Cuban-Style Black Beans and Rice
This classic black beans and rice recipe is loaded with flavor!
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 ½ cups dry black beans rinsed and drained
- 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 to 2 fresh jalapeño chile peppers seeded and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons finely shredded lime peel
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups hot cooked brown rice or white rice
- 3 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
- 1 small fresh jalapeño chile pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 medium tomato seeded and chopped
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the 4 cups water and the beans. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans.
- Place beans in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Add broth, chopped onion, bay leaves, chile peppers, garlic, cumin, lime peel, salt and black pepper.
- Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours.
- Drain beans, reserving liquid. Discard bay leaves. Mash beans slightly. Stir in enough liquid (about 1/2 cup) to moisten to desired consistency. Serve beans with hot cooked rice. Top with cilantro, chopped chile peppers, tomatoes and additional chopped onion. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Tips: Because chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with them as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the peppers, wash your hands and nails well with soap and warm water.
For easy cleanup, line your slow cooker with a disposable slow cooker liner. Add ingredients as directed in recipe. Once your dish is finished cooking, spoon the food out of your slow cooker and simply dispose of the liner. Do not lift or transport the disposable liner with food inside.