By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 1, 2026
Serves 4
274 cal · 30 min
Black Beans
Recipe GLPRfb7abd3fc4455b
A simple, flavorful side dish of creamy black beans with a savory blend of onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano. This versatile dish pairs wonderfully with rice, tacos, or grilled proteins.
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Ingredients
2 cans (15.5 oz each) Low-sodium canned black beans
½ Medium onion
2 Garlic cloves
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
½ teaspoon Ground cumin
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Dried oregano
Directions
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before beginning.
Open both cans of black beans. Drain the liquid from one can into a strainer, reserving the beans. Keep the second can with its liquid set aside.
Transfer the drained black beans to a medium bowl. Using a potato masher, press and mash the beans until they are mostly broken down with just a few whole beans remaining.
Peel and finely chop the onion half into small, even pieces about 1/4 inch in size.
Peel the garlic cloves and mince them very finely.
In a medium saucepan, warm the vegetable oil over medium-high heat for about 1 minute.
Add the chopped onion to the hot oil and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes until the onion becomes fragrant and begins to soften.
Stir in the minced garlic and ground cumin, cooking for 30 seconds until very fragrant.
Add the mashed beans and the second can of black beans with all of its liquid to the saucepan. Stir well to combine.
Increase heat to bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce heat to low.
Stir in the salt and oregano. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans reach your desired consistency.
Comments
This recipe assumes canned black beans, which are widely available at every Charlotte chain for under $1 per can, making the per-serving cost negligible—but the stated 30 minutes is honest only if you start with canned beans. Fresh dried beans require overnight soaking and two hours of simmering, which changes the math entirely. The ingredient list is universally available at any Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, ALDI, or Walmart with no special stops needed. This suits a busy weeknight as a side dish or burrito base, and leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, but clarify upfront whether you're using canned or dried beans so the cook knows what they're signing up for.
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