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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Mexican Black Beans (with canned beans)

    by Mindy Boyd · Published: Mar 19, 2023 · Updated: Oct 14, 2024

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    ⏲️ 13 minutes mins
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    Easy Mexican Black Beans is the perfect side dish for virtually any Mexican meal (that doesn’t already have beans, of course). We absolutely love Mexican food and eat it several times a month.

    A white bowl filled with Mexican black beans with the recipe title above it so it can be pinned on Pinterest.

    I have been making this black bean recipe for years and came up with it after I had eaten a similar dish at our favorite Mexican restaurant. Before making this dish we always had canned refried beans as a side. While I love them and they do make a great side dish it is nice to have another easy go-to to serve with Mexican dishes.

    Close up of one serving of Mexican black beans on a white plate.

    Ingredients

    See recipe card below for exact amounts.

    All six ingredients needed to make Easy Mexican Black Beans Recipe (with canned beans) laying on a white background.

    Ingredient Notes

    Just a few simple ingredients are all you need!

    Canned Black Beans – I use the store brand, use your favorite brand.

    Chicken Broth – we always use the 33% less sodium broth.

    Onion – I use either white onion or yellow onion, just whatever I have on hand or is the cheapest.

    Olive Oil – any variety will work; anything from extra virgin to light tasting.

    Jalapeño Pepper – finely chopped with ribs and seeds removed for milder black beans, or leave them in for spicy black beans.

    Cumin – this is a super easy way to add flavor to our beans.

    Lime Juice – we use fresh lime juice to give our dish a burst of fresh flavor.

    One serving of beans on a plate with the pan of beans in the background.

    How to Make the Best Mexican Black Beans

    1. Chop jalapeño and onion.
    2. Rinse and drain black beans.
    3. Warm olive oil in a small to medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add chopped onion and jalapeño and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, beans and cumin andcook about 5 minutes or until heated through.
    4. Squeeze a splash of fresh lime juice onto each serving.
    Side by side images of the onion and jalapeño in a small saucepan before and after being sautéed.

    Variations

    Use vegetable broth or enough water to cover the beans to make this vegan/vegetarian.

    Leave out the broth completely and use the undrained black beans.

    Swap the jalapeño pepper with green bell pepper for milder but still flavorful beans.

    Trade out the cumin for a little chili powder for a different flavor profile.

    The pan of Mexican black beans with an onion, jalapeño and cut lime next to it.

    What is Mexican Black Beans called?

    Black beans are known as frijoles negros in Spanish. They are used for many dishes in traditional Mexican cuisine.

    Are Black Beans Healthy?

    According to WebMD – “The antioxidants, fiber, protein, and carbohydrates in black beans make them nutritionally powerful. A diet rich in beans can reduce your risk of several serious medical conditions and help your body to process calories more effectively”.

    One serving of Mexican black beans and chile rellenos casserole on a white plate with a fork on a colorful napkin sitting next to it.

    Why we love Mexican-style black beans

    • It is an easy recipe that you can make in advance because it warms up easily. This also means it is great for meal prep or as leftovers the next day.
    • You only need a handful of ingredients, seven to be exact.
    • I use canned black beans instead of dry beans so no soaking (or waiting) is required.
    • It is a flavorful side dish that is also healthy.
    • With a total cooking time of about 8 minutes it is quick.
    • This recipe can easily be cut in half and doubled or tripled if you need a big batch to feed a crowd.

    Storage & Reheating

    Store leftover black beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in small saucepan over medium heat.

    I hope you like these Mexican style black beans as much as we do. We serve this as a delicious side dish to accompany our favorite Mexican entrees.

    One serving of black beans on a white plate with a lime half and the title written above it so it can be pinned on Pinterest.

    Entrees to serve these black beans with

    Low Carb Chicken Enchiladas

    Skinny Beef Enchiladas

    Fish Tacos

    Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

    Did you love this recipe?

    We would love it if you’d leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!

    Close up of a large bowl with the entire batch of easy Mexican black beans recipe (using canned beans).

    Easy Mexican Black Beans

    Mindy Boyd
    Mexican Black Beans is an easy, quick and healthy side dish that is perfect with any Mexican, Latin or Spanish main dish.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print – Email Required Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 8 minutes mins
    Total Time 13 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Mexican
    Servings 6 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1 jalapeño pepper chopped with ribs and seeds removed
    • 1/4 cup onion chopped
    • 2 cans black beans 14.5 ounces each
    • 1/8 tsp cumin
    • 1 1/4 cups chicken broth low sodium
    • Lime juice
    Get Recipe Ingredients

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    Instructions
     

    • Dice jalapeño and onion.
    • Rinse and drain black beans.
    • Heat olive oil in a small to medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add chopped onion and jalapeño and sauté until softened, 2-3 minutes.
      1 tsp olive oil, 1 jalapeño pepper, 1/4 cup onion
    • Add chicken broth, beans and cumin, cook about 5 minutes or until heated through.
      2 cans black beans, 1/8 tsp cumin, 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
    • Top individual servings with a bit of fresh lime juice.
      Lime juice

    Notes

    Did you make this recipe? We would love it if you would leave us a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!
     
    Nutritional information is approximate. 
     
    See tips, notes, and suggestions in the post above.
     
    Bookmark this page to find it quickly when you are ready to make this recipe!

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 321mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was with a comment below.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. K says

      May 14, 2024 at 8:13 pm

      This recipe never adds the beans lol?

      Reply
      • Mindy Boyd says

        May 14, 2024 at 8:23 pm

        I have edited the post and recipe card, thanks for pointing it out.

        Reply
    2. Cole says

      May 03, 2024 at 9:46 am

      Can this recipe also be made with Eden black soy beans in order to reduce the carb total even more? I would love to try and make this recipe, but being diabetic, I have to be careful about carbs.
      Thanks, Cole

      Reply
      • Mindy Boyd says

        May 03, 2024 at 9:55 am

        Those should work just fine. I looked them up and it seems they are soft and edible similar to black beans.

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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