Quick and always reliable, this Mexican Black Beans recipe is super easy to make. A delicious side dish with Tofu Tacos, Vegetarian Enchiladas or along side Spanish Brown Rice, this Mexican beans recipe comes together with ease. Check out my How to Cook Black Beans from scratch recipe to make the tastiest black beans! This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free.
The Easiest Mexican Black Beans
Quick, homemade Mexican black beans are better than anything you can get in a restaurant and an easy way to elevate your homemade Mexican food favorites. Whether sharing them as a side or in burrito bowls, this simple recipe from canned or made from scratch black beans, comes together in about 15 minutes.
For this black beans recipe, you’ll use cooked beans as the base. Use either canned or cooked from dry homemade beans. I prefer homemade, but something you’ll always find in my pantry are canned black beans, just in case homemade doesn’t happen.
Ingredients for Mexican Style Black Beans
To make this black bean recipe, you only need a few seasoning ingredients and fire roasted tomatoes to take the flavor over the top! Here’s what you’ll need (see recipe card for details):
- Cooked Black Beans – cooking black beans from scratch is so simple or use canned
- Onion – use red or white onion, both are sharper in flavor than yellow.
- Salt
- Ground Cumin – adds an earthy, authentic flavor to this black bean recipe.
- Garlic Powder or a Fresh Garlic Clove – use powder for convenience, but if you have time, mince a clove of garlic for fresher flavor.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes – with a bit of charring these commercially produced tomatoes set along side canned tomatoes at the grocery store. They impart a slight smoky flavor.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (gluten free if needed) – are a pantry staple. I use it in all my Mexican food recipes. It has a long refrigerator life and leftovers freeze with ease. Find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce on the Mexican food isle of your grocery store. They amp up the smoky flavors in this Mexican black beans recipe.
- Lime – added at the end of cooking for a hit of acid. It ties all the flavors together.
Quick Guide: How to Make this Mexican Black Beans Recipe
What I love about these Mexican beans is that they come together in about 15 minutes. In summary, here’s how to pull this mouthwatering recipe together (see recipe card for details):
- First, add the black beans to a small sauce pot with their cooking liquid (do not drain).
- Next, add the onions, salt, cumin, garlic, tomatoes and chili pepper and adobo sauce.
- Last, bring to a simmer on medium heat, reduce heat and lid. Stirring occasionally, cook on low until the onions are tender. Stir in a bit of lime juice just before sharing.
The bean brine thickens as the beans cook and create a creamy, flavorful base for this black bean side dish.
RELATED: Build a better burrito bowl! Whip up these Mexican Corn Salsa and Mexican Chipotle Salsa recipes to make all your Mexican food veggie bowl dreams come true!
A Few Recipe Notes
- If you are someone who loves black beans, you can easily and economically cook black beans from dry beans using my How to Cook Black Beans guide. Homemade beans are so flavorful, they’re freezer friendly and can be used in many of your favorite Mexican food recipes.
- How Spicy? Take the spicy up or down in this recipe by adjusting the amount of chipotle pepper. If you prefer spicy black beans, use a whole or half pepper. If you prefer just a little spice, leave it out, but be sure to include the adobo sauce. There’s so much flavor there!
- For meal prep, these Mexican style black beans can be made up to two days in advance and are freezer friendly.
- This Mexican black beans recipe yields four modest servings, but the recipe doubles with ease if needed.
More Mexican Food Recipes to Love
- Spanish Brown Rice
- Tostadas with Fajita Veggies
- Homemade Sofritas Recipe – Burrito Bowl Style
- Mexican Inspired Tofu Tacos
- Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers
- Rancheros Tofu Scramble
- Roasted Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
- Cheesy Tofu Enchiladas
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Mexican Black Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 C (465g) Cooked Black Beans undrained, about one can or cooked from scratch
- 1/4 C (35g) Red or White Onion diced, about 1/4 small onion
- 1/2 C (140g) Fire Roasted Tomatoes from a can, freeze the leftovers
- 2 tsp Adobo Sauce Gluten free if needed *see note
- 1 Chipotle Pepper minced, gluten free if needed. (optional - but takes the spicy up!) from the can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder or 1 garlic clove minced
- Lime Juice
Instructions
- In a small sauce pot, add the cooked black beans and their cooking liquid, onions, tomatoes, adobo sauce, chipotle pepper if using, salt, cumin, and garlic powder.
- Bring the ingredients to a simmer. Lid, turn the heat to low and gently cook for about 15 minutes or until the onions have softened.
- Stir in a good squeeze of lime juice and taste for salt adjustment.
- Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two weeks. Thaw overnight in the fridge and gently rewarm on the stove top.
This was delicious. I followed the recipe as is but doubling it for 1 pound of cooked black beans. I was testing it for a side to go along with chicken enchiladas for a family night supper at church. It is not only economical but good. It is definately a GO.
Hiii Sara! Hooray for a GO! Thank you for your note and tip about the 1 pound of black beans – economical… yesss!!
I love this recipe. I always soak my beans over night and slow cook them the next day in a crock pot. I then use them for dinner with rice and beans or a burrito bowl over the next couple of days. Then freeze the rest. How long can I freeze cooked beans?
Hi Christie! Crock pot black beans are my favorite too. I freeze black beans frequently, especially when I double batch beans, but typically will use them within a few weeks. While I’m sure they can store longer, but to avoid freezer burn I rotate stock pretty quick.
Holy cow, these were the best. I make my own beans in a big batch and then freeze. Took some out & made this, mixed in some fresh cilantro & one ear of corn cut off the cob. I am always making it this way, the chili in Adobo and cumin really kick it up. Thanks!
Hi Gretchen! Thank you for your note and sharing your tip! I cannot wait for fresh local corn… I’m SO putting it in my black beans! And, yes to making a big batch of home cooked beans – total game changer!
These were pretty good! My only suggestion is to consider doubling the amount if you want a substantial four servings as it makes a little less than a half cup per serving. Next time I’ll probably dice a red bell pepper, toss it in, and add a little more cumin.
Hi Alex… thank you for your note and suggestions! Indeed, serving size is so subjective (and something as a blogger I struggle with) – and dependent on how the beans are used – as a side or component. More cumin sounds good to me!
Fantastic Recipe!!! Enjoyed making this today, it’s delicious. My family will LOVE!!! Also, made the Rice with Cilantro. It too, is delicious. Love that I found you and your site!!! Will be making this recipe over and over!!! Thank You!!!
Hooray! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note Holly! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the beans AND rice. SO much flavah! So welcome :D
This is a great, versatile recipe, Traci. I usually just prep plain black beans and keep them in the fridge to add to my lunch but I love how much more flavor these have. They would be great added to a rice bowl, tossed with some quinoa, added to a cheese quesadilla, mixed into a burrito or good as a side dish. Looking forward to trying this one – pinning!
YES to the cheese quesadilla, Geraldine! And always with rice or quinoa. I looove their creamy texture and flavor with a hearty grain. Thank you for pinning! xo
Oooo what a great side dish for all the tacos! Love them, Traci! And thank for the tutorial on black beans!
Thank you Liz… and so easy too!
Ahh I would eat this for dinner just by itself. Black beans are my favorite Mexican ingredient. You can easily make this recipe for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So good!
I’m SO with you Ayse! Love the easy flavors and richness of these beans. Ooooh yess! Over eggs! OMG.
Another winner of a fresh, easy, delicious side dish Traci! Black beans are one of my favorites, so I’ll definitely be giving this recipe a try!
Aren’t they SO versatile?! I love the ease of this side and it’s totally mouthwatering!