Cafe Rio Black Beans
on Mar 28, 2019, Updated Apr 23, 2024
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This Cafe Rio Black Beans recipe is a perfect side for taco night! Flavorful, salty, and slightly acidic, they fill out any meal and are the could not be easier to make!
When it comes to side dishes, black beans are a favorite in our house. They go well with practically everything! This Cafe Rio hack might tempt you to make a double batch because it has all of the elements you could ever want: it’s easy to make, easy to clean up, and tastes incredible by itself, in a burrito or tacos, or tossed on top of a salad!
Versatility is a must in my kitchen, and these black beans deliver. They’re delicious the first time around, and are get as leftovers, after the flavors have blended over a day or two. The cumin adds a bit of earthy spice, while tomato juice and cilantro balance it out with a bite of tangy freshness.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You can have these beans on the table in less than 15 minutes.
- These beans are perfectly seasoned with just a handful of pantry staples.
- You can serve these beans on their own or as a side with a variety of dishes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Garlic—Freshly minced.
- Cumin—Adds a warm, smoky flavor to the beans.
- Olive Oil—Coats the beans to help the spices adhere better.
- Tomato Juice—Adds a touch of sweetness.
- Salt
- Cilantro—Freshly chopped.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Cafe Rio Black Beans
- Cook the garlic, cumin, and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant.
- Add the beans, tomato juice, and salt. Stir the ingredients together and continue to cook until the beans are warm.
- Stir in the cilantro.
If you or a family member isn’t a huge fan of black beans, pinto beans make a great substitute for this recipe! They’re similar in taste and texture, but really, this is such a simple and fresh recipe that you could use your bean of choice and it would turn out great.
Some people prefer to cook using dry beans that need soaking before cooking, and it’s totally up to you if that’s what you like! But if you’re short on time and want a quick and easy black bean dish, I’d go with canned beans. It drastically cuts down your prep and cook time, and tastes just as good!
What DON’T you eat black beans with? The versatility of this dish makes them a great addition to any meal. Try them in burrito bowls, salads, tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, Buddha bowls, breakfast burritos, or just plain ‘ol by themselves!
Expert Tips
- If you are using uncooked beans instead of canned beans then you will need to add extra salt. The liquid in canned beans adds quite a bit of extra salt to the black beans.
- For some extra flavor, try squeezing a little bit of lime juice over your black beans.
- If you don’t have any fresh garlic, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- If you are a fan of spice then try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to your beans.
- Serve these beans on their own or add them to your favorite soups, salads, and tacos!
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Cafe Rio Black Beans
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 can black beans, rinsed and drained (15 ounce)
- 1/3 cup tomato juice
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, heat the garlic and cumin in the olive oil over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through.
- Just before serving, stir in the cilantro.
Notes
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I often use cooked dried beans instead of store-bought. If you do this, too, plan on more salt because they’ll need it.
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For the tomato juice, I make this chunky tomato salsa before I prepare the beans, and when I am ready for the tomato juice I just pour in the same amount of salsa juice that has collected in the bottom of the bowl. Delish!
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- If you don’t have any fresh garlic, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
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- If you are a fan of spice then try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to your beans.
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Totally loved this recipe!! I even got James to eat a few (and that is quite the accomplishment). My whole family loved these and my Grandma just had to have the recipe. So glad this came up in coversation so I knew you had the Cafe Rio recipes 🙂
My husband doesn’t *do* beans either, but he likes these. Once you load them up in the burrito with all the other Cafe Rio recipes you can’t really even tell they are there! They just add to the deliciousness that is the burrito.
That looks yummy! I love black beans, but the hubby doesn’t – maybe I can get him to like them with this recipe?? That would make my day!