Black beans are a staple of Mexican cuisine and can be used in all manner of dishes. In the latest edition of our regular feature, find out how to make the dish and how you can use it to jazz up many more.

Words and photo by Teresa Baños

Along with maize, beans are one of the most essential components of Mexican cuisine, and they were a big part of my upbringing. So when I first arrived in Scotland and was met by the baked beans you have here, I didn’t quite know what to do with myself. I don’t mean to hate on baked beans, I know they’re a beloved staple but I just can’t get into the sweet, sticky, tomatoey sauce when I’ve been raised with Mexican beans. So this recipe is my response to the baked bean, not in an attempt to discourage anyone from enjoying baked beans, but to present you with a new way to love beans.

If you open the fridge door in any Mexican household, you’re almost guaranteed to find a large tupperware of beans like these. They’re nutritious, they’re comforting, and they’re incredibly versatile: whether providing a hearty base, as protagonists of a dish, or as faithful companions… These beans can do it all! My beans of choice are black beans, I just love how savoury and rich they are. This recipe is more like a few recipes in one, with a key recipe for the beans and a few ideas of different ways to enjoy them.

What you do:

Heat oil in a saucepan and add onion, as well as a pinch of salt. Fry on a medium heat until translucent.
Add in minced garlic and fry for about a minute (or until the colour starts to deepen)
Add in both cans of beans, crumble the stock cube into the pan, and add the paprika.
Let the beans simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid thickens up a bit. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

What you need:

2 cans black beans in water
½ brown onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 vegetarian stock cube
Pinch of sweet smoked paprika
Pinch of salt
1-2 tbsp of neutral oil of your choice

You can use refried beans in many ways too! Here are my favourites:

As a Dip → Serve the refried beans into a bowl, top with shredded cheese, and dig into them with some tortilla chips!

Molletes → Slice open a quarter of a baguette, a ciabatta roll, or a long white roll. Spread a tablespoon or two of refried beans, top with shredded or sliced cheddar cheese, and cook in a 180º oven until the cheese melts. Top with pico de gallo or your favourite hot sauce. (You can add any of your favourite vegetables on top of the cheese as well!)

Bean Quesadillas → Spread a tablespoon or two of refried beans onto a tortilla, add some melty cheese like mild/medium cheddar or mozzarella, fold in half, and cook on a flat pan until the cheese melts and the tortilla gets crispy. Enjoy with pico de gallo or your favourite hot sauce!

In Sandwiches → Spread some refried beans on the bread next time you’re making your favourite sandwich, they go great with pretty much all vegetables!

How to enjoy them:

On Their Own → serve beans into a bowl and top with chopped coriander, chillies, or crumbly cheese (like feta).

With Rice → blend around ½ an onion and 1 clove of garlic per 2 people into the amount of water you’d use when making rice for 2 people. Cook the rice following your favourite method/recipe. Once cooked, serve a few scoops of black beans with the rice (whether you mix them together or serve them side by side is up to you!)

Scrambled Eggs → in a pan, scramble 1-2 eggs per person, and once they are cooked to your preferred level of doneness, add 1-2 big spoonfuls of black beans (and their liquid) to the pan, mixing them with the eggs. Serve with toast or tortillas.

Refried Beans → heat a splash of neutral oil in a frying pan, and add a few spoonfuls of black beans. Mash the beans until smooth(ish) using a potato masher. Refried beans are great as a dip or put them in your favourite sandwiches, molletes (a type of open sandwich in Mexico) and quesadillas.