This Cuban-style black beans recipe by Ellen Kanner from Miami Vegan gives beans the spotlight they deserve. It’s fully plant-based, high in fiber, and packed with plant protein. The base is a slow-cooked sofrito made with onions, garlic, and peppers. Smoked paprika and cumin add depth and warmth.

Instead of animal fat, this recipe uses olive oil for richness and sherry vinegar for a little tang. There’s also an optional handful of kale or Swiss chard, which adds a nutrient boost and a splash of color. The greens wilt right into the pot at the end.

These Cuban black beans are hearty enough to serve as a main dish. You can pair them with rice, salad, grits cakes, or plantains. The texture is thick and stew-like, best served hot.

This recipe is vegan comfort food you can feel good about. It’s full of whole ingredients, easy to make, and perfect for batch cooking.

Cook the beans

These Cuban black beans are smoky, rich, and packed with plant protein. A slow-cooked sofrito and simple spices build deep flavor, while leafy greens add a nutritious twist. Serve with rice, salad, or plantains for a hearty, comforting meal.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions chopped (about 2-½ cups)
4 garlic cloves chopped
1 red pepper chopped (about 1 cup)
1 jalapeño or other hot chile chopped
1 pound dried black beans cooked and cooled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ pound kale or Swiss chard sliced into skinny ribbons (aka chiffonade), about 2 cups
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until they start to sweat, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and both the sweet and hot pepper.
Stir to combine and reduce heat to medium. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for another 15 minutes, until they’re softened and aromatic. Add cumin, tomato paste, and smoked paprika, and stir until combined, and vegetables have taken on a warm and rosy glow.
Stir in the black beans and about 1 cup of the bean cooking broth. Reduce heat to medium, and set the pot lid on halfway, leaving a little steam vent. Cook the beans for an hour, longer if you’ve got the time. Add more bean broth, 1/2 cup at a time, if the beans seem dry. Aim for thick, not over- dry. The goal is a divine beanly sludge.
Stir in the sherry or cider vinegar. Remove from heat.
Add the chiffonade of kale or chard by the handful. Stir gently, letting the greens wilt into the beans.
Season generously with sea salt and ground pepper.
Serves 6 to 8.

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