Seasoned Black Beans

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Looking for a quick and easy way to jazz up canned black beans? These Seasoned Black Beans are it! Seasoned with spices, onions, garlic, cilantro and cotija.

We usually have tacos at least once a week around here. And I always serve some kind of beans as a side dish, usually by opening up a can of refried beans or black beans. But honestly, sometimes those can be a bit bland. In an effort to spice things up a bit, I decided to start adding some seasonings. These Seasoned Black Beans are a result.

There are so many great things about this side dish. One: they come together so quickly. Two: you only need a handful of ingredients. Three: they are a crowd pleaser!

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it.

Seasoned Black Beans Ingredients:

• BLACK BEANS: To make this easy, I use canned black beans. I prefer to drain them so there is not too much liquid in the final dish.
• OLIVE OIL: To saute the onions and garlic.
• ONIONS/GARLIC: I like to mince these small so that there aren’t large pieces of garlic and onions in the beans.
• CHILI POWDER: Will add a little bit of heat and smokiness.
• CUMIN: Has a warm earthy flavor.
• SALT: Some beans can be pretty salty so make sure to taste before adding additional salt.
• COTIJA CHEESE: A salty, crumbly Mexican cheese that is perfect for a garnish on these beans.
• CILANTRO: Adds a bit of flavor and a pop of color used as a garnish. Totally optional.

Step By Step Photos and Instructions:

One of my favorite things about making these Seasoned Black Beans is how ridiculously easy they are to make. Follow along with these Step by Step Photos and Instructions.

• STEP #1: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions. Cook just until they start to soften about 2 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Cook just until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• STEP #2: Stir in the drained (but not rinsed) black beans. And continue to cook until they are warmed through. The longer you cook them the more liquid will evaporate.
• STEP #3: Season to taste with salt, garnish with cotija and cilantro.

Storage and Leftovers:

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and use within 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat until warmed through.

These Seasoned Black Beans make an excellent side dish for tacos, enchiladas or spooned over nachos. Here are some of my favorites to serve them with:

Fried Shrimp Tacos are loaded with crispy golden fried shrimp and topped with a creamy mango slaw.

Pulled Pork Enchiladas are a weeknight favorite. Tender pulled pork rolled in corn tortillas and topped with homemade enchilada sauce and two cheeses.

Use leftover pulled pork to make these loaded Pulled Pork Nachos. Topped with two kinds of cheese and all the fixins’ these are a party hit!