Give Canned Black Beans A Cuban-Style Upgrade For A Simple Yet Elevated Dinner

Integrating black beans into your diet is a great way to be on the receiving end of quite a few health benefits. After all, black beans are high in fiber, protein, and antioxidants. However, you may not want to have black beans solo, as they can be bland without proper seasoning. One delicious way to spice up canned black beans is to give them a Cuban-style upgrade.

Cuban black beans add in spices and veggies to make for a more enticing and satisfying dish. The veggies often include onion and bell pepper; the seasonings include cumin, coriander, oregano, salt, smoked paprika, and pepper. To tie everything together, the final key ingredient is a jalapeño to ensure the dish has a good amount of heat.

Not only does this dish incorporate a slew of vibrant and delicious flavors, but it's also incredibly easy to make: It's a one-pot meal that's ready to eat in under 30 minutes. Plus, Cuban black beans are filling enough to enjoy for lunch or dinner, either on their own or over a serving of rice.

Cuban black beans are delicious enough to be the star of the show, but they also work well as a side dish if you want to highlight another recipe, too. To stick with Cuban cuisine, you can pair the Cuban black beans with Tasting Table's recipe for Cuban mojo-roasted chicken, which marinates the chicken in mojo sauce (a blend of citrus, garlic, oregano, and olive oil). 

As Cuban black beans are already one of the suggested sides for the dish, it makes the perfect pairing. Alternatively, you could stick to the same roots but make Cuba's national dish, braised ropa vieja, instead. Ropa vieja is shredded beef that has been slow-cooked in a tomato sauce with veggies. This meat dish is another outstanding protein to pair with rice and beans, so you may as well go all out with our upgraded black bean recipe. Outside of Cuban cuisine, you could pair Cuban black beans with your favorite taco recipe, enchiladas, or any meat dish that needs an exciting side.