Black beans are a staple in Cuban cuisine. What makes these Cuban black Beans shine though, is the sofrito. Typically, cooking black beans requires a lot of time due to the lengthy soaking and cooking times. This Instant Pot Cuban black beans recipe is ready in less than an hour!
Why this recipe works
This Cuban black beans recipe is healthy, high protein, and cheap even when using canned black beans. Using the Instant Pot, you can have dry beans soft and ready to eat in less than one hour! These Cuban black beans work as either a soup or stew main dish as well as a side dish to accompany other Latin themed dished.
Black Beans are a frequent main or side dish, and a popular Latin and Pan American recipe. Serve with Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Sliders or our Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice and Cuban Fried Plantains for a full meal.
Jump to:
What are Cuban black beans?
Black beans are small, hard beans that are slightly sweeter than navy or pinto beans. The mild flavor of black beans allows them to absorb the flavors they are cooked in.
In Cuban cuisine garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and cumin seep into the softened beans. After cooking the Cuban black beans, a mixture of white wine, vinegar, and sugar, called a 'sofrito' is added to create a sweet and savory flavor explosion!
Ingredients
- dry black beans
- water
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- green bell pepper
- crushed oregano
- small bay leaf
- ground cumin
- chicken bullion powder
- salt
- ground black pepper
- white or wine vinegar
- white wine
- granulated sugar
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Cuban Black Beans
First, why use the Instant Pot?
- Canned beans can be mushy. Instant Pot black beans are pleasantly firm, with the insides tender and creamy.
- Dry black beans are a fraction of the cost of canned black beans.
- No soaking in advance, and no draining of the pot after they’re finished soaking!
- From dry beans to meal - on the table is only about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours!
Preparing the beans:
Add the water to the Instant Pot with the dried black beans. DO NOT ADD SALT TO UNCOOKED DRY BEANS. Adding salt to uncooked beans makes the skins tough. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. If you have an automatic “Beans” setting, just press and go.
After the 35 minutes pressurized cooking cycle, your Instant Pot will naturally depressurize. You can remove the lid after 20 minutes. While the Instant Pot is depressurizing, you can start the Cuban Sofrito.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make the Sofrito
Bell peppers, Garlic, onion, oregano bay leaf, and cumin are all part of a traditional sofrito that is used this Cuban Black Beans recipe. This sofrito recipe is quick and easy!
To make this simple sofrito for black beans, heat your olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute your chopped peppers, chopped onion, garlic, bay leaf, cumin, salt, and pepper until onions and peppers have softened. Red or green bell pepper are fine. That’s it, you just made a sofrito!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Bringing it all together
At this point, your Instant Pot should have depressurized. Remove about 1 cup of the black beans from the pot and add it to your sofrito mixture. Gently mash the black beans with the back of a spoon or spatula. This mashed bean mixture will be what thickens your larger pot of Cuban Black beans.
Put your Instant Pot on saute mode, set it to low temp and for 15-20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, and add the mashed bean and sofrito mixture to your pot of black beans and stir. Let simmer the remaining time.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Finishing Touches
In a small bowl mix the vinegar, sugar, and white wine together. Add the liquid mixture to the pot of beans and stir well. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes and then serve!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these Cuban style black beans over white rice or our Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro, and a lime wedge if desired. Fried Green Plantains with Garlic Mojo sauce is a traditional side.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Tips for success
- To thicken the broth, mash about 1 cup of cooked black beans into the sofrito mixure.
- Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve with white rice, Fried Green Plantains, and avocado.
- Transfer your finished Cuban Black Beans to an enameled cast iron kettle to make a spectacular serving presentation.
- You can prepare the Sofrito a day ahead of time.
Frequently asked questions
That is OK, you can use three cans of prepared whole black beans also. So, if you double the recipe, buy 6 cans. Fresh cooked black beans are actually SO much better though!
White rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, and Fried Green Plantains. Cuban Black Beans can be served by themselves and rice as a complete meal, or as a side dish to Pibil, a roated pork.
No, you can use any color of sweet bell pepper.
Yes, just put in a freezer safe container. Like many dishes, the leftovers are even better!
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
Connect with Smells Like Delish!
Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans
Ingredients
For cooking the black beans
- 1 lb dry black beans
- 4 cups water
For making the Sofrito
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 white onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 small bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chicken bullion powder
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Finishing
- 2 Tablespoons white wine
- 2 Tablespoons white or wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Add water and black beans to the Instant Pot. Set on high pressure for 35 minutes. You can also just use the programed 'Bean' setting and adjust the time to 35 minutes.
- After the Instant Pot stops cooking, let it naturally depressurize. This will take about 20 minutes.
- White waiting for the Instant Pot to depressurize, heat the olive oil in a saucepan on medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, oregano, bay leaf, chicken bullion, salt, and pepper to the saucepan and cook until the onion and green peppers are soft.
- Open the Instant Pot after making the sofrito. Remove about 1 cup of cooked black beans from the pot and add to the saucepan with the sofrito.
- With the back of a spoon or wide spatula, mash the beans into the sofrito. This mashed bean and sofrito mixture will thicken the main pot of Cuban Black Beans.
- Return the mashed beans and sofrito mixture to the main pot of beans.
- Add the white wine, vinegar and sugar. Mix well.
- Set the Instant Pot to 'saute' for another 15 to 20 minutes. Stir and let thicken.
- Serve with white rice, fried green plantains, and pork roast.
Notes
Nutrition
Like this recipe? Be sure to share it, pin it, or add it to your collection! You can also post a comment below.
Leave a Reply