Fast and easy way to cook and season canned black beans to make a tasty and healthy side dish. Enjoy with tacos, enchiladas, and burritos, or any other Tex-Mex dish.
You only need a can of black beans and some basic ingredients like tomatoes, onions, and garlic to make this quick and tasty side dish!
Although canned black beans are already cooked, they can taste better if you add a few simple spices and ingredients to them instead of eating them plain.
Canned beans are a convenient pantry staple that can be transformed into delicious dishes with just a little preparation While technically pre-cooked, heating up canned beans helps enhance their flavor and texture With a few simple tips, you can easily cook canned beans to delicious perfection.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll explain the best practices for cooking canned beans on the stovetop or in the oven. You’ll learn how to properly prepare and season beans, what cooking methods work best for different varieties, recipe ideas, and more Read on to become an expert on cooking beans from a can!
Why Cook Canned Beans?
Canned beans provide a quick cooking shortcut since they are fully hydrated and don’t require overnight soaking like dried beans However, there are still good reasons to heat them up
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Warms beans for hot dishes like chili, soups, etc.
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Evaporates excess liquid that may dilute flavors.
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Allows flavors to concentrate and bean starches to thicken cooking liquid.
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Infuses beans with aromatics, broths, and seasonings.
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Improves texture – canned beans can be slightly mushy.
With the right technique, canned beans can taste nearly as full-flavored as beans made from scratch. A few minutes of stovetop simmering or oven roasting makes all the difference.
Getting Started with Canned Beans
Before cooking, canned beans require a couple steps to remove excess liquid and salt:
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Drain and rinse the beans. Pour into a colander and rinse well with water.
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Pat beans dry. Spread beans on a towel and pat dry to help them crisp up.
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Season thoughtfully. Canned beans already contain salt, so season lightly.
Now the beans are ready for your preferred cooking method and flavors!
Best Cooking Methods by Bean Type
The optimum cooking technique depends on the variety of bean:
Kidney Beans, Black Beans, Pinto Beans
Gentle simmer: These beans have a creamy texture easily broken down by overcooking. Simmer gently in broth for 20-30 minutes to heat through without getting mushy.
Cannellini, Great Northern, Navy Beans
Low oven roast: These larger white beans hold their shape well when roasted uncovered at 325°F for 20-30 minutes with oil and seasonings.
Chickpeas (Garbanzos)
Crispy oven roast: Pat chickpeas very dry then roast at 400°F for 35-40 minutes with oil and spices to get crispy exteriors.
Lima, Butter Beans
Brief simmer: Limas and butter beans are more delicate. Briefly simmer for just 10-15 minutes in a stew or soup to prevent mushiness.
Flavoring Your Beans
Canned beans absorb flavors easily. Consider the following tasty mix-ins:
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Fresh herbs – rosemary, thyme, cilantro
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Spices – cumin, curry powder, chili powder
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Aromatics – garlic, onion, peppers
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Acids – lemon juice, vinegar, tomato
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Richness – olive oil, butter, broth
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Protein – bacon, ham, sausage
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Veggies – spinach, kale, tomatoes
Essentially, you can add any seasonings that complement the flavor profile you want!
Recipes Using Canned Beans
Once you have perfectly cooked canned beans, the possibilities are endless for how to use them. Here are just a few recipe ideas:
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Bean soup – Puree with broth and milk for a creamy soup.
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Chili – Simmer beans in a tomato sauce base with meat and chili spices.
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Tacos – Mix with taco seasoning and use as a filling for fish or beef tacos.
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Salads – Toss beans with mixed greens, vegetables, nuts and a vinaigrette.
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Rice bowls – Layer over rice with sauteed veggies and sauce or dressing.
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Quesadillas – Mash beans with cheese and fold into tortillas.
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Bean dip – Blend beans with olive oil, garlic, and spices for a protein-packed dip.
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Veggie burgers – Make bean veggie patties with mashed beans, oats, and egg.
The options are endless! Beans pair well with so many flavors and ingredients.
Storing Leftover Cooked Beans
Cooked canned beans can be stored for later use. Follow these storage tips:
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Let beans cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.
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Refrigerate for up to 4 days. The bean liquid thickens to a sauce-like consistency.
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Freeze for up to 3 months. Portion beans with liquid into bags or containers.
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Reheat frozen beans over medium heat with extra broth or water to prevent drying out.
With proper storage, you can get multiple quick meals out of cooking canned beans in bulk.
While canned beans provide a handy shortcut, taking the time to prepare them with cooking and seasoning makes a huge difference in maximizing their flavor and texture. Adjust your methods based on the bean variety – chickpeas for crispy roasting, kidneys beans for gentle simmering, etc. With the proper techniques, canned beans can be transformed into nutritious, delicious additions to soups, salads, tacos, rice bowls and so much more. What’s your go-to way to cook up canned beans?
How to cook canned black beans
To cook, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onions, tomatoes, garlic, jalapeños (if using), and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes. This will soften the onions and tomatoes substantially and really help to infuse all those delicious seasonings.
Then add in the canned black beans and bring to a simmer. I like to use the whole can, even the liquid that the beans are in, because it has a lot of flavor! I suggest getting canned black beans that don’t have any salt added and come in a BPA-free can. It’s better for your health and tastes better when you eat it straight from the can.
Once the beans are simmering, remove them from the heat and stir in some lime juice. Taste and season with salt if needed. Place cilantro on top and enjoy! If the beans are too thick and you want them to be more soupy, add some water or broth until you get the right consistency.
In just 8 minutes, you can make beans that taste much better than beans from a can. You can eat them with tortilla chips and cheese, serve them with Mexican rice, or put them on top of steak fajitas or chicken tacos.
Ingredients you’ll need to transform canned black beans
- 15-ounce can of black beans; I suggest the salt-free kind This lets you better manage the amount of salt in the recipe and keep the sodium level from being too high, like in some canned foods.
- The cooking oil I used was olive oil, but you could also use avocado oil, coconut oil, canola oil, or any other fat you like.
- Onions, tomatoes, and garlic: The trifecta of flavor. These are sauteed until softened and fragrant.
- Jalapeño (optional): Adding this pepper is totally optional. If you don’t want any spice, leave it out. Take out and throw away the seeds and veins if you don’t want it spicy. If you like it spicy, keep them in.
- To make it taste better, I mixed in some ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and salt.
- Lime juice: Add some lime juice at the end to give it a little acidity that goes well with the strong flavors of the beans and spices.
- Adding cilantro is optional, but it’s one of my favorite ways to dress up food. It tastes great with lime juice and goes well with a lot of different Latin dishes.
How to Cook Canned Black Beans
FAQ
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