank You !
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Ebuff!
Bethany
I made these for dinner and they were fantastic! I used beans that I’d soaked for about 5 hours and water from the tap. They took about 1.5 hours to cook. I didn’t have bay leaves or orange peel, but even without those ingredients, the beans were very flavorful. I will definitely be making these again!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Bethany! I appreciate your review.
Miriam Tesler
I didn’t have fresh dry beans at home so I used canned beans. Hope it works with canned beans as well…
PersonA
Hi! I’ve made these several times (vary the onion to whichever is on hand that day!) and love them! My 6 year old now turns his nose up at canned beans, because they aren’t “mommas”! This is the first time I’ve premade them for use later, so since we aren’t eating them now, would you still add the lime and cilantro before storing in fridge and freezer or just for fridge storage or wait until reheating for use? For today, I think I’m going to wait to add them until I actually plan on eating them, but I was curious. Also, this is the first time I’ll actually have cilantro on hand at the same time I made the beans, so we’re excited to try it!
★★★★
Kate
I’m so glad you loved this! I think you can do either. Let me know what you think! Adding it later might liven them up a bit more after storage.
Dee
I made these beans, however, did not have oranges, so I substituted with some tangerine and grapefruit zest; they turned out amazing! could not stop eating them for days!
★★★★★
MaryKate Jacobs
Hi! If I’m doing this recipe for your black bean soup, should I drain the beans or can I use the liquid from these beans with the soup? So excited to try it – my boyfriend and I love all of your recipes!!
Kate
Hi! I would have them drained. Or, you don’t have to and just have more liquid with it. Let me know what you think of the recipe combination!
Brenda
This recipe is so good! I really appreciated your detailed thoughts on the instant pot and soaking. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Brenda! I’m glad you found it helpful.
Alfred Harvey
Much too runny for me! 5 to 6 cups would be enough water to start off with additional if needed.
Hunting around for whole garlic to smash with fork is a drag. Just chop up and toss ’em on there.
★★★★
Patricia
hallo
just wondering if you ever add Kombu or other dried seaweed when cooking beans
It seems to help speed up the cooking process slightly (and give a nice flavor )
Kate
Hi, I’m not sure Patricia. It sounds interesting.
Angel Mendez
Lovely recipe, was just gonna add my momma grew up in wichita kansas, and when she was young the would makemake a giant pot of black beans, with salt and pepper, then make “sides” to mix in, red and yellow onion, raw, chopped, and hard boiled egg, chopped, really tasty mixed in❤️
★★★★★
Marilyn
I can’t tell you how much I like this black bean recipe. I have made this recipe twice exactly like the recipe says. I have learned that freezing these beans works great for later use. They are wonderful in a veggie bowl and add a lot to the flavor. Thank you so much for adding another great recipe to my Paprika App!
★★★★★
Kate
I appreciate your feedback, Marilyn! I’m glad you liked how these were after you froze them.
dan brock
shalom, cooked these beans last night. mmm-mmm-good. thank you.
need your advice. friend gave me 40 tortillas. whatever i do to them, steam, warm in a pan or oven, warm with olive oil, they feel and taste like raw flour and water. how do you make them edible. any suggestions?
thanks for a really fine blog.
dan brock
tsukim, israel
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Dan, It sounds like you have raw tortillas that need to be cooked. They should have directions on how to cook them. Sorry to not be of more help!
Julie
I followed this recipe almost just as written – so yummy. The only tiny change I made was to reduce the red pepper flakes to 1/4 teaspoon. I have tried before and failed to get any ‘flavor’ in my beans – but these are just right. My daughter in law gave me her ‘abuelas’ recipe after I already had these going – and it was practically the same thing – feeling very happy! Merry Christmas
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for haring! I’m delighted it was a hit, Julie.
Rose
Thank you so much for this info. I never knew why beans would take their precious time to soften. I would soak them for a night or three to cut on the amount of time on the store. Yet, they will take two hours to cook.
Deb Hawkinson
I made these beans for the first time today! Yum! I will definitely make them again!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great, Deb!
sam
Looks nice , however what is the water to bean ratio for cooking
Kate
Hi Sam, I suggest 8 cups water for 1 pound (16 ounces) dried beans. If your beans are old, however, you’ll have to add some more water as they’re cooking so they don’t run out. There’s really not a perfect ratio due to this factor!
Alex
Can you make this in the instant pot? And if so for how long and at what setting?
Kate
Hey Alex, I’ve tried and I really prefer to make these beans on the stovetop (see the pressure cooker section for details). If you really want to try it, see my first comment reply.
Josiph
yikes just came back to this recipe and read my review from July the words were funny supposed ta be rehydrated Ancho chili. never cared for Black beans until I read your recipe. Gees Louise ,,,, have you tried Anasazi beans an ancient American Indian dry bean. ?? Ya gotta try those. great flavor a little sweet great texture Absolutely Delisious. more expensive than any other but More than worth it I did them in crock pot ,a small one I call my bean pot , with some white onion and Ancho chili powder , Go girl cook some up make some new recipes let me know how ya did .. PEACEALWAYS. ” Good Eatin “
★★★★★
Leah
These beans are delicious! I wish someone had told me a long time ago what a difference there is in canned and home cooked beans. I’ll never go back to canned! I did substitute 2 cups of the water with chicken broth. So good!
★★★★★
Tiffany
Oh. My. Gosh. These are really, really good. They’re super flavorful and tasty, yet still taste like black beans and are not overpowered by anything. 5+ stars!
★★★★★
Kasia
Delicious! I don’t cook a lot, but every recipe I’ve tried from you is now in my rotation. This one is simple, but creative – exactly what I was hoping for. Your explanation is easy to follow, the photos are beautiful, you are so thoughtful to include all the details, like a link to a map of areas with hard water. And, the reader can hear your voice through your writing. It feels like having a great chef as a friend, guiding you. Thank you for sharing this with us.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you! I’m delighted you enjoyed both my recipe and the post.
Kathy Ratze
Dear Kate,
Thank you for this recipe.
I have cooked the black beans with this method 5 times. Each time they turned out beautifully. My family loved them.
I have soaked and boiled black beans for years. NEVER AGAIN!
This recipe is fabulous. The flavors are amazing.
Thank you!
Kathy
Judy
Love this recipe. Second time making beans this way. So much better than canned beans. Lots of flavor. Thank you.
★★★★★
CJDenver
Hi Kate! Just letting you know we LOVE all your recipes! I have 4 college kids home, two of whom are full vegans, so your creative ideas are greatly appreciated. Your black bean recipe is the best I’ve found and we make them at least twice a month. The beans are great on their own and wonderful as leftovers and “add ins” for other creations (burritos, soups, etc.). Thank you for all you do!
Kate
Thank you! It’s great to hear my recipes could be enjoyed by all.
Amanda
Just made this recipe and it was amazing! I had to cook it for longer than an hour and added some more water, but other than that, the beans were perfect.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Amanda! Thank you for your review.
Pam
Wow Kate! You just knocked our black bean experience out of the park.
Last year my son and I planted a three sisters garden here in Ontario, Canada with Cherokee black beans that a friend shared with me, along with some locally bought heirloom corn and squash seeds.
The squash plants suddenly died. The racoons destroyed the corn. But we got a bumper crop of black beans!
I used some of those beans to try out your recipe and, wow. Yum! I’ll never be able to go back to the canned experience again.
At the 45 minute mark I tested the beans then called over my 15 year old son, who helped with the garden. The conversation went something like this:
Me: Aidan!
Aidan: What? I’m busy working on my presentation.
Me: No, you’ve gotta stop and try these.
Aidan: Oh, are these our beans?
Me: Yeah
Aidan (now eating beans): Oh my gosh!
Me: Right?
Aidan: Those are so good! What are we having with them?
Me: Kate’s Sweet potato burritos
Aidan: Mmmm (swoons and goes back to his school work).
Anyway, just a funny little story to say thank you for sharing your recipes with the world!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited you loved them! Thank you for sharing your story.
Sylvia Bailey
Hello, why do you leave the pot uncovered when simmering? Does this help reduce gas production or is this just to evaporate excess water?
Kate
Hi! I find it helps the beans cook better.
Sam
Best black beans I’ve ever eaten, and even better the next day. The only change I made was to add a couple diced jalapenos instead of the red pepper flakes.
The orange zest really puts this on the next level — do you think it would work to just use finely grated zest and let it incorporate rather than adding and then removing the strip?
Mine did take 2+ hours, I think it was a combination of high altitude + old beans + hard water. Also had to add a little more water due to the extended cook time.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! I find it works best as the strip vs zest. That’s one thing, they can be inconsistent as noted in the post. Thank you for your review!
Diane
I’ve made the black beans from scratch in my slow cooker and they look great, but I must not have chopped the onions finely enough so have big slices of red onion to deal with somehow. And they seem to have more liquid than yours does in the picture. I’ll be making the enchiladas and will drain them before using. I’m sure they’ll taste great when they’re put together.
★★★
Kate
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. As I noted in my post, the beans to tend to vary for so many reasons.
Diane
The enchiladas were fabulous and I’ve got enough black beans for more.
★★★★
Sotires
I’ve had half a pack of black beans in my pantry for years that my sister brought from Brazil. After reading your tips, I’ve put them in to soak overnight.
The measurement conversions was a nice touch (rarely seen in American recipes) but it would have been useful to include international measurements (grams) and also to say many people I should expect to feed with this quantity as I don’t want to fill up my freezer.
I’ll let you know how it turns out tomorrow and put the rating then. But it will depend on how the beans have survived the years.
Sotires
I’ve had half a pack of black beans in my pantry for years that my sister brought from Brazil. After reading your tips, I’ve put them in to soak overnight.
The measurement conversions was a nice touch (rarely seen in American recipes) but it would have been useful to include international measurements (grams) and also to say many people I should expect to feed with this quantity as I don’t want to fill up my freezer.
I’ll let you know how it turns out tomorrow and put the rating then. But it will depend on how the beans have survived the years.
I wonder whether the soaking water can be used for sometthing else, like the aqua faba from soaking chic peas. Or maybe use it for cooking the beans to make a creamier result?
dan brock
4th time we are cooking this recipe. works pretty well. think i will add a red banana pepper towards the end and halve the salt.
★★★★
Kristen Garanton
I have been trying boring black bean recipes for years and haven’t loved any of them. I added some beef broth to go along with the meal I was making (subbed some water for broth) and these were perfect!
Mark Rasmussen
Hi All,
I was wondering about foam?
With Pinto’s, I skim the foam, with the black beans there are(is) less and I left it in as we speak. I usually do. I felt as I tried to take foam out just now felt as I was removing flavoring, imagining the seasoned water would rise to the top with the foam. Your thoughts, newbie here and excited to meet the community. Best, Mark