Vegans love their black beans, and these Mexican black beans never disappoint. It’s the most simple 15-minute high-protein vegan dinner that even the kids adore. When we’re not making our Sofritas, we make this! Plus, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, so you can share it with family and friends.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All you need to make this easy dinner in less than 15 minutes are:
Canned Black Beans – I am using one can of drained black beans and one can of undrained black beans – in their juice. Onion – Finely chopped. Garlic Cloves – crushed Avocado Oil or olive oil Cumin, Paprika, Dried Oregano – for flavor. Tomato Paste – If you are used to eating Mexican Black beans in your favorite Mexican restaurant, there’s no tomato paste in their recipe. But if you love the tomato flavor in beans, that’s how I make them. Feel free to skip this ingredient for an authentic Mexican black bean recipe.
How To Make Mexican Black Beans
Mexican black beans are canned black beans cooked in a blend of Mexican spices. You can twist the recipe with a few options, and I will share all my secrets below. It’s super simple to cook your black beans.
Add-Ons
Below are some tasty add-ons you can try in this black bean recipe. They are unconventional but so delicious. After adding the beans to the pan, try adding:
2 teaspoons of soy sauce instead of salt 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup for a sweet note Tomato paste – as seen in the picture, I like to add tomato paste to Mexican black beans, especially to use as a filling in vegan tacos. A bit of lime juice – for a tangy flavor. Fresh cilantro – add finely chopped cilantro just before serving. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – for a spicy flavor.
Serving
You can serve these Mexican black beans as is or half-mashed with a potato masher. To do so, remove half of the cooked black beans from the pan and place them in a shallow bowl. Mash the beans using a potato masher, then return to the saucepan. Stir to combine with the remaining cooked black beans. These black beans are delicious for making vegan tacos, enchiladas, or burritos. Use them into tortillas like my:
Quinoa Tortillas Chickpea Flour Tortillas Red Lentils Tortillas Vegan Gluten-Free Tortillas 2-Ingredient Flatbread
You can simply serve them on top of a bowl of coconut jasmine rice and add a drizzle of vegan nacho cheese sauce for a simple burrito bowl.
Side Dishes For Black Beans
You can serve these Mexican-style black beans with any side dish you love. My favorite combo is black beans and sweet potatoes or tortillas chips. Here are some ideas to serve with your black beans:
Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato Chickpea Chips Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Allergy Swaps
If you are allergic to some of the ingredients or have specific dietary requirements, you can try the following substitutions:
Black Beans – The closest swap to black beans are red kidney beans or pinto beans. But any canned beans work, including lentils, or you can use my lentil taco recipe instead. Low-FODMAP – Skip the onion and garlic.
Below are my answers to your most common questions about this black bean recipe.
More Vegan Mexican Recipes
If you like Mexican-inspired vegan recipes, you’ll love these:
