Cuban Black Beans

Find out how to make Cuban Black Beans in the Instant Pot pressure cooker or on the stove with this easy recipe! Serve as bean and rice bowls or in tacos.

A jar of humble dried beans is often the start of our meals. Chickpeas go into classic falafel, easy falafel wraps, vegetable soup, and Greek-inspired salads. And I did a whole post about cooking dried lentils. Black beans are favorite in my house too. We use them in everything from burgers to black bean soup, to veggie tacos. I shared how to make black beans in the slow cooker a few years ago, but thought I should update you on my current method: the Instant Pot pressure cooker! 

These easy Cuban-style black beans are so easy to make and you’ll be so glad to have ditched canned beans. Cooking dried beans is cheaper, tastier, and more natural than using cans that are sometimes lined with toxic substances. Cuban black beans take simple black beans a step further by adding flavor. Let’s check out how to make them in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. 

Cuban Black Beans Ingredients

What are Cuban style black beans and what makes them different from “regular” black beans? Cuban black beans are cooked with onion, garlic, and green bell pepper. They get a dash of earthy smokiness from cumin and bay leaves. Because they simmer with all these flavorful ingredients they have a lot more going on than plain black beans. 

How to Cook Cuban Black Beans in the Instant Pot

The thing I absolutely love about the Instant Pot is that it can cook dried beans, without soaking, so darn quickly. There is no need to soak the dried black beans if you’re using the Instant Pot pressure cooker. If you’re making this recipe on the stove, you’ll want to soak the beans for a good 4-6 hours, or overnight. Either way, you’ll want to give them a good rinse and picking over. 

Though I’ve shown all the ingredients here in the pot together, I actually recommend sauteeing the onion first. Then the garlic, peppers, rinsed beans, herbs, and water are added. Either boil on the stove, adding more water as needed to account for evaporation, or lock the Instant Pot lid and let it do its thing. Dried, un-soaked black beans need to pressure cook for about 25-30 minutes and will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure before cooking begins. 

If cooking the beans in the Instant Pot, let the pressure come down naturally. When you remove the lid it will look like this. Discard the bay leaves. 

Give the beans a stir and season with salt. It’s best to cook beans without salt and season after to avoid tough beans. 

How to Use Cuban Black Beans

You can use Cuban style black beans in most places you’d use plain black beans. Just don’t use them somewhere you wouldn’t want savory flavor – like in Black Bean Brownies! Here are some ideas to get you started. 

• Burritos 
• Tacos
• Enchiladas
• Rice bowls with mango salsa and greens 

Black beans are a great plant-based source of protein, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They’re a heart-healthy option that’s cheap and easy to cook (especially in the Instant Pot). 

How to Store Cooked Beans

When I have leftover beans I’ve cooked from dry, I store them in glass jars. Keep them in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer. When freezing beans and their cooking liquid in glass, be sure to leave an inch of room for them to expand. When ready to use, simply defrost in the refrigerator overnight.