I know it isn’t right to play favourites, but of all the beans, I like black beans the best. I’m not entirely sure why. It could be the size, it could be the texture. Hell, beans all pretty much taste the same, but for some reason I feel that black beans are the best.
Often people think of Mexican food when they come face to face with a can of black beans. To be sure there are lots of great beany, cheesy dishes that celebrate the flavours of Latin America. Black beans offer so much more though. Beyond Mexican they can be used in Indian and Italian food no problem.
As far as nutrition goes, black beans put in a pretty decent showing. While they don’t pack the protein punch of a yellow split pea they are a healthy addition to any meal.
Based on a serving of a half cup of canned beans:
- Calories:109
- Fat:0.4g
- Sodium:461mg
- Carbohydrates:20g
- Fiber:8.3g
- Sugars:0.3g
- Protein: 7g
So if you’re here because you have a can of black beans in your hand and are wondering what the *&@! to do with it, here are five ideas you can use that will satisfy without too much hassle.
Enchiladas
For years I avoided making enchiladas. Guess I’m a bit lazy in the kitchen, and these just seemed like a lot more work than their cousin, the humble burrito. That said, after making these once, enchiladas have become part of the rotation at our house. Enchiladas are an easy to make meal and offer a tonne of flavour thanks to the tangy sauce. I have to thank Cookie and Kate for this recipe. Both the enchiladas and sauce recipes are included. This recipe is good as is, so no need to change a thing… and don’t lame out and use store bought sauce either!
https://cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-enchiladas-recipe/
Black bean soup
My wife Kyla is the soup maker in our house. She has a great lentil soup recipe that I will try get her to share, but when we’re all a bit “lentiled out” she’ll put together something different. Black bean soup is another of her favourites to make on a cold day. Fresh cilantro and a bit of a spicy zip make this hearty soup a winner.
Try Kyla’s black bean soup recipe
Black bean burgers
There are plenty of veggie burger recipes out there and a host of store bought options too. After 24 years I have made enough patties to know which ones will be well received and among that list is a black bean burger. This recipe comes from Vegetarian Times Magazine and is super quick and easy. Quinoa helps hold it all together and add extra protein. Sundried tomatoes and steak seasoning (while counter intuitive) provide the flavour. I bought a big bottle of the seasoning at Costco that lasted for years! These burgers don’t fall apart and are great with a bun or without.
https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/black-bean-quinoa-burgers/
Chili
Chili recipes like burger recipes are a dime a dozen. Back in the day a friend borrowed our Essential Vegetarian cookbook and won a chili contest, so for years we used that recipe. All good things must come to an end though and we have since moved on to a black bean and butternut squash chili that is awesome. When simmered for an hour or so the squash becomes a little bit creamy and the Tex-Mex flavours pop in your mouth. Paired with rice this is a crowd pleaser for sure. This recipe came from Epicurious, but I changed it so much that it wouldn’t be right to send you off with a list of modifications, so I have posted it here.
Dal Makhani
This yummy Indian dish usually calls for two different types of beans, kidney beans and split lentils. Over the years I have made Makhani properly as well as with whatever pairing of beans happened to be in the cupboard. Frankly, the spices in this dish are so good that you could probably use straw and it would taste great, so using just black beans is a no brainer. This recipe comes from Manjula’s Kitchen which is an eclectic collection of vegetarian, Indian dishes. Since we have gone vegan I substitute coconut cream in for dairy cream and oil for the ghee.
https://www.manjulaskitchen.com/dal-makhani/
Black Bean Bonus… Chocolate Cake!
When my wife Kyla was diagnosed with celiac our culinary world was turned upside down. Until then, pasta and pizza were a big part of our lives. That was a lot of years ago now and that journey could be a blog post or 10 on it’s own. One of the more daunting foods to make both gluten free and edible is birthday cake. How I thought do you make a cake without wheat flour. There are gluten free flours of course, but frankly if you don’t have to eat them why would you. That’s when I came across recipes for chickpea cake and black bean cake. Of course one scoffs at the notion, but damn if it isn’t as good if not better than traditional cake. If you haven’t tried black bean chocolate cake then get out your apron, grab your beans and be prepared to be wowed. This particular version comes from Better Homes and Gardens, but most recipes on the internet are similar.
https://www.bhg.com/recipe/black-bean-chocolate-cake/