Cuban recipe

Cuban-Style Canned Black Beans with Sofrito and Thick Broth

Name: Cuban-Style Canned Black Beans with Sofrito and Thick Broth
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 cans of cooked black beans, 425–440 g each (15–15½ oz); approximately 500–520 g drained beans; 120 ml (½ cup) liquid from the cans, reserved when draining; 180 ml (¾ cup) water, plus a few tablespoons if needed; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil or vegetable oil; 1 small onion, about 100 g, finely chopped; ½ green bell pepper, about 80 g, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; ¼ teaspoon dried oregano; 1 bay leaf; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white vinegar, or to taste; Salt and black pepper to taste, after tasting

Canned black beans with Cuban sofrito, cumin and bay leaf: thick broth and homemade flavor, with no soaking. A convenient Cuban side dish for four.

CiberCubaNovember 15, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation10 min
Cooking25 min
Total time35 min
Servings4 servings as a side dish
DifficultyEasy

Cuban-style canned black beans make an easy accompaniment to rice without having to soak or soften the beans. The sofrito is cooked first, and the already cooked beans are added afterward so they absorb the flavor without falling apart.

This version uses some of the liquid from the cans and a few mashed beans to make a thick broth. The salt is adjusted at the end because it varies from one brand to another. To make the dish from dried beans, see also traditional black beans.

Method

Prepare the sofrito

Drain the cans over a container and reserve 120 ml of the liquid. If it is very salty or you prefer to rinse the beans, do so and use water instead. The recipe needs approximately 500–520 g of drained beans.
Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 7–8 minutes, stirring, until soft and the onion begins to brown.
Add the garlic, cumin and oregano. Cook for 1 minute, without letting the garlic burn.

Thicken the beans

Add the beans, reserved liquid, 180 ml water and bay leaf. Mix gently, bring to a gentle boil and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
Remove about 4 tablespoons of beans with a little broth, mash them with a fork and return them to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the broth lightly coats the spoon.
Stir in the vinegar, taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf. If the beans have thickened too much, add hot water a tablespoon at a time. Serve with white rice; the broth thickens a little more as it rests.