Black Beans

First off, these are not your regular, run-of-the-mill black beans; these are addictive, sexy, smokey and rich. The best way to make black beans is to make sure that you soak them first in water then cook them in an uber-flavorful liquid. The soaking shortens the cooking time and makes it so that all the flavors you add to the beans is not diluted. The chipotle and addition of a few hits of smoked paprika will make them smokey without bacon, which I'm not a fan of. Once they are finished you can: smash them and add some salsa for an awesome, healthy bean dip, put them in a southwest style mixed green salad with ranch dressing, add them to a wrap or burrito, add them to chili, etc. They are versatile and not to mention packed with protein and fiber.


 1lb black beans (rinsed and picked through for any grit)
6 cups water (approximately)


1 large onion (chopped)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
2 T canola or olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt


1 chipotle pepper (canned, plus a little extra of the adobo sauce)
2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups of water
small handful of cilantro (ripped slightly)
1 T oregano
1 T cumin
a few grinds of black pepper


1/2 tsp. smoked paprika (or more depending on your desired smokiness)
kosher salt (to taste)


Soak the black beans in large bowl filled with water for at least 4 hours or until they've soaked up most of the water. Drain the remaining water.


Sautee the onion in oil in a large pot or dutch oven with kosher salt until slightly browned then add the garlic. Sweat it for a minute and then add the beans, broth, water, oregano, cilantro and cumin. Cook covered for about 2 hours until the beans have a creamy interior. Add smoked paprika and season with kosher salt. Let set about 10 minutes.