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    Home » Budget Meals

    Spicy Mexican Black Beans (The Kids Cook Monday)

    Feb 21, 2011 · Modified: Jan 1, 2022 by Andrea · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Spicy Mexican Black Beans - Andrea Meyers

    Some kind of Mexican food is on our menu every week, whether it’s tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, soup, whatever. It’s a meal our boys always look forward to, especially if there's guacamole, too. We always have beans on the side, black beans being our favorite. We spice them up with onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, and Mexican oregano and add some tomato sauce or prepared salsa for tomato flavor. I like to make them in the pressure cooker because it’s such a time saver, less than 60 minutes from start to finish, but you can also follow the traditional method of soaking the beans overnight then cooking on the stove for an hour or so. Either way, you’ll have a healthy and budget-friendly side dish that your kids can help make. And if you have leftovers, you can add some chicken or vegetable stock to make a quick and healthy bean soup.

    Spicy Mexican Black Beans (The Kids Cook Monday), ingredients - Andrea Meyers

    Here’s how to make the beans, as demonstrated by Builder Guy, age 8:

    Check the beans for stones or bad pieces and remove them. (This is also a great sensory activity for children, especially those with a sensory processing disorder. Our two sons with special needs both like to help with this part and the rinsing.)

    Spicy Mexican Black Beans (The Kids Cook Monday), sort the beans - Andrea Meyers

    Rinse the beans until the water runs clear.

    Spicy Mexican Black Beans (The Kids Cook Monday), rinse the beans - Andrea Meyers

    Add the beans, onions, garlic, and spices to the pressure cooker.

    Spicy Mexican Black Beans (The Kids Cook Monday), onions - Andrea Meyers

    Add the tomato sauce, water, and sunflower oil.

    Spicy Mexican Black Beans (The Kids Cook Monday), add ingredients - Andrea Meyers

    Then cook according to the manufacturers directions. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can make the beans on the stove instead, following the directions in the Variations below.

    How Adults Can Help the Kids

    • Demonstrate and assist with any tasks that might be new: measuring, stirring, pouring, chopping.
    • Assign the simpler tasks.

    Safety Tips

    • Make sure an adult is present at all times.
    • Young children should not handle sharp knives. Make sure an adult or older child or teenager does the chopping.
    • An adult should handle the pressure cooker. Take care to follow the manufacturers directions for proper release to avoid steam burns.
    Spicy Mexican Black Beans - Andrea Meyers
    Print Pin

    Spicy Mexican Black Beans

    Part of The Kids Cook Monday series.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 10 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: beans, gluten free, tomatoes, vegan, vegetarian
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 161kcal
    Author: Andrea Meyers

    Equipment

    • pressure cooker, or 6-quart pot with lid and heavy bottom

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounces black beans (rinsed and picked through)
    • 1 medium onion (chopped)
    • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 2 tablespoons chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or less to taste)
    • 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (crushed)
    • 8 ounces tomato sauce
    • 2 quarts water
    • 4 tablespoons sunflower oil (per pressure cooker directions, may vary with your equipment)
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    US Customary - Metric

    Preparation

    Pressure Cooker Preparation

    • Add the cleaned beans, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, and crushed oregano to the pressure cooker. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and sunflower oil.
    • Cover with the lid and cook according to your manufacturers directions. After the pressure releases, add the salt and simmer for 2 to 3 more minutes, then serve.

    Stove Preparation

    • Soak the clean beans in water overnight. Drain well, then add to a 6-quart pot with the onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, crushed oregano, tomato sauce, and water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until the beans are tender, about 1 hour.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 781mg | Potassium: 380mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 805IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Share in the comments!

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    For the complete list of The Kids Cook Monday recipes, visit my Cooking with Kids page.

    More Mexican Beans Recipes From Around the Blogs

    • Homesick Texan – Pinto Beans, Three Ways
    • Phoo-D – Mexican Pork and Beans
    • Pinch My Salt – Semi-Homemade Refried Beans (from Rick Bayless)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. leaf (the indolent cook) says

      February 26, 2011 at 8:19 am

      Delicious! I made a similar dish last month - feeling the black bean love. Also, that bowl you served it in is totally adorable!

      Reply
    2. Indian Recipe Book says

      March 10, 2011 at 7:44 am

      Wow. They look delicious. I've never tried making them myself but have heard a lot about them. Now this goes on my favorite list 🙂

      Reply
    3. Lady Amalthea says

      March 21, 2011 at 11:44 am

      Sounds wonderful! For a cheaters version, I could also see mixing the seasonings with a can of black beans.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Tweets that mention Spicy Mexican Black Beans | Andrea Meyers -- Topsy.com says:
      February 21, 2011 at 1:12 pm

      [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Elemental Deals, Elemental Deals. Elemental Deals said: Andrea's Recipes: Spicy Mexican Black Beans: http://bit.ly/eoOtQ1 #food [...]

      Reply
    2. Kalyn’s Kitchen: South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes Round-Up for February 2011 | Abs Exercises for Men says:
      March 1, 2011 at 7:43 am

      [...] Sauce from Pro Bono BakerBroiled Sugar Snap Peas and Cremini Mushrooms from Lemon Chiffon BakeSpicy Mexican Black Beans from Andrea MeyersGarlic Sauteed Spinach from Skinny KitchenQuick Curried Chickpeas from Budget [...]

      Reply

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