Cuban Black Beans and Rice is a simple, satisfying side dish packed with protein and bursting with Latin flavors like garlic, oregano, and cumin.
One of the many reasons I love to travel is because it exposes me to cuisines from around the world. After recent visits to Miami and Puerto Vallarta, I was inspired to get in my home kitchen to recreate one of my favorite Cuban recipes: black beans and rice.
Jump to:
Black beans and rice is a common dish all over the Caribbean. Don’t let the humble nature of this dish fool you: the combination of black beans and rice is one of the most nutritious, well-rounded dishes you can serve and always have plenty of flavors.
Dried vs canned beans in a rice dish:
Canned black beans will work if you’re short on time but I highly suggest dried black beans for added texture, flavor and fewer additives. For this Cuban recipe, I like to start with dried black beans and soak them overnight. Of course, if you don’t have time to do that just use canned beans but be sure to drain and rinse them to remove any excess starchy liquid. This will also allow you to control the salt content better.
Frequently Asked Questions:
While you can certainly enjoy these black beans and rice as is, I love to top it with grilled shrimp, roasted salmon or pork tenderloin.
Yes. This dish can easily be reheated in the microwave.
Yes. Beans need to be soaked prior to making this dish to soften them up. This also allows you the opportunity to remove any hard stones that may remain.
Yes, it is best to drain the liquid first.
Your fork is waiting.
📖 Recipe
Cuban Black Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound black beans – dried or 4 (four 15-ounce cans rinsed and drained)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 bay leaves divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 cups long grain white rice rinsed
- 4 cups chicken broth low sodium
- minced cilantro and lime wedges to serve
Instructions
- Soak beans overnight to soften and remove any small hard stones. The next day, strain and rinse soaked beans with fresh water.
- To cook beans, place in a large pot and add enough water to cover the beans by two inches. Carefully smash whole garlic cloves with the back of a knife and add to the pot of beans along with 2 of the bay leaves.
- Bring the pot to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer until tender (90 minutes or up to two hours.) Set aside once cooked.
- Next, in a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté onions, peppers, and garlic. Add spices (salt through cayenne) and continue stirring until vegetables have softened, 4-6 minutes.
- Stir in rinsed (uncooked) rice and sauté for 2 minutes so that the rice starts to toast and lightly brown.
- Pour in chicken broth and add reserved, cooked black beans along with bay leaves. Stir once then bring to a boil. Stir a second time then reduce heat to low and place a tightly fitting lid on the pot. Cook until liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Use a fork to loosen the rice and bean mixture then serve with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Chef’s Notes
Do you use dried or canned beans?
Canned black beans will work if you’re short on time but I highly suggest dried black beans for added texture, flavor and less additives. For this Cuban recipe I like to start with dried black beans and soak them overnight. Of course, if you don’t have time to do that just use canned beans but be sure to drain and rinse them to remove any excess starchy liquid. This will also allow you to control the salt content better.Do you have to boil the beans if I decide to use canned beans?
No.Do dried beans need to be soaked?
Yes. They need to be soaked to soften up. This also allows you the opportunity to remove any hard stones.Nutrition
Want more mouthwatering meatless recipes? Check out my Pinterest board!
Nina Sharon Goins
I made this today NO Salt. I use the lime skin and lime juice. So this meal using brown rice and home made chicken bone broth rocks!
Liz DellaCroce
Great idea!
ArgenPat
For 5 servings, can I half the recipe? (all ingredients from list in half?)
thanks… (10 servings is too much for my small family)
Liz DellaCroce
Yes absolutely you can!
Theresa
When adding beans to rice, do I drain beans?
Ashley @ The Lemon Bowl
Hi Theresa, yes, it’s best to drain the liquid out of the cooked beans first. Let us know how this turns out for you!
April Anonymous
I’m making this to get iron in my body naturally.
Liz DellaCroce
What a great idea!
Jonathan
Hello, I already have some leftover cooked rice, what step should I integrate the rice in if the rice is already cooked?
Liz DellaCroce
At the very end :) But you’ll want to reduce the liquid!
Gayle Damelin
Please forgive this ridiculous question!!! If we use long grain brown rice instead of white, approximately how much longer do you think we need to cook it after adding the rice? Also should we still add the beans at the same time we add the brown rice or wait until closerto the end (since the rice will take much longer to cook)? Thanks so much for your help!!!
Liz DellaCroce
You’d just need to read the package instructions on the brown rice! Great idea though!!! And yes everything else the same!
Andy Smith
First it was delicious and we jazzed it up with roasted vegetables and peas for a main course but … Maybe ‘salt to taste’ as one tablespoon is a lot of salt. I used about one teaspoon and that was plenty for our sodium loving family.
Liz DellaCroce
Hey Andy! Did you use 1 pound dried beans and 2 cups uncooked white rice? If so one teaspoon of salt would not be enough in my personal opinion. Just clarifying!! (I also love salt but don’t want to overpower anyone either so I appreciate your note!!) :)
Eleanor
Thank you for this awesome recipe. Just to clarify…the recipe say 1 tablespoon of salt not 1 teaspoon.
Liz DellaCroce
Yes that’s correct – it makes a HUGE batch!
Sherrie
Do you drain the beans before you add them to the rice/chicken broth mixture? The first time I made this it was perfect. The second time there was too much liquid and the rice was mushy. I can’t remember if I drained the beans the first time but I know I didn’t the second.
Liz DellaCroce
Yes you should drain and rinse the beans!
Eva
Would have been delicious but it was WAY too salty, and I love salt. I used dried beans and low sodium broth and everything. Will make again but with half the salt. Disappointed :(
Liz DellaCroce
Hi Eva,
I’m so sorry to hear this – I’ve made this many times and so many thousands of others and I haven’t heard this feedback. For one pound of dried beans and 2 cups of rice, 1 tablespoon of salt is the perfect amount. Were you by chance using canned beans? I’d love to help you troubleshoot!
Margaret
What size tablespoon are you using? I had a disaster when I used what I call a “tablespoon” before i discovered a cultural misunderstanding and that the recipe author meant something much smaller.
Liz DellaCroce
Ohhh good to know! We use a level tablespoon which is 3 teaspoons!
Nancy Bynum
Excellent! I reduced the sodium, and it was excellent!
Liz DellaCroce
So glad you enjoyed!
Lori
I made this a few nights ago for my husband and some of the guys he hangs out with for dinner. They all loved it and one asked for the recipe later!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh i’m so glad to hear that Lori!
Indie
Somehow there wasn’t enough liquid and I had to add water and cook longer. Also, it would help to clarify what red pepper means. Lots of peppers are red. I went with bell pepper. Mine came out quite spicey though I was using foreign-sourced cayenne and foreign spices tend to be much better quality so that could be it. This is the first time I’ve made rice and beans from a recipe instead of throwing it together and the flavor was good, but the proportions were off a bit.
Liz DellaCroce
Hi Indie, Thanks for your feedback – i’m glad you enjoyed! Good point on the red pepper. I’ll revise!
Carrie
The flavor was great, and I will definitely make it again. I will cut the salt in half next time I make it, though—it was even too salty for my salt-loving husband, and I used reduced-sodium broth.
Liz DellaCroce
Did you use dried beans? That can also impact the salt but regardless i’m glad the flavor was great!!
Caroline
Made this yesterday and it was FANTASTIC! Hubby raved about it. I did add meat though, a small smoked ham butt. Added it to the beans for the first 2 hours of simmering. Then let the butt cool and picked the meat off. The shredded ham was added back into the pot for the last half hour of cooking. Knowing the ham would be salty, I didn’t add any extra salt and used low salt chicken broth.
This recipe is a keeper.
Liz DellaCroce
That sounds like absolute heaven – so glad you enjoyed!
Alejandro
Esto no es para nada …ni remotamente la forma correcta de hacer ese arroz cubano. Error total. Sera una variante hecha por el cocinero que da la receta aqui pero para nada real ni corrects
Totally wrong thos recipe
Liz DellaCroce
Hi Alejandro, What part of the recipe is wrong exactly?
Sharon
Hi, I made this for the first time and the flavors are wonderful! I am wondering however, is it supposed to have so much heat? I’m thinking maybe I got the pepper and cayenne pepper measurements wrong. I have never had black beans and rice be so hot.
Liz DellaCroce
How much cayenne did you add? There shouldn’t be much heat at all!
Sharon
I followed the recipe, 1/2 tsp. Cayenne, 1 tsp reg pepper. I must have made a mistake because its like I put hot sauce in it. My son who likes hot stuff , just loves it! Do you think freezing it for a few days will take away some heat, or will it make it worse?
Liz DellaCroce
Interesting! 1/2 teaspoon cayenne isn’t too much for most but maybe just add more beans or rice?
Cindy
This is absolutely delicious! I halved the recipe but adjusted the spices a little more generously- used 2t. rather than 1 1/2 for example. Because I’m using what’s in the pantry and freezer, I had short grain rice rather than long. I used some yellow and red pepper, and I had a little bit of roasted, seasoned cherry tomatoes I froze in the fall- tossed those in too. Used a fairly large onion and 4 cloves garlic. I used 2 cans of Goya black beans, rinsed and drained. Really, it’s very forgiving, you just need to be sure to spice it up. It comes together quickly and the flavor is amazing! Will definitely be making this again and again!
Liz DellaCroce
Oh i’m so glad Cindy!! Enjoy!