🥘 Ingredients
- black beans 2
- extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp
- small red onion or yellow onion 1
- garlic cloves 4
- jalapeño pepper or serrano pepper 1
- ground cumin ½ tsp
- dried Mexican oregano 1 ½ tsp
- chipotle chili flakes or red pepper flakes ½ tsp
- kosher salt 1 ½ tsp
- Freshly
- fresh ripe tomatoes or diced tomatoes 1
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- fresh cilantro leaves and stems 1 cup
How to make with dried black beans: Soak 1/2 lb black beans overnight (add 1 tsp baking soda to the soaking water to help soften); drain. Cook the beans in 3 cup water + add 2 bay leaves and a few fresh oregano sprigs if you have them. Cook the beans for at least an hour, probably longer, until they’re tender. Then scoop out 1 1/2 cup cooking liquid and discard for maximal sauciness. Make the sofrito and add it to the pot of cooked beans with 1 tsp kosher salt, and rapidly simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened and saucy. Follow step 4 as written. Don’t skip the olive oil! It adds a necessary richness and great mouthfeel. Adjust the sofrito to your liking. If you’d like to take the heat up a notch, use more chili flakes or add 1 diced jalapeño along with the garlic. If you have Baby Mouth, leave the chili flakes out entirely. If you prefer smoky black beans, use crushed chipotle chili flakes instead of red pepper flakes. Have a green bell pepper in your fridge to use up? Chop it finely and sauté along with the onion. For a more pronounced smoky, spicy flavor, add a few teaspoons of adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers when you add the tomatoes. Storage: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave until warmed through, adding a splash of water or veggie broth as needed if they have thickened. You can freeze by transferring the cooled black beans to an airtight container (or individual containers for single-serve portions) and freezing for up to 6 months. For the best texture, let them defrost in the fridge before reheating.
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1Gather: black beans . For the sofrito: extra virgin olive oil , small red onion or yellow onion , garlic cloves , jalapeño pepper or serrano pepper , ground cumin , dried Mexican oregano , chipotle chili flakes or red pepper flakes , kosher salt , Freshly cracked black pepper, fresh ripe tomatoes or diced tomatoes . For the finishing: A glug of extra virgin olive oil, A squeeze or two of lime juice, fresh cilantro leaves and stems .
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2Don’t drain the beans!
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3Prep the fresh tomatoes, if using. Wash, and then add to a food processor and pulse until pureed. Or grate the tomatoes using the wide holes of a box grater.
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4Make the sofrito. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat with 1 1/2 tbsp of oil. Once hot, add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook until the onions have softened and are golden but not browned, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally (see Note 4). Add the garlic, jalapeño, cumin, oregano, and chipotle flakes (if using) and cook for 1-2 minutes , stirring frequently.
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5Add the diced tomatoes (see Note 5). Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a rapid simmer and cook until the tomatoes break down and most of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with the kosher salt and several cracks of black pepper.
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6Pour the black beans with their liquid into the sofrito. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened and saucy. If it gets too thick, add a splash of vegetable broth if you have it, or water.
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7Stir in a glug of extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lime juice, and cilantro. Taste, and add salt/pepper or more lime juice to taste.