Today I’m sharing with you one of my all-time favorite dishes. You see, I grew up in South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale to be exact), and I loved it when we went out to eat at a little Cuban restaurant near our home. I think every time we went there I ordered the same thing—roasted chicken, black beans and rice, and plantains.
Last month I had the chance to go back to Florida on vacation and visit my family. Although they’ve moved from Ft. Lauderdale, we all still went to a little, family owned Cuban restaurant, and I ordered the same thing. Boy did I love it. Especially the black beans!
Now I don’t claim to make authentic Cuban black beans and rice. But over the years I do think I’ve come up with a delicious and easy homemade version of Black Beans and Rice that’s inspired by my childhood memories of eating Cuban food with my family. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!
And stay tuned. In my next post I’ll be sharing how to make the yummiest side dish to go with my Black Beans and Rice … Sweet Fried Plantains.
Cheers!
Bruce
Black Beans and Rice
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 0 Serves 12 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 ounces each black beans, drained and reserve juice)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (not drained (14.5 ounces))
- 2 tablespoons oil (olive or avocado oil)
- 1 1/2 cups onion (diced)
- 1 cup diced bell pepper (I usually use a 50/50 mix of green and red bell peppers)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Season to taste with the following
- salt and pepper
- hot pepper sauce of your choice
Rice:
- 6 cups of prepared foolproof brown rice
Garnish Ideas:
- lime wedges
- green onions
- cilantro
- diced mango
- sour cream
Instructions
- In a 6-quart pot warm oil over medium heat and cook onion until it starts to soften and become translucent. Add garlic and bell peppers. Cook another 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, black beans, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook for 4 minutes. Add vinegar and reserved juices from beans. Cook for another 5-10 minutes then season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.
- Remove bay leaves. Serve over brown rice and garnish as desired.
Notes
We recommend using organic ingredients when possible.
If using dried black beans, prepare first and make enough for 3 1/3 total cups.
If you prefer fresh tomatoes use about 1 1/2 cups, diced.
For seasoning I use about 1 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1-2 teaspoons of hot pepper sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
Kitchen Tips and Resources:
- A great garlic press makes child’s play of mincing garlic. I love this top-rated one but there are lots of great alternatives out there at all sorts of kitchen, department, and discount stores.
- Looking for a solid set of pans that doesn’t cost a fortune? I’ve been making Black Beans and Rice in these Cuisinart pans for 20+ years, and they still look great!
- A high quality set of cutting knives can make a huge difference, especially when you’re cooking REAL food. My local knife shop advised me to invest in the higher quality Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Signature brand (much higher quality than the J.A. Henckels International brand) and time has proven them right. (To make sure you know which Henckels knives are better, here’s a tip — look for the “twins” on the knives vs. the single guy sporting the trident.) While you can buy these knives online, if you’ve got a local knife/cutlery store, support them instead. I love my local cutlery store and bring my knives in every six months or so to get them maintained with a nice, sharp edge!
- A great, non-slip cutting board is an invaluable kitchen asset when cutting up the vegetables. I upgraded to these Epicurean non-slip boards a year or so ago, and I’ve been really pleased with them.
6 Responses
Yum! Can’t wait to try it. I’ve seen a lot of Cuban black bean recipes that call for orange juice, which makes it taste “fakey” to me. Thanks for the post!
Hi Laura! Thanks for your comment. I’ve never tried using orange juice in my black beans. That sounds like it would make them sweet. My recipe is definitely more savory vs. sweet. Lots of flavor which comes from the onions, garlic, peppers, and vinegar. I love them, but I know I’m biased. =) When you make them, please come back and share your thoughts!
Thanks again for checking out my blog!
Cheers!
Bruce
This Black Beans & Rice recipe is wonderful. Just made it with the plantains last night. The whole family loved it! Thanks for helping my family eat more real food!
So glad you loved the Black Beans and Rice recipe, J. Always good to hear from our readers!
Cheers!
Bruce
Thanks so much for the recipe! Any substitution advice for someone who doesn’t like bell peppers?
Hi Rachel!
Thanks for sharing your comment. The bell peppers don’t add a huge amount of flavor. I like to use red bell peppers more for a little bit of color. If you don’t like bell peppers, I’d just omit them. And if you’re looking to add some color — perhaps try some carrots.
Cheers!
Bruce