How to Make Canned Black Beans Taste AMAZING! (2024)

Black Beans don’t have to be boring or time consuming! This easy method makes canned black beans taste like you labored over them all day long! Loaded with the flavors of garlic, onion, and smokey southwest spices, these black beans are perfect to compliment your favorite dish or act as a filling in a main dish.

Black Beans – The EASY Way!

I love to incorporate beans into meals at our home. They are kid-friendly and pack a nutrient dense punch both as a side dish and as part of a main dish. They make a dish more hearty and filling, while being nutritious and extremely budget friendly. There aren’t too many foods that can boast that list of credentials!

Black beans can be made in a variety of ways, but the easiest is opening a can!

The benefit of slow cooked black beans is that you can infuse the flavor in right as you cook which can make them even more flavor rich and delicious, but if you didn’t plan ahead, this recipe for black beans will take the every day can of black beans and make it taste amazingly like those black beans that have been slow cooked for hours!

If you are looking for a recipe for dried black beans, make sure to check out my crock pot black beans recipe here!

Recipe Notes

This recipe for spicing up canned beans is as simple as promised! Just 6 minutes and a few ingredients for a family friendly meal.

In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use when making this recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.

Ingredients

• Canned black beans – You can use almost any basic variety. Regular, low sodium, and vegetarian black beans will all work well in this recipe.
• Onion- You can use yellow, sweet, red, or most types of onion. I like tofinely dice the onion so the flavor incorporates more completely with the black beans.
• Spices – Garlic, cumin and dried oregano
• Vegetable oil – You can also use olive oil or any other neutrally flavored oil if preferred.
• Apple cider vinegar- This is optional, but a small amount of vinegar is shown to help reduce gas producing chemicals in beans. I like to use apple cider vinegar because it adds a delicious zing along with aiding in digestion of the beans.

Garnish

• Fresh cilantro- the garnish is also optional, but I love the bright flavor a sprinkle of cilantro adds to the beans.

Recipe Tips

1. Prep ingredients– This recipe is very fast. It helps to already have your veggies chopped and your spices measured before starting the recipe.
   
2. Finely dice– since onion is one of the strongest flavors used in this recipe, it is important to really finely dice the onion. It allows it to truly flavor the black beans rather than being another complimentary ingredient. Also, when the onion is finely diced, it will cook more quickly, making the recipe fast to prepare.
   
3. Make ahead if needed- This recipe can be made up to 4 days in advance and reheated when ready to serve. If making ahead I prefer not to add the cilantro until right before serving. The beans reheat well in the microwave and stovetop and the flavor just gets better as they sit. Also, see the instructions below for the freezer meal version!

Recipe Variations

If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!

• Black Beans with tomatoes– Make recipe as directed, adding 1 can of ROTEL tomatoes with green chilies into the recipe when you add the canned beans.
• Black Beans and Corn– Make as directed, adding 1 cup of frozen sweet yellow corn into the pot when you add the beans.
• Green Chile Black Beans– Make as directed, adding 1 4 oz can chopped green chiles into the pot alongside the onions.
• Spicy Black Beans– Make as directed adding in 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper with the spices, and 1/4 cup chopped jalapenos (jarred) with the black beans. You can also use fresh finely diced jalapeno if you add it in to cook alongside the onion.

Freezer Meal Instructions

This recipe makes about 6-7 servings of beans. If you don’t plan on eating them all right away, you can freeze them to reheat on another night. To prepare these beans as a freezer meal:

1. In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium. Once hot, sauté the onion until translucent. Then add the garlic, cumin, and oregano and and continue to sauté 1 additional minute.
2. Add both cans of beans (not drained) to the pot, and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes.
4. Let cool to room temperature. Then package in freezer bags, or freezer friendly containers.
5. Freeze.
6. Once ready to eat, heat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
7. Once heated, add the freshly chopped cilantro right before serving.

Canned Black Beans Leftovers

If you are wondering what to do with leftover black beans, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.

To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:

• in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
• in the freezer up to a month

Leftover Recipes

Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!

• Black Bean Tacos– Warm tortillas in a skillet, then fill with black beans, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo and a dollop of sour cream. For a light version, make this in a lettuce wrap instead of a tortilla!
• Nachos– My kids favorite way to use leftover beans! Spread corn chips over a sheet pan. Top with cheddar or Mexican blend cheese. Drop spoonfuls of the beans evenly over the top of the nachos. Optional: add your choice of diced chicken, corn, or green chiles over the beans. Bake at 400˚F for 8-10 minutes and serve topped with sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo.
• Black Bean Quesadillas– Fill half of a large tortilla with black beans and cheddar cheese. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Fold tortilla in half and cook on each side in a well buttered skillet for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with jalapeno ranch, or salsa for dipping.

More Easy Side Dish Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!

You can check out all of my side dish recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.

• Mexican Corn Salad
• Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa
• Green Chile Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Leave a Reply

1. Lynn

   April 4, 2024

   
   This was a great recipe! My husband loved it, and so did I! Very easy.

   Reply

2. Nancy s

   May 26, 2023

   
   Best black bean recipe yet ! The apple cider vinegar was the finale. A KEEPER

   Reply

3. Lena

   December 14, 2022

   
   So good, can I tell you for my family of four we had not a bite of leftovers when I served this as a side dish. Everyone loved it. My husband said it reminded him of FILLO’s bean packets we sometimes buy. But obviously for $1.60 for four people instead of $6. Win!

   Reply

4. RJ

   July 4, 2022

   
   Very good!

   Garlic is mentioned in directions, but not in ingredient list.

   Reply

5. Mom

   June 14, 2022

   Um., how much garlic?

   Reply

6. Donna Moore

   June 2, 2022

   This recipe appears to need an update/correction. I am making this recipe now. I am a little confused because the directions state to add garlic but garlic is not an ingredient listed.

   Reply

7. js

   April 3, 2022

   In the directions it says to add garlic (and the photo has garlic in it), but the garlic & amount are not on the ingredient list.

   Reply

8. Debby

   November 19, 2021

   Great recipe, however you say to add garlic, not on the ingredient list.

   Reply