60 Vegetarian Black Bean Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What spices are good with beans without meat? ›

Don't forget spices and herbs

I like smoked paprika to add a bit of the campfire flavor, since I keep my beans vegetarian most of the time. I also like adding a little bit of red chile flake or a whole dried chile, sometimes some cumin, and maybe a little bit of Mexican oregano.

First, rinse and sort the dry black beans. Remove any debris such as stones. If soaking, cover black beans in water by about 4″ and soak for 8-24 hours. They'll soak up quite a bit of liquid.

Nutritional Value in Pinto and Black Beans

Pinto and black beans are extremely similar in their nutritional values. They both offer protein, fiber, calories, iron, vitamin B1 and more. However, pinto beans have slightly more calories, carbs, fiber and fat content.

Toss drained/rinsed/dried beans with a bit of olive oil (or avocado oil) and your favorite seasonings. You can add crushed whole seeds (coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, etc.), woodsy herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage), red pepper flakes, crushed garlic cloves, and of course salt and pepper.

Dried Mushrooms & Mushroom Broth

The trick to wonderfully flavored vegetarian beans is this: steep the dried mushrooms in boiling water to make a broth, and then simmer beans in the mushroom broth (as all or part of the recipe's cooking liquid). After soaking them, chop the mushrooms and add to the beans, as well.

Baking soda creates an alkaline environment which reduces soaking and cooking time and preserves the beans' skin. As a result, the old bean's color comes to life, keeping them vibrant instead of dull. Compared to the grainy texture offered by old beans, baking soda beans can yield a creamy and smooth texture.

Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish. Open your cans of beans using a can opener. There may be sharp edges from opening the can.

Short answer: They take longer to cook. Long answer: Many people claim that soaking beans is not necessary. The argument for this method is while it does take longer to cook, unsoaked beans end up having better flavor.

All foods change color after cooking. Shiny black beans become dull so they look browner. Just enjoy the taste!

Can you over soak black beans? ›

It is possible to soak beans for too long before cooking. Beans should soak for 8 to 10 hours overnight. If they are soaked for longer than 12 hours, they can lose their familiar flavor and become overly mushy. For the best result, refrain from soaking them for too long.

Soaking cuts out the flavor

In the course of his testing, Yonan found that soaking only cut down cooking time by 25 to 30%, and it also had real drawbacks. "You lose a lot of flavors when you soak them," Yonan says. "I've never had a pot of black beans as good soaking as when I don't soak them.

Legumes have superior nutrient profiles in comparison to other common dietary staples, such as rice and corn [21]. For example, black beans and chickpeas contain more than 7 g of protein, while long-grain white rice and kernel corn contain only 2 g per 1/2 cup serving of cooked food.

Other evidence shows that people who consume beans, including black beans, had an 11% lower risk of heart disease than those who did not consume beans ( 10 ). However, another study found that consuming 1/2 cup (113 grams) of beans daily had no significant effect on cholesterol levels.

Herbs: A sprig of fresh rosemary or thyme, or sage, parsley, or cilantro leaves or stems. I often add frozen herbs to my home cooked beans. Spices: Black peppercorns, freshly ground black pepper, bay leaves, or dried chiles. Vegetable scraps: Onion ends, fennel fronds, scallion tops, celery leaves, and more!

Those aromatics in the pot will revolutionize the beans' final flavor. The aromatics I tend to use are onions, carrots, garlic, and celery, and then heartier, woodsy herbs, like rosemary, sage, and thyme, which marry beautifully with the earthy-sweet flavor of beans.

A few items I reach for when making beans are: cumin, onions, garlic, bay leaves, chipotle peppers in adobo, bell peppers, poblano peppers, spicy chili peppers of any kind, cilantro, coriander, paprika, liquid smoke, celery, vegetable stock, black pepper, salt and lime juice.