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Close up shot of black beans on a spoon
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5 from 2 votes

How to Cook Black Beans

This basic, fool-proof recipe shows you how to cook black beans from scratch and freeze them! Not only do they taste way better than canned, but they are more affordable, too.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Meal Prep
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 257kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb black beans dry; 2 ¼ cups
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • water (as indicated in instructions)

Instructions

  • Pick through black beans and remove any stones or bad beans.
  • Rinse under tap water to remove dust or debris.
  • Place rinsed beans in a pot and cover with 4-5 inches of water. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 bay leaf.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1.5-2 hours, or until beans are cooked to your liking. Add more water if beans become uncovered at any point.

Notes

1- this recipe yields 6 cups of beans, which is close to three 15 oz cans.
2- you may halve this recipe and use the same cook time.
3- keep an eye on the pot as it simmers, and add more water if beans become uncovered.
Bean age
Depending on the age of your beans, they may take more or less time to cook. Use this cook time as an estimate and keep an eye on the pot as it simmers.
Storage
Remove the bay leaves, cool completely, then portion out beans into jars or meal prep containers cover the beans with cooking liquid.
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months *
*if freezing in jars, make sure you use canning jars, leave 1 inch from the top of the jar to account for expansion, and do not place into the freezer until completely cooled
Adding other flavors- consider adding:
  • one onion, cut into quarters*
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of your knife*
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
  • the juice of 1 lime (after cooking)
*remove before serving or storing

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 391mg | Potassium: 1121mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 3.8mg