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Packed with Tex-Mex flavor, this Homemade Mexican Black Beans recipe stands on its own or makes a perfect side dish for your next Mexican food dinner! Plus, you can make it in a crockpot or on the stove!
It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE fan of Tex-Mex cuisine. Whether it’s homemade cheese enchiladas or a healthy Mexican chicken bake, I’m ready to chow down! These Mexican black beans make a satisfying meal on their own, they can be turned into bean and cheese burritos, or they can be served alongside your favorite fajitas!
Mexican Black Beans
You might think it’s not worth it to make your own Mexican black beans when you can just crack open a can, but it really IS worth it! Not only do they cost LESS than the canned version, but they also taste a thousand times better.
The best thing about this recipe is that you literally dump all the ingredients in a pot (or crockpot) at once. There are a couple of times that you will need to add more water, but I’ll tell you more about that in the recipe below!
Ingredients
While you might assume that black beans are the only ingredient in this recipe, that’s very much not the case! There are quite a few recipes, but in order to get that classic Mexican black bean taste, they are needed.
Let’s break down all the ingredients and then you can print out the recipe with measurements at the end of the post! You can double or triple the recipe as desired!
- Dry black beans – This is the base of the recipe, of course! But you can also use pinto beans if needed. Both will be delicious, but black beans are called for.
- Taco seasoning – Homemade or from a packet, taco seasoning has a great blend of spices ready to go for Mexican foods.
- Yellow onion – Onions add a great depth of flavor. You can omit them if needed, but the flavor profile will change.
- Cayenne pepper, garlic powder, cumin – Don’t worry, adding the cayenne won’t make these too spicy! It just adds to the overall flavor profile like the other spices do as well.
- Salt – If you want to make a lower sodium version of these beans, that’s fine. But don’t skip the salt altogether as the beans really need it to carry the other flavors through the dish.
- Green enchilada sauce – This is optional, but just like the taco seasoning, I’ve found that adding this ingredients really finishes of this dish nicely!
Instructions
This recipe is SO simple! I’m going to give you a few tips in the steps below, so be sure to read them. And then remember that this can be done on the stop or in a crockpot! Below are the steps for both.
NOTE: If you want to soak your beans overnight for easier digestibility, that’s fine! Just soak them covered in water overnight, drain, and continue with the directions from there. This step is not required, but many people who have issues digesting beans prefer to soak them before cooking.
Black Beans on the Stove
- Add – Into a large pot add all of the ingredients and cover with 2-3″ of water.
- Cook – Bring the beans to a boil, and cook for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until soft. If the beans look dry, add more water as needed during the cooking process.
- Serve – Once the beans are soft, serve right away or freeze for later (more on that below).
Black Beans in a Crockpot
You’ll need a 4-quart crockpot for this recipe, or if you plan to double it, you’ll need a 7-quart crockpot like this one that we love!
- Add – Into a crockpot, add all the ingredients and cover with 2-3″ of water.
- Cook – On high, cook the beans until 4 hours. Check the beans a few times during the cooking process and add more water if needed.
- Reduce – Lower the heat to low and let the beans cook for another 6-8 hours, or overnight.
- Serve – Serve right away or freeze for later.
Freezing Mexican Black Beans
After you finish cooking them, let them cool quite a bit. After they’re cooled down, you can put them in freezer-safe bags to store them.
I like to put about 2 cups of Crockpot Mexican Black Beans in each bag and then lay them flat in the freezer for easy storing and faster thaw times! I got 7 bags out of my last double batch!
Thaw them overnight before using them and you have a great and easy side dish any time!
Using Homemade Black Beans in Place of Canned
If you’re wanting to use these homemade black beans in place of canned beans, here are a few things to make that easier!
- Don’t Rinse – When a recipe calls for canned beans, they want you to “drain and rinse” the beans. In the case of homemade black beans, it’s a good idea to drain the excess liquid, but you don’t have to rinse them! Homemade black beans tend to be softer, so rinsing them may destroy the beans completely.
- Measurements – In general, a 15oz can of store-bought beans equals 1 and a 1/2 cups of homemade beans!
- Spreads versus Salads – For dips and spreads (or a refried beans texture), you want the beans to be soft enough to easily crush or mash. So the beans may need to be cooked a bit longer. When using your homemade black beans for salads, bowls, or soups, only cook them until they are tender but not mushy!
Even More Easy Recipes
Homemade Mexican Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry black beans
- 1 packets of taco seasoning
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoons of cumin
- 8 oz green enchilada sauce
- Water as needed
Instructions
Black Beans on the Stove
- Into a large pot add all of the ingredients and cover with 2-3″ of water.
- Bring the beans to a boil, and cook for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until soft. If the beans look dry, add more water as needed during the cooking process.
- Once the beans are soft, serve right away or freeze for later (more on that below).
Black Beans in a Crockpot
- Into a crockpot, add all the ingredients and cover with 2-3″ of water.
- On high, cook the beans until 4 hours. Check the beans a few times during the cooking process and add more water if needed.
- Lower the heat to low and let the beans cook for another 6-8 hours, or overnight.
- Serve right away or freeze for later.
Notes
Freezing Mexican Black Beans
After you finish cooking them, let them cool quite a bit. After they’re cooled down, you can put them in freezer-safe bags to store them. I like to put about 2 cups of Crockpot Mexican Black Beans in each bag and then lay them flat in the freezer for easy storing and faster thaw times! I got 7 bags out of my last batch! Thaw them overnight before using them and you have a great and easy side dish any time!Using Homemade Black Beans in Place of Canned
If you’re wanting to use these homemade black beans in place of canned beans, here are a few things to make that easier!-
- Don’t Rinse – When a recipe calls for canned beans, they want you to “drain and rinse” the beans. In the case of homemade black beans, it’s a good idea to drain the excess liquid, but you don’t have to rinse them! Homemade black beans tend to be softer, so rinsing them may destroy the beans completely.
- Measurements – In general, a 15oz can of store-bought beans equals 1 and a 1/2 cups of homemade beans!
- Spreads versus Salads – For dips and spreads (or a refried beans texture), you want the beans to be soft enough to easily crush or mash. So the beans may need to be cooked a bit longer. When using your homemade black beans for salads, bowls, or soups, only cook them until they are tender but not mushy!
Nutrition
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Hi! Can I used chicken or veggie stock instead of water? Or does that mess up the flavor? Thanks!
Hello, can this be halved? If so are we just adding water so that it is continually coved by about an inch or so up until the the last stretch?
I’ve never halved it, but you could try! I don’t see why halving wouldn’t work. And yes, keep that water level up, bot not too high. We don’t want liquidy beans, but we also don’t want dry beans either.
Thank you!
Does the flavor taste even better as it sits or delish from get-go? I’m trying to decide if I should make this ahead of time from when I’m serving it and then just reheat on day of meal especially if it taste even better as it sits longer. Otherwise if best served fresh that would also be good to know. Thanks so much can’t wait to try your recipe!
Hi, Stacey! I think the potatoes REALLY soak up the flavor of sitting in the fridge overnight. While you CAN eat right away, the flavor will definitely be lacking if you skip that step. Serve it cold! It’s meant to be a cold salad.
How spicy are the black beans?
I’m super sensitive to spicy foods, and I don’t think these are too spicy at all. If you’re worried, just cut down on the cayenne, as you can always add more later.
Do you have a favorite taco mix?
I just use whatever I have on hand. I really like McCormick Organic, but it’s hard for me to find in my small town sometimes.