How to Cook Black Beans

Here’s how to cook black beans! It’s so easy to cook them from dried: they’re cheaper and taste so much better than canned.

Wondering how to cook black beans? You’ve come to the right place! We’re Alex and Sonja, cookbook authors and plant-obsessed recipe creators. Beans are part of our everyday cooking. Why? They’re cheap, good for you, easy to make, and add a good dose of plant-based protein to any meal. And if you’ve tried cooking dried beans before, you know. Dried beans are much more delicious than canned! They have a heightened flavor and firmer texture. When we can, Alex and I try to remember to make a pot of beans for our weekly meals. Here’s our method for how to cook black beans.

Got canned beans? These Easy Black Beans show you how to make canned beans into a meal in 5 minutes!

How to cook black beans (basic steps)

While it seems intimidating, cooking black beans is very easy to do. If you have a pressure cooker, this is a great one to let the pressure cooker do the work: it’s even faster! Go to Instant Pot Black Beans. If not, the method is still simple. Once you’ve done it once, memorize the method and make it on repeat!

• Soak your beans overnight. Soaking beans helps them cook faster and more evenly. But, you can also get away without soaking, especially if your beans are fresh. You’ll just need to cook a bit longer.
• If desired, add flavorings! Add lots of flavor to your beans in no time by throwing adders into the pot like onion and garlic. See below for more ideas!
• Simmer in water for about 1 hour. The timing will be different every time you make them, based on the age and brand of beans. Keep reading for more on that…

Exact timing is variable, so taste test!

How long to cook black beans? Well, the cook time is variable. It depends on the age and brand of the beans. Some brands of beans vary slightly. And a fresher bean cooks better than an older bean. Here are some notes on how to know when you’re beans are done:

• Taste test. Start taste testing at 45 minutes. If the bean still has a little raw bite in it, keep on cooking! Do this every 15 minutes or so. Because of this, make the black beans on a weekend or evening where you’re not trying to get a meal on the table.
• Add water if necessary. It’s possible that the water level in the pot might start to lower while you’re cooking. That’s ok! Just add a splash more to cover the beans if they’re not tender yet.

What if I don’t have time to soak?

Great question! You can actually cook these black beans without soaking them. Then why soak them at all?

• Soaking helps them to cook more evenly. It really is worth it, in our opinion, to get the most evenly cooked pot of beans.
• No time to soak? Cook them longer. You can still cook the black beans using the method below. You’ll need to cook them a bit longer than specified (timing will vary). Or you can use our Instant Pot method, which doesn’t require soaking.

Optional add-ins: flavorings!

Here’s the fun part: the flavorings! If you have them on hand, it’s nice to add a bit of pizzazz to your pot of beans by throwing in a few adders. This imparts a subtle flavor into the beans, but it makes a huge difference in overall flavor! Here are a few ideas:

• Onion, peeled and quartered – it can be any variety
• Garlic, peeled and smashed – we specified 4 cloves in the recipe, but if you love garlic add more
• Kombu – this is dried seaweed often used in Japanese recipes: but it adds mega flavor to vegetarian and vegan dishes! You can buy a package and store it in your freezer. If you’re not used to cooking with it it might sound odd, but we adore the flavor with kombu.
• Carrots or celery, roughly chopped

How to store cooked black beans

Once you’re done cooking the black beans, then what? You’ll end up with 6 cups of beans, which is an equivalent of 4 15-ounce cans. That’s a lot of beans! Here’s what we like to do:

• Store part of the beans refrigerated. These will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
• Freeze anything you won’t eat in the short term! Drain the cooking liquid and place the beans in sealed containers (we like to use mason jars). Then freeze for up to 8 months.

Tip: It’s helpful to freeze your black beans in 1 ½ cup increments, which is the equivalent of 1 15-ounce can.

Alternate method: Instant Pot black beans!

If you have a pressure cooker, it’s perfect for cooking dried black beans! The nice part about this method is you don’t have to soak at all. Throw in the beans and water, and they’re done in less than 1 hour! It’s also nice to not have to babysit the stove. Head to Instant Pot Black Beans.

Black bean recipes

Here’s the fun part: black bean recipes! Black beans are a weekly staple at our house. Here are some recipes we’d recommend starting with:

• Cuban Black Beans: Bursting with flavor, better than restaurant-style!
• Black Bean and Corn Salad: Quick and easy: perfect for fast meals.
• Easy Black Bean Soup: The ideal quick and healthy meal!
• Refried Black Beans. Quick with astounding flavor. Use as a side or in these Refried Bean Tacos.
• Vegan Burrito The ultimate burrito! Stuffed with Mexican rice, seasoned black beans and peppers, and avocado.
• Crispy Roasted Black Beans Crispy and spiced with cumin and garlic, they’re hard to stop eating.
• Black Bean Salad: This tangy salad is a big crowd pleaser.
• Black Bean Salsa: Throw those beans into salsa and shovel them in with chips.
• Black Bean Burger: It’s true, this is the perfect black bean burger.
• Vegan Enchiladas: A fan favorite, this stars beans, peppers and onions, and a homemade red enchilada sauce.

This black beans recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

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