Caraotas Negras Recipe
Black beans with queso fresco on top.
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Ingredients
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Black Beans
Sofrito / Aromatics
Finishing & Garnish
Method
Black Beans
- 1
Soak (optional but recommended)
Rinse 2 cups dried black beans under cold water and remove any debris. Place beans in a large bowl, cover with about 6 cups cold water (water should be 2–3 inches above beans) and soak 6–8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking. (If short on time, you may skip soaking and cook longer.)
- 2
Cook the beans
Place drained beans in a large heavy-bottomed pot with 8 cups fresh water and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim any foam from the surface. Partially cover and simmer for 60–90 minutes until beans are tender but not falling apart. If you did not soak, simmer 90–120 minutes. Add more water during cooking if needed to keep beans submerged.
- 3
Season the beans
About 10–15 minutes before beans are done, stir in 1.5 tsp salt (or to taste) so the beans finish absorbing the seasoning. Remove bay leaves once beans are tender.
Sofrito / Aromatics
- 4
Prepare the sofrito
While the beans simmer, heat 3 tbs vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add the chopped green bell pepper and continue to cook another 3–4 minutes until softened.
- 5
Add garlic and spices
Stir in the 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin and 1/2 tsp dried oregano. Cook and stir for 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, to deepen the flavor.
- 6
Combine & Finish
- 7
Combine sofrito with beans
When the beans are tender and seasoned, use a slotted spoon to remove about 1–2 cups of cooked beans and set aside for a chunkier texture, or leave all beans in pot if you prefer them uniform. Stir the prepared hot sofrito into the pot of cooked beans. Gently mash a small portion of the beans against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon to slightly thicken the broth, about 1/2 cup worth.
- 8
Simmer together
Simmer the combined beans and sofrito together for 8–10 minutes over low heat so flavors meld. If mixture becomes too thick, add 1/4–1/2 cup hot water to reach desired consistency. Adjust salt and add 1/4 tsp black pepper to taste.
- 9
Serve
Ladle the hot caraotas negras into bowls or a serving dish. Crumble 1 cup queso fresco evenly over the top. Garnish with the remaining chopped cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges for squeezing on top.