Cuban Style Black Beans

Name: Cuban Style Black Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup black beans (dried, rinsed and picked over); 1 medium red pepper ( seeded and cut into large pieces); ½ medium white onion (cut into large pieces); ½ Tbsp oregano (dried); ½ Tbsp cumin (dried); 1 tsp garlic powder; Sea salt and black pepper (to taste); 2 whole bay leaves; 1½ cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth); 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar; 2 Tbsp red pepper (diced); 3 Tbsp avocado (diced); 2 Tbsp cilantro leaves fresh (chopped); 1 whole lime cut into wedges (optional); 3 cup rice (cooked, optional)

Jump to Recipe

This tasty Cuban Style Black Beans is a hearty and traditional dish. It combines Cuban black beans with oregano, dried cumin, and bay leaves for a delicious side.

Cuban Style Black Beans on a bed of rice.

❤️ Why you’ll love it

This dish is so simple to make and pairs well as a side with most dinners. The beans are tender and soft with a flavorful blend of ingredients that will have you hooked on the first bite.

Easy to prepare.
Only 30 minutes to cook!
Savory and filling side.

🥘 Equipment

Instant Pot
Measuring Spoons

🧾 Ingredients

Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements, and step-by-step instructions at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.

Black Beans
Red Pepper
White Onion
Oregano
Cumin
Garlic Powder
Salt and pepper
Bay Leaves
Broth
Red Wine Vinegar
Avocado
Cilantro
Lime
Rice

🍳 How to Make

Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements, and step-by-step instructions at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.

Step 1. Add the ingredients to the instant pot. Place the pressure valve to ‘SEALING’ and set it to ‘MANUAL’ and ‘HIGH’ as the cooking option. Cook the ingredients for 32 minutes. Allow the pot to naturally release for 20 minutes.

Step 2. Turn off and transfer the veggies and 1/2 of the broth into a food processor. Blend until combined and smooth. Pour the puree and vinegar into the pot with salt and pepper and combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Cuban Style Black Beans topped with pepper, cilantro, and avocado.

Hint: Reserve some of the red portions of the recipe to add on top of the beans for garnish.

🥄 Variations

You can add additional beans of your choice.
Use red, yellow, or green peppers.
I love white onions for this recipe, but red will work just fine.
Adjust the seasonings to your liking.

🍽️ What to Serve With

I love this dish because it is delicious by itself, but also incredible with all of the options below:

Cooked yellow or white rice
Red pepper
Avocado
Cilantro

🍶 Storing

Refrigerator Storage: You can store the recipe in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Freezer Storage: You can store the recipe in a sealed container or Ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheat: You can choose to reheat in the microwave for 1 minute on high or reheat in the slow cooker.

💭Top Tips

You can use a liner to place in the instant pot to reduce the mess.
You can add red pepper flakes, jalapenos, or hot sauce to add some spice.
If you want the beans to be firm, you only need to cook for 30 minutes. If you want them to be softer, you can cook for an additional 2 to 5 minutes.

❔FAQs

Can I Add Other Kinds Of Beans?

Yes! You can add all the beans you want for a mix of flavors and textures!

What Dishes Do These Black Beans Taste Best In?

You can serve these over rice by themselves or put them in burritos, tacos, bowls, etc.

Are These Cuban Black Beans Spicy?

No, they are not spicy. But, there are options above to introduce spice into the recipe.

A plate full of the recipe with lime wedges and other garnishes.

More Instant Pot Recipes:

Need to change the number of servings? You can click on the number of servings and change the number. This will adjust the ingredient measurements to what you need.

If you love this recipe, come back and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️