This canned black beans recipe is a quick, flavorful side dish that’s perfect when you need something easy and satisfying. This recipe comes together in just 30 minutes or less and uses just six pantry-friendly ingredients. It’s hearty, and budget-friendly, perfect as a side dish served over rice.
Table of contents
Why This Recipe is Our Go-To Side Dish
- Maximum flavor dish - adding bacon gives a smokey, salty and rich flavor to dress up simple beans. Tastes even better the next day as flavors deepen
- Convenient - canned beans does not require any soaking, it's a quick and easy recipe.
- Meal prep - quick and easy side dish that reheats well without drying out
- Budget friendly - Economical, make this side dish for around $5-$7 for four people!
What is Canned Black Beans?
Canned black beans are precooked beans that are ready to eat out of the can. They are plain and simple in taste. You can easily dress up the beans by using my go to recipe - adding crispy bacon, fresh sauteed onion and garlic. It’s the easiest way to turn bland beans into restaurant quality beans that taste like it’s been simmering all day.
Ingredients
- Black Beans - I like Bush’s Best Black Beans, they’ve got good flavor and aren’t too mushy.
- Bacon - Adds smoky flavor, saltiness, and depth. The rendered bacon fat is what gives these beans their rich taste.
- Onion - Yellow or white onion works best here.
- Garlic - I love garlic so I use four big cloves. You can cut back if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Red Pepper (optional) - adds a nice kick and balances the richness of the bacon.
- Olive Oil - Just a little to get the bacon started and keep the onion from sticking.
How to Cook Canned Black Beans on the Stove
1. Prepare the ingredients.
Slice bacon crosswise into thin strips, about ¼ to ⅜ inch thick. Chop onion and mince the garlic. I use this handy vegetable chopper for an easy meal prep, it makes chopping onions so easy without tearing up!
2. Cook the bacon.
Heat a medium pan over medium heat and add 1–2 tablespoons olive oil, just enough to coat the pan.
Add the bacon and sauté for about 3-4 minutes, until browned and crispy (but not burnt).
Remove from heat and strain bacon, setting it aside. Leave the bacon fat and oil in the pan—that’s flavor gold.
3. Sauté.
In the same pan, sauté the onions in the bacon fat over medium heat. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, until slightly soft and golden. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Make sure to stir constantly so it doesn’t burn.
Pour in the beans with the liquid from the can, then stir well to loosen all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cooked bacon back in.
4. Season the canned black beans.
Taste and add seasoning. Add red pepper flakes if using, and salt to taste. Let everything simmer for 4-5 minutes until the beans are thickened and flavorful.
Pro Tips
- For low-sodium canned bean, you may need to add more salt to taste.
- No need to drain the beans unless you want a thicker result. Cooking with the liquid adds flavor and helps create a saucy texture.
- Don't burn the garlic Watch the garlic carefully, brnt garlic turns bitter fast.
- Let the beans simmer - Even 5 minutes makes a big difference in flavor and texture.
- Don’t over cook the beans, simmering for more than 7-10 minutes may result in mushy beans.
- Taste before adding salt. Bacon and canned beans both contain salt already (unless you’re already using low-sodium black beans, so adjust slowly.
- Add acid -A squeeze of lime at the end brightens the dish and balances the richness of the bacon.
Variations & Add-ins
- Make it spicy: Add diced jalapeño, cayenne pepper, or extra red pepper flakes.
- Add more seasoning: Cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, or oregano all work great.
- Add veggies: Bell peppers, diced tomatoes, corn, or spinach are easy add-ins.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the bacon and sauté onion/garlic in olive oil, then add a dash of liquid smoke or smoked paprika.
- Make it heartier: Stir in cooked rice, quinoa, or diced cooked sweet potatoes.
- Creamy twist: Add a spoonful of sour cream or a sprinkle of cheese at the end.
What to Serve with Stove Cooked Canned Black Beans
1. Taco & Burrito Upgrade
Use these beans as a smoky, protein-packed taco or burrito filling. You can layer it with shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole, and fresh cilantro for a flavorful combo. If you want extra texture and color, add diced bell peppers or corn!
2. Hearty Rice or Grain Bowls
Serve over steamed white rice, brown rice, oven roasted corn on the cob, quinoa, or farro. You can also pair it with Spanish rice if you want to make a deconstructed burrito in a bowl.
3. Protein-Packed Dinner
Turn this black bean recipe even more satisfying by pairing it with this Instant Pot Pulled Pork for an extra boost of protein.
4. Breakfast
Serve the beans alongside fried or scrambled eggs for a complete breakfast meal. Add warm tortillas and a sprinkle of cheese to make a breakfast burritos.
5. Vegetarian-Friendly
Skip the bacon and sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. Combine with baked sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and quinoa for a complete plant-based bowl.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. If you’re meal planning these Souper Cubes are perfect if you want to portion this out.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water or broth if the beans look too thick. You can also microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each.
FAQs
Canned black beans are precooked. You can use them straight from the can fore recipes like tacos, burrito bowls, salads, soups, and rice dishes. Just rinse or heat them depending on the flavor and texture you want.
You can also add additional flavor and ingredients like bacon and fresh aromatics to make it more tasty.
It depends on the recipe and your preference. If you want a thicker, less sodium dish, drain and rinse them. If you want more flavor and a richer texture (which I definitely recommend for this bacon black beans recipe), keep all of the liquid since it helps create a flavorful sauce.
Canned black beans are fully cooked, so you don’t need to cook them. Plain black beans may not be appetizing for everyone, cooking them with aromatics like onion, garlic, and spices makes the beans taste much better and helps them absorb more flavor.
To make canned black beans taste homemade, add ingredients like sautéed onion, garlic, bacon, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, or oregano. For extra flavor, finish with lime juice, cilantro, hot sauce, or shredded cheese.
More Easy Side Recipes
The Best Canned Black Beans Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 15 ounce canned black bean Bush's Best Black beans preferred
- 3 strips bacon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped about 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Slice bacon crosswise into thin strips, about ¼ to ⅜” thick.
- Chop the onion and garlic and set aside
- Heat a medium pan on medium heat with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, or enough to coat the pan. Sauté bacon for about 3-4 minutes until brown and crispy, but not burnt. Remove pan from heat and strain bacon, setting aside. Keep bacon fat and oil in the pan.
- Add chopped onion to the pan and lightly saute on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until soft, scraping up any bacon bits from the pan.
- Add chopped garlic. Sauté about 1 minute until slightly golden, careful not to burn.
- Add the black beans and juice, plus crispy bacon and stir, scraping up any more bits from the pan.
- Optional: add ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for some subtle heat, more if you like it spicy.
- Heat uncovered until simmering, about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and add salt to taste as needed.
Notes
- For low-sodium canned bean, you may need to add more salt to taste.
- No need to drain the beans unless you want a thicker result. Cooking with the liquid adds flavor and helps create a saucy texture.
- Let the beans simmer - Even 5 minutes makes a big difference in flavor and texture.
- Don’t over cook the beans, simmering for more than 7-10 minutes may result in mushy beans.
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