How to Cook Black Beans (From Scratch!)
This foolproof recipe yields the best black beans. Make a pot and enjoy black beans all week! Black beans are healthy, pantry friendly and affordable.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Meet my go-to, foolproof black bean recipe! If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to cook black beans from scratch, this guide is for you. These beans are rich and creamy, yet lively and full of flavor. They rival the frijoles negros I’ve loved in Costa Rica, Mexico and Belize, and they make a delicious side dish or meal component.
Home-cooked black beans offer far more flavor than canned beans, especially when you include the right seasonings. I’m thrilled with how these turn out. Dried beans are also less expensive than canned beans, and they reduce waste (no cans to throw away).
Plus, black beans are very good for you. Black beans are rich in fiber and plant-based protein, and a fantastic source of folate, thiamin (vitamin B1), phosphorus, manganese and magnesium. If you’ve ever read that beans are “unhealthy,” it’s because beans contain lectins until they’ve been sufficiently cooked. Lectins, which are naturally present in many plant foods, are considered an anti-nutrient. If you’re eating properly cooked beans, as instructed below, there’s no reason for concern.
You might be surprised to hear that black beans are actually so blue that they appear black. Black beans are full of anthocyanins, a powerful group of flavanoids that also makes blueberries, purple cabbage and red onions so nutritious. You can read all about black bean nutrition here.
If you’re learning to cook dried beans, start them early. The wild card with dried beans is that you’ll never be 100 percent certain when they’ll finish cooking. Better to start cooking well before you’re in a rush for dinner. Let’s get to it!
Watch How to Cook Black Beans
Black Bean Seasonings
Many black bean recipes incorporate bacon or lard, but these beans are free of meat products (they’re vegetarian and vegan). I played around with spices and flavorings until I came up with a clear winner.
You can simplify the recipe by omitting any of the seasonings listed in the ingredients, but for the best flavor, I recommend using all of them. Here’s what I add to the pot before cooking:
- Red onion and garlic lend a savory backbone to these beans. We’ll chop up the onion and add it raw (I tried cooking it first, as I do for most recipes, but the flavor is distracting at that point). We’ll peel the cloves and add them whole. Once the beans are done, we’ll just smash them against the side of the pot and stir them in. Easy!
- Bay leaves further amplify the savoriness of these beans, offering an herbal flavor somewhat similar to oregano or thyme. Mexican black beans typically incorporate an herb called epazote that is somewhat reminiscent of oregano, so you can see how bay leaf would work as well.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (just a splash) makes these beans cook up nice and creamy.
- Ground cumin is commonly added to black beans, because they’re perfect together!
- Orange zest offers a subtle “je ne sais quoi” flavor. Just one small strip (peeled with a vegetable peeler) makes a big difference. I never would have thought to add orange, but Serious Eats suggested this Cuban twist and I love it.
- Red pepper flakes lend some heat. If you prefer mild beans, reduce or omit them.
After cooking, I like to stir in some chopped cilantro (skip it if you don’t like it) and a squeeze of lime juice to brighten up the whole pot.
Black Bean Yield & Conversions
Dried black beans are typically sold in one-pound bags, so I wrote this recipe to use the whole bag. It yields a big pot of beans (about six cups). If you don’t think you’ll be able to finish off the whole pot within five days, you can easily halve the recipe, or freeze leftovers for later.
Here are some measurements and conversions that might be helpful:
- Dried (raw) black beans: 1 pound = 16 ounces = scant 2 1/2 cups
- 1 pound dried black beans = 6 cups cooked black beans = four 15-ounce cans of cooked black beans
- Each 1/2 cup of dried beans yields a little over 1 cup cooked beans
The Great Bean Debates
To Soak, or Not to Soak
Here’s a compelling argument for not soaking beans by Kenji Lopez on Serious Eats. In summary, un-soaked beans require only marginally longer on the stove (as little as 20 minutes longer), have a deeper color (likely also more nutrients), and better flavor (less watered down).
Beans that are larger than black beans, such as chickpeas, may benefit from a soak. In my experience, soaking black beans is an unnecessary extra step.
To Salt Before Cooking, or Afterward
This is another highly contested matter, and once again, I leaned on Serious Eats for guidance. In their experiments, salted beans cooked more evenly. Unsalted beans actually absorbed too much water and popped open before their skins sufficiently softened. You can see their side-by-side comparison here.
Another bonus of salting early is that your beans will be more flavorful than if you reserved the same amount of salt until after cooking.
Stovetop vs. Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)
Cooking your beans on the stovetop is the way to go. I truly wanted to offer a reliable Instant Pot shortcut, but my Instant Pot bean experience has been too frustrating to recommend.
Here’s the problem: When you’re cooking beans in a pressure cooker, you can’t keep an eye on them. Cook times for beans in the Instant Pot vary with every batch, for reasons explained below. Many times, you’ll need to re-pressurize the pot and cook the beans longer. How much longer is always a guessing game. Sometimes, the beans cook unevenly because they run out of water along the way. Or, if you accidentally cook them a few minutes too long, the beans become mushy and bland.
You’ll also love stovetop black beans for their condensed, stewy cooking liquid. It’s delicious! You’ll never achieve the same nice cooking liquid with Instant Pot beans because the water can’t evaporate during cooking. Instant Pot beans will be watery, even if you manage to cook the beans properly—such beans would be fine as a replacement for drained canned beans, but they won’t make a great side dish on their own.
Timing Issues with Old Beans and Hard Water
Here’s the frustrating reality about cooking beans from scratch: You’ll never know exactly how long they’ll take to cook. Sometimes, very old beans will never soften sufficiently.
If you just bought your beans from a store with good turnover, they might be done cooking after just an hour-long simmer. Most likely, they’ll be done by an hour and a half to two hours.
Check your bags for a harvest or expiration date. Ideally, we’ll cook them within a year of harvest. Store your beans in a dark, cool place in the pantry in an air-tight container. If you don’t remember how long your dried beans have been sitting in your pantry, I can’t say how long they might take—or if they’ll ever fully cook through. This is a risk you take with cooking beans from scratch.
Another factor, which surprised me, is that the minerals in hard water can slow the cooking process! I live in an area with hard water, and I’ve witnessed the difference water can make. We can thank Melissa Clark for this clue.
My fresh-from-the-store beans cooked up in a mere hour when I used filtered water. My next batch, the same beans purchased at the same time, took over an hour and a half because I cooked them in tap water.
So, use filtered or distilled water if you can. Here’s a map of hard water areas in the United States, and here’s the affordable water filter (affiliate link) that seemed to improve my cooking time. I also have a larger filter system at home, which is great.
How to Serve Black Beans
These black beans are a great side dish to serve with Mexican, Cuban or other Latin American-inspired meals. Here are some of my favorite options.
- Burritos: Sweet Potato Burrito Smothered in Avocado Salsa Verde or Vegetarian Breakfast Burritos
- Casseroles: Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
- Chilaquiles: Chilaquiles Rojos or Chilaquiles Verdes
- Enchiladas: Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas, Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas or Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas
- Quesadillas: 10-Minute Quesadillas or Crispy Mushroom, Spinach and Avocado Quesadillas
- Tacos: Favorite Breakfast Tacos, Halloumi Tacos with Pineapple Salsa & Aji Verde or Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos
Or, replace the bean component in the following recipes with these home-cooked black beans:
- Austin-Style Migas with Black Beans
- Kale, Black Bean and Avocado Burrito Bowl
- Simple Kale and Black Bean Burritos
- Southwestern Kale Power Salad with Sweet Potato, Quinoa & Avocado Sauce
- Spicy Sweet Potato and Green Rice Burrito Bowls
Lastly, these beans are a fantastic burrito bowl component. Add any of the following:
- Rice: Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice or Mexican Brown Rice
- Something saucy: Classic Pico de Gallo, Creamy Avocado Dip, Cilantro Hemp Pesto, Guacamole, Red Salsa or Salsa Verde
- Maybe some extra greens or veggies: Chunky Avocado Salsa, Fresh Corn Salsa, Quick Collard Greens or Marinated Kale
- Garnishes and accents: Quick-Pickled Onions, toasted pepitas, crumbled Cotija or feta cheese, sliced cherry tomatoes, etc.
View all of my recipes containing black beans here.
How to Cook Black Beans
This foolproof recipe yields perfectly tender and delicious black beans. Make a pot and enjoy black beans all week! No need to soak the beans before using. Recipe yields 6 cups beans (the equivalent of 4 cans); you can freeze leftovers or cut the recipe in half.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounces or scant 2 ½ cups) dried black beans*
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- One strip of orange zest, about 2 inches long by ½ inch wide
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit or reduce if sensitive to spice)
- 8 cups water**, more if needed
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, optional
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- First, pick through your black beans for debris (sometimes tiny rocks can sneak in). Place the beans in a fine mesh colander or sieve and rinse very well. Pour the beans into a large Dutch oven or saucepan (4 quarts or larger in capacity).
- Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, salt, cumin, orange zest and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pot. Pour in the water.
- Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Give the beans a stir to make sure none are stuck to the bottom of the pot, and set a timer for 1 hour. Leave the pot uncovered and adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer (you should see several small bubbles popping to the surface at any given moment).
- Once the timer goes off, test a couple of beans by using a fork to press them against the side of the pot. If they’re easy to press through, taste a few (carefully! they’re hot!) to see if they’re sufficiently plump, tender and delicious.
- Otherwise, continue cooking, testing in 15 to 30 minute intervals as needed, until they’re done. If you’re running low on liquid, add water in 1-cup increments so the beans are covered at all time. (As mentioned in the post, if your beans are old, they can take several hours to cook and require a lot more water, and some very old beans may never cook through.)
- Once the beans are very tender and tasty, you can increase the heat a little to reduce the cooking liquid into a more gravy-like consistency, about 5 to 15 minutes (it will continue to thicken up as the beans cool).
- Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully remove the orange zest and both bay leaves. Use a fork to press the garlic against the side of the bowl to break it up. Add the cilantro, if using, and lime juice. Stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt, if needed. Use as desired.
- Allow leftover beans to cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze leftover beans for several months.***
Notes
Recipe created with guidance from Serious Eats.
*Bean note: It’s very important that your beans are fresh. Freshly purchased beans from a store with good turnover can cook in as little as one hour. Older beans can require several hours on the stove (and several more cups of water). Very old beans may never soften all the way through, and will never be suitable for consumption.
**Water note: If you live in an area with hard water, the minerals in the water may impede the cooking process (your beans will take longer to cook). Use distilled or filtered water if possible.
***Freeze it: I like to freeze leftover beans with their cooking juices in wide-mouth, pint-sized mason jars. You could also use small freezer bags—once frozen flat, they can be stacked. Regardless of your container, be sure that your beans have cooled to room temperature before freezing. If you’re using a rigid container (instead of a bag), allow some room at the top for expansion, and wait until the beans are fully frozen before securely attaching an air-tight lid. Defrost the containers in the fridge for several hours before using as desired.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Fantastic! I’ve made a few of your recipes so far, so I knew this would be fantastic as well. It did not disappoint! I had to cook the beans for an additional 35-40 minutes, but they were in a great place at that point. I paired them with Spanish rice as a side for tamales. My boyfriend (meat eater) thought they were fantastic, too! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Jessica!
Thank you for this delicious recipe. As a vegan, who lives in Alaska, I need to make a lot a food from scratch because things are so expensive. First time cooking beans from scratch and it went really well super easy! Although I didn’t have any garlic cloves so I use powder, and I didn’t have any oranges but I had clementines and it turned out great! Thanks again for sharing!
Was a bit skeptical about not pre-soaking, but read the arguments and went with it. Hands down best black beans ever! Normally wouldn’t post a comment, but so good I had to acknowledge!
I’m glad you tried this recipe, Beata! I appreciate your review.
Wow- who would think black beans could be so tasty!! First time I’ve prepared my own- and from older beans- but they were delicious! I used some in Chile con carne which I make often- what a difference from canned beans. Thank you!!
I’m glad you loved them, Donna! I appreciate your review.
Literally one of our most frequently made meals. Great with almost anything Mexican style. Just make sure you use quality beans. We have good luck with PC Blue Menu beans.
Thank you for sharing, Anna!
The absolute best beans I’ve ever made! Thank you for this excellent recipe!
I’m glad you loved it, Lynn! Thank you for your review.
This is a great recipe. I live somewhere where canned black beans are a little tricky to find, and they are inconsistent in taste and texture when found, so I decided to make them from scratch (for the first time). They came out perfectly delicious! It made a lot so I froze half to eat later, and they defrosted, and also tasted just as good weeks later. Thanks so much for this recipe and guide!
Yes, great idea to freeze some for later! I appreciate your review, Char.
Can I use these cooked beans in a black bean burger recipe? Or should I rather just cook the beans in a salty water?
You could use these! Let me know what you think.
Friendly tip. Do not add salt until the beans are cooked as it prevents them from softening.
Made these beans today and YUM
I’m glad you loved them, Debbie! I appreciate your review.
Loved this! I thought I had black beans in the pantry, but I found out too late I did not. I used pinto beans instead (I did pre-soak them for about 8 hours and cooked about 2 hours on the stove). They turned out great! I also had to sub orange juice for the rind. I left out the chili and it was a pretty kid-friendly bean dish – savory with a little sweetness from the orange. The 6-year old liked them. Served per the black bean burrito bowl recipe on this sub (with flavoured rice, cilantro pesto, pickled onions, and salsa). The meal was super satisfying and I didn’t miss meat in the mix at all.
The recipe makes a lot! Probably 2 dinners worth in our house. The leftovers have a lot of different uses, so that is perfect.
Thank you for sharing, Kate! That’s great to hear.
I love this recipe. I live in New York and get the most beautiful purpley fresh dry black beans grown in the Hudson Valley from my CSA, so I make this every week. I follow it exactly and have it with breakfast tacos, stuffed in a sweet potato for lunch, or in a big bowl for dinner :)
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Dana.
This may be a silly question but are any adjustments needed if you double this recipe? I would like to make a big batch for a family gathering (serving it as the main entree along it with cilantro lime brown rice) and wondered about any changes that should be made for such a large quantity. Thanks!
Hi! Be sure to have a large enough pot. Or you could split it in two. Let me know how it turns out! Everything should double equally.
This is definitely one of the best ever recipes for so many reasons! First, of course, it’s delicious. Secondly, I learned so much because of all the research shared about beans, salt or no salt, soak or no soak, the quality of the beans. My favorite recipe for all these reasons! Thank you so much :)
Made this tonight. Only ingredients I skipped (cause I didn’t have them) were lime & cilantro. Served with brown rice. Only mistake I made was NOT making more! Didn’t expect hubs to eat it but surprise he loved it. Commented that he liked the spices.
I love to hear that, Erica! I appreciate your review.
These are great! I used to always make beans in my crockpot, but I prefer this method! Quicker and tastier. Thanks for another wonderful recipe :)
Great recipe! The black beans are delicious and are a great addition to this weeks meals!
Hello, sorry for my probably dumb question – I’m new to cooking black beans/eating black beans, so I’m wondering if I’ll need to drain any excess water.
Hi SA, it depends on how much you have left and the consistency you desire. It’s up to you!
I’d never made black beans before, and I don’t even recall ever eating them, however, your recipe looked easy and straightforward enough. I tried it and it’s now bookmarked as a go to for whenever I need to make black beans. I enjoy the flavour that the orange zest and garlic add to it as well. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Z!
I do not think the statement that old beans might not be fit for consumption is entirely correct. Many preppers store dry beans for years and use them. Yes, they take longer to cook but still they soften nicely. Just recently I cooked black beans that I had sitting in my pantry from my Brazilian niece’s visit in 2005. They came out soft and creamy, after 17 years in storage.
Dear Kate
Another tip for cooking beans given to me by a Lebanese friend. Add 1teaspoon of bicarb when cooking this will help soften the beans. Good if you have hard water or if you don’t know how old the beans are.
Jan M
I made these this morning. I’d always struggled with grey beans in the past. This was easy and the beans are black and delicious!
My new go to recipe!!
That’s great to hear, Lola! Thanks for your review.
Did this yesterday, used the beans to make black bean and sweet potato enchiladas. I used the bean broth along with a pat of butter to cook rice. Sooooo good, both the enchiladas and the rice, and bonus: the rice came out purple!
I’m glad you liked this recipe, Jenn! Thank you for your review.
Your recipe is wonderful! I use it for all types of beans.
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it, Arlene! Thank you for your review.
Just thought I’d reinforce the old beans/hard water warnings above – 4 hours in and only just getting close to being cooked!
If I already soaked some beans how would you adjust cook time? Less? Thank you!
Hi Eva, I haven’t tried it with soaked beans. Sorry!
Best Black beans i’ve ever had. Blows chipotle’s out of the water
Hooray! I’m glad you loved them, Askia.
I notice this recipe does not call for pre-soaking the beans. Just wanted to check this is correct
Hi! No need to presoak for this recipe.
These beans were everything! I usually don’t care for cumin, but with the combination of the lime, orange peel, and cilantro this dish was tasty even for a skeptic like me. Thanks Kate!
Why is there so much sodium in this recipe? What exactly is that from? I want to make it for my baby and don’t want him having so much sodium
Hi Meghan, more on my Nutrition Disclaimer. You can omit the added salt if you prefer.
Did everything I soaked my beans for 24 hours cooked them the way they said to be cooked 3 hours later my beans are still tough shaking my head
I’m sorry to hear that, Jared. Do you know when they were packaged?
Thanks for the super clear instructions.
You’re welcome, Camille! I appreciate your review.
I just made it and it’s great. Thank you for the recipe.
To help beans cook and soften add 1 tspn bicarbonate of soda to cooking water.
Keep strips of dried orange peel in a jar to add to fish stews, or beef casseroles as well as using for bean dishes.
Thank you Kate!
Dried beans. Who’d think you’d need a recipe? Well, until you’ve failed at the attempt you wouldn’t…
You’ve answered all my questions here and added cumin too!! Xoxox
Barbara Sweeney
Lake Lure, NC
I’m glad you loved it, Barbara!
How long do these last in the fridge? I know the preference is to freeze, I’ve got the other half of the batch in the freezer now:)
Allow leftover beans to cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze leftover beans for several months.
I didn’t have an orange. I did have a bottle of Campari. Added a (technical term coming up) schlurp once the beans were cooked and soft and almost all liquid absorbed. If I say so myself, I’m a genius. Mixed the beans with basmati rice cooked with a little Panch Phooran. Made an excellent supper. Thanks from the Manchester suburb of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, UK.
Can you add these beans to a salad? Assume you would drain the liquid first?
Sure! It all depends on what you want for your finished product. You may want less liquid so it holds up better.
Great recipe, thank you! After getting less than stellar results with the instructions from my bean purveyor I found this recipe and they turned out great. I appreciate the detail, just your note about increasing the heat to boil off some of the liquid at the end made a huge difference for me. I feel a little dumb that I didn’t think of it myself but I’m a cooking newbie and need all the tips I can get!
Made the beans today following the recipe exactly except I didn’t have cilantro. It was excellent! Very tasty. I may never buy canned black beans again.
I’m excited you enjoyed this recipe, Mary! Thank you for your review.
i read that older beans are perfectly suitable for consumption. even long after expiry dates. They will have less nutritional value though
Make this – you will not regret it. I made this while on vacation in Hawaii with my family for taco night. This and the Mahi Mahi were the most popular toppings by far.
Thank you Kate!
I’m excited you loved it!
Another winning recipe from Cookie and Kate. I made these amazing beans for the first time this afternoon. The orange rind is the perfect addition. I’ll be making the cilantro lime brown rice tomorrow to go with the leftovers.
Thank you, Fredrick! I’m excited you enjoy this recipe.
2/1/23
I will be making this recipe. I just got a bag of fresh beans. I and my family like black beans. I use them in my chili. So I am counting on you. Thanks
Can you do this recipe in the crockpot?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure.
Delicious! Instructions were perfect and results were even better than I hoped for, as I have not had much luck with cooking dry beans before. I used beans that I had grown in my garden last summer, so, it being February, six months from when I harvested them, ! I appreciated the details like the size of the pot and to start early in the day, just in case. The first batch was so tasty that I made a second batch the next day! They are in the freezer waiting for the next time I make black bean chili.
Thank you for sharing, Laura!
LOVE this recipe. I followed exactly and they are perfect! I must have had fresh beans as they took only 1 hour and I used tap water.
Wonderful to hear, Joan!
This black recipe is perfect! The best I ever made. TY❤️
Does this method also work for cooking pinto beans from dry if I want to use them in a recipe instead of canned pinto beans?
It may vary, I’m not sure as I haven’t tried it.
I have made these black beans numerous times, and they are perfect every time. Thank you for giving this recipe! Dry beans can be difficult, but this recipe makes it easy. This is so simple, and a true staple in my household. Plus way cheaper and less waste (and so much tastier) than canned beans! It makes a lot and I’m wondering if anyone has successfully frozen black beans for later? Although… When we have a pot, they never go to waste. So many things to do with black beans.
This should work great to freeze. I’m glad you love them!