In 2020, when the world hit pause and some of you became experts at sourdough starters and banana bread, one trusty recipe kept me sane: my Oaxacan Black Beans. When sheltering in place meant turning your kitchen into a Michelin-starred restaurant (or at least trying), these beans saved me. Fast forward to today: The snow is piling up, temperatures are low and honestly, I’d rather wrestle a bear than brave the cold for groceries. Guess who’s saving the day again? Yep, those beans.
Batch cooking is the secret weapon nobody tells you about until you’re desperate. One pot of these glorious black beans can pull off a hat trick like you wouldn’t believe. Need tostadas piled sky-high with crunchy slaw? Done. Want a silky black bean soup to cozy up with? You got it. A side dish to go with last night’s roasted chicken? Easy. These beans are my go-to, ready to step up and make me look like I’ve got my act together (even if I’m still in my pajamas).
These beans are a blank culinary canvas, ready to transform into whatever you crave. Even as a side dish, they bring enough flavor to stand out but play nice with just about anything. It’s the kind of kitchen magic that makes you feel like a pro without breaking a sweat.
Here’s my no-fail recipe for Oaxacan Black Beans, the dish that made lockdown bearable and now makes snow days downright enjoyable. It’s simple, cozy and versatile enough to carry you through the week without so much as a whiff of takeout. Here’s how you can turn these beans into tostadas and soup, proving once and for all that stretching a meal is basically an art form.
Oaxacan Refried Beans
1 pound dried black beans
2 tablespoons coconut oil
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
½ pint cherry tomatoes
1 fresh poblano pepper, stem removed, deseeded, and roughly diced into small pieces
8 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 bay leaves
1 whole star anise
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
10 cups water
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
4 teaspoons ground coriander
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Add onion, tomatoes and poblano. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are slightly translucent. Add beans, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, star anise, salt and pepper. Then, add water. Bring beans to a boil; cover partially and reduce heat to low. Cook beans for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Once beans are cooked, stir in 2 teaspoons Kosher salt and set aside. Place a colander in a large bowl and drain beans (reserving liquid for later use). Remove bay leaves and transfer beans to a food processor. Add 1 ½ cups of the reserved liquid to the processor; process until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of remaining coconut oil until melted. Add chopped garlic, cumin, coriander, chili powder and oregano. Stir and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Stir in pureed beans and cook, stirring frequently, until brown on the bottom (5 minutes). Add more liquid as needed. Adjust seasoning before serving.
Refried beans can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 5 days or frozen in portions for up to 3 months.
Oaxacan Black Bean Tostadas
2 cups Oaxacan refried beans
6 to 8 crispy corn tostadas
1 cup prepared guacamole
2 cups shredded Monterrey cheese (optional)
2 cups red leaf lettuce, roughly chopped
½ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
fresh chopped cilantro for garnish
1 lime, sliced into wedges
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
2 cups finely chopped purple cabbage
Add beans and about ½ cup of reserved liquid to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir to incorporate the liquid and let warm until the beans bubble. Spread ¼ cup beans onto each tostada. Top with guacamole, grated cheese, cabbage, lettuce, yellow onion and cilantro. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then serve with lime wedges.
Silky Black Bean Soup
2 cups Oaxacan refried beans
1 to 1 ½ cups cooking liquid
Avocado slices
Freshly chopped cilantro
Finely chopped yellow onion
Red pepper flakes
Optional garnish: sour cream
Add beans and liquid to a medium saucepan and warm over medium heat. Whisk beans into liquid until fully incorporated. Let soup simmer for about 10 minutes, or until hot. Ladle soup into bowls and top with avocado, cilantro, onion, red pepper flakes and cream, if desired.
