The Best Recipes for Cooking with Black Beans
Beans are considered to be a staple food because of the long list of health benefits that they provide while also having a high global abundance that allows them to be affordable. With grocery costs rising seemingly by the day, people are turning to staple foods like black beans to help whip up a quick, easy, and delicious meal.
While black beans might not be your first choice depending on what part of the world you’re in, there are certainly some recipes worth trying out. Here are our picks for the best recipes for cooking with black beans.
Brownies
When you think about black beans, odds are brownies aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, black beans have been used, often by those watching what they eat, as a tasty and healthy addition to the decadent dessert. In these brownies, black beans are primarily used in place of flour. Making for a more protein-packed and lower-carb snack.
You’ll want to take one 15 oz can of thoroughly rinsed black beans, 2 tbsp of cocoa powder, ½ cup quick oats, ¼ tsp salt, ⅓ cup honey, 2 tbsp white sugar, ¼ vegetable oil, 2 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp baking powder, and ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Use the food processor to mix all the ingredients, besides the chocolate chips. Then stir in chocolate chips, throw the mixture into a greased 8×8 pan, and bake at 350 F° for 15-18 minutes.
Veggie Burgers
Veggie burgers are a healthy, fresh, and delicious alternative to your typical cookout fare. Black beans pack a meaty protein punch and help to bind all the ingredients together. Take two 14 oz cans of rinsed black beans, 1 tbsp olive oil, chop ½ of a bell pepper, chop ½ of a large yellow onion, 1 tbsp minced garlic, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup feta cheese crumbles, 2 large eggs, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 2 tbsp ketchup.
Add in garlic powder, ground cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika to your liking. Sauté the produce, pulse everything, but the beans, in the food processor until combined, then mix in the black beans. Form into patties and gently grill, or bake your homemade black bean burgers.
Black Bean Dip
You’ve likely had bean dip before but with black beans? Black beans provide a little more magnesium and fiber than other beans. So, why not switch it up and make your bean dip with these decadent beans? The recipe is simple and easy to follow. You’ll want to take two 15 oz cans of rinsed black beans, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground cumin, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 3 tbsp water, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, 1 medium chopped yellow onion, 4 cloves of minced garlic, and 2 seeded and chopped jalapeños.
Sauté the produce, let cool, add mixture, beans, and spices to a food processor, and pulse until you reach desired consistency. Put in an airtight container, cool in the fridge for about 1-2 hours, then enjoy with tortilla chips, veggies, or pita chips.
Black Bean Chili
Chili is a staple comfort food that’s typically made using kidney beans, but black beans are the star of this chili recipe. Take 1 tbsp olive oil, one 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes, 2 chopped bell peppers, 1 chopped onion, 1 cup corn kernels, 1 seeded and minced jalapeño, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp salt, 1 ½ cups of chicken broth, and last but not least two 15 oz cans of rinsed black beans. Sauté veggies until translucent, combine the rest of the ingredients in a stew pot, let boil, then bring to a simmer until cooked to desired consistency.