This black bean stew happened last weekend, next to that perfect grilled chicken I raved about for days. They just belong together. It actually feels kind of wrong to talk about a black bean stew when its 80”F out there, but I gots to do it.
Because this is really worth making in any season, so much flavor happening there. Plus I won’t lie, I make this on a hot summer day in July too. Because If I’m having a cookout, we make tacos on the grill, and the black bean stew is a prerequisite.
Gotta soak those beans the night before, like the good bean maker that you are, this is the real deal black bean stew we are executing here. Friday night is the perfect night to soak beans. That way come Saturday morning you are ready to roll. And in about 2 hours you’ll have the best black bean stew of your existence, and the smell in your house will make the neighbors drool.
Come Sunday you have a Spanish breakfast ready to unfold, not to even mention all the burrito bowls you can pack for lunches this week. Just add that creamy black bean stew on top with all the fixings. Taco night ? Handled like a boss!
This pot of beans is gonna take you many places in one week. So when I say that soaking and simmering is more than worth it, I mean it’s worth it!
Make sure you have all your fixings ready: green onions, juicy limes, avocado – heck yes extra avocado Por Favor !! Tons of cilantro, sliced jalapeño if you can handle the heat, smooth cooling sour cream, some crunch from pepitas or pumpkin seeds. Believe it when I tell you: this black bean stew won’t be found on a restaurant menu. Not this soupped up version anyway!
That perfect grilled chicken is the finishing touch for all the carnivores. Any chimichurri sauce leftover in the fridge ? Drizzle it all over the top. Any salsa fresca ? Spoon it over the top. This black bean stew is so good and good for you, and so worth the trouble.
Should you half the recipe ? Hmm, If you are going to go through the trouble of making a black bean stew from scratch, I’d say absolutely not. Just work around the leftovers and create new meals for the week. Or you could even freeze it.
Black Bean Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 c black beans
- 1 oz x 28 can fire roasted tomatoes diced
- 3 leaves bay
- 10 thyme sprigs
- 1 onion halved
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 2 carrots cut into rounds
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp Mexican seasoning salt free
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2-3 tsp sea salt + more to taste
- 2 tsp cumin + more to taste
- 1 c yogurt or Sour cream for serving
- 2 Avocados sliced
- 1/ c c Cilantro leaves for garnish
- 1/2 c pepitas or pumpkin seeds toasted
- 4 scallions thinly sliced
- 4 limes cut into wedges
- c Optional: 1 best grilled chicken sliced
Instructions
- In a large cast iron pot add the beans and cover with water by 3 inches. Let them soak overnight.
- In the morning rinse the beans under some cold water. Cover with fresh cold water by 2 inches. Add the bay leaves and thyme and bring to a simmer. Add the onion and garlic and cover with a tight lid. Simmer on low flame for 1 hour.
- After one hour of cooking, add the diced tomatoes,carrots, mexican seasonings, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, olive oil and sea salt to the pot. Bring back to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for another hour until the beans are tender and the stew has reduced to your liking.
- Discard the onion and bay leaves. Stir in the diced bell pepper and adjust seasonings to your taste with more sea salt.
- Ladle the cooked black bean stew into bowls and serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with the cilantro, sour cream, avocado, jalapeño slices and toasted nuts. Sprinkle with the grilled chicken and scallions on top and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
P.S. you might like these homemade baked beans from recipetineats.com
P.P.S. you’ll also like this weekday vegetable soup with beans from 101cookbooks.com
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