Name: How to Cook Black Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American, Mexican, Tex Mex
Ingredients: 2 cups dried black beans; 8 cups water (plus more as needed); 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil; 2 teaspoons sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 (3-inch) piece kombu (rinsed, optional (see note)); 3 garlic cloves (grated); Chili powder; Mexican oregano; Lime juice and zest; Chopped fresh cilantro

How to Cook Black Beans

Learn how to cook black beans from scratch! Creamy and flavorful, they're a delicious side dish or component in black bean recipes like tacos and enchiladas.

1 hr 30 min total 10 min prep 1 hr 20 min cook 12

Instructions

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1 Place the beans in a large colander and sort through them to remove and discard any stones or debris.
2 Rinse the beans and transfer them to a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the water, cumin, olive oil, salt, and several grinds of pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the kombu, if using, and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender. I like to check mine starting at 1 hour, and every 15 minutes after that. Depending on the freshness of your beans, it could take up to 2½ hours. Add more water to the pot, as needed, to keep your beans submerged.
3 Remove the kombu and add the garlic during the last few minutes of cooking.
4 Season the beans as you like, adding chili powder, oregano, and more salt and pepper, if desired. Let the beans cool in the cooking liquid (I like how it gets nice and thick). Just before serving, stir in lime juice, zest, and cilantro, if desired.