After posting Cuban Chicken with Onions (Pechuga a la Plancha), you know I have to do a post on beans and rice. It’s a must with Cuban food! Now, I know you can just open a can of black beans, but that’s not how I roll. Okay, it sometimes is, but not today! These Slow Cooker Cuban Black Beans promised to be an authentic side dish, and they sound easy to make. Just a few ingredients and a slow cooker usually mean a no-fuss dish. Let’s find out if this recipe is that easy.
A truly authentic, delicious, and simple recipe for Cuban Black Beans made in the slow cooker. Even better when eaten on the second day…a perfect make-ahead meal.
The Ingredients
There are a dozen ingredients in this recipe, but about half of them are spices. I had those on hand, along with the vinegar, sugar, and olive oil. That left me to shop for the fresh ingredients and the dried black beans.
Speaking of black beans, I really appreciated that this recipe included the correct amount of water for multiple sizes. I managed to find a 16-ounce package of dried beans, so I used the larger amount of water.
The Process
Think cooking dried beans is a pain because you have to remember to soak them beforehand? Not with these Slow Cooker Cuban Black Beans! No soaking was required, which is perfect for me since I usually forget that part.
The 6-7 hour cooking time did mean I had to get up early to get things started, though. Here’s how my time was spent:
- 19 minutes to prep
- 6 hours to cook
- 2 minutes to season
- 6 hours 21 minutes total
That was right in line with the 6 hours 20 minutes listed on the recipe.
As I mentioned, I had to get up early to make these beans, and I was a zombie that morning! Even so, this recipe was easy enough to follow that I had everything chopped, sauteed, and seasoned before I was fully awake.
If you’re a morning zombie or just plain in a hurry, you can always prep everything the night before. Chop the bell pepper, onion, and garlic and keep them in the refrigerator. Then measure out the spices and keeping them in a sealed container on the counter. You can also measure out the water and keep it in a pitcher on the counter. Everything will be ready to go the next morning.
Really in a hurry? Saute the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and spices. Allow it to cool for 20-30 minutes, then place it into a sealed container and refrigerate. All you’ll need to do in the morning is add the sauteed mixture to the slow cooker with the beans and water.
