Black beans weren't something I grew up on, in fact – beans were usually a slow-cooked pot of gooey yumminess of honey beans. Often the beans were eaten with a starch like yams, dry cassava (gari), or fried yellow plantains to name a few. Now I'd see black beans in the canned food section and glanced passed the dry bags as I walked through the aisle – but Chipotle! Chipotle gave the black bean a different tune. Cue – happy dance.
Picante lemon cilantro rice and beans
When I first had Chipotle – probably in 2011 (late bird – I know) the flavors of the rice, the beans, the salsa. Cue – happy dance. I've stopped eating at Chipotle but instead reached for the already made black beans in the Goya cans. This satisfied me whenever I got the craving UNTIL.
Until I went to Cuba. Just drop the mic now because I know you might be happy with the beans you've been eating and I'll let you finish eating your beans, but CUBAN BLACK BEANS is the best bean dish of all time!
But I'm getting ahead of myself there – this recipe plays on Chipotle/Goya flavors but at a way lower price point. I've got a Cuban version of the black beans is coming soon – until then...enjoyyyy.
This recipe is part of the $20 Grocery Run series.
- Chipotle Sauce
- 4 tablespoons of Chipotle Salsa (or 1 whole chipotle from a canned container)
- ½ an onion (diced)
- 6-7 leaves of cilantro
- ¼ water
- Cilantro Infused Black Beans
- 1 tablespoon of neutral tasting oil (I used Grapeseed)
- ½ green pepper (minced)
- ½ onion (minced)
- 1 tablespoon of adobo
- ⅛ teaspoon of pepper
- ⅛ oregano
- ⅛ chili powder
- 1 Cup of Black Beans
- 1 and ½ cup of water (if you want saucier beans – add more water and seasoning to taste)
- ½ cup of Corn
- Salt to taste
- One branch of cilantro leaves
- ½ the juice of a lemon
- Rice
- 1 cup of uncooked rice (I used jasmine)
- Place all ingredients in a blender until smooth
- (I used my InstantPot, but you can use a Dutch oven or transfer the sautéed veggies to a crockpot. Cooking times will vary.
- Add your oil to a heated pot (sauté setting on InstantPot), let the oil thin before adding your peppers and onions. Sautee for about 2-3 minutes or until the onions turn translucent.
- Add your seasoning minus the salt. When you fry your spices – the flavor is intensified – providing your dish an added boost. Stir this in for about a minute or two.
- Add in the black beans and coat the beans in the veggie and seasoning.
- Once coated add the water and corn
- Add salt and lemon to taste – keep in mind that adobo already contains salt.
- Let cook until beans are tender – I used an InstantPot so I set it to the 30-minute Bean/Chili setting.
- Cook rice based on packaging or rice cooker setting
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