Black Beans with Sazón
Flavorful black beans cooked in Sazón seasoning and so much more! Deliciousness in a bowl! Sazon Seasón packet by The Spice and Tea Exchange in Blowing Rock, NC.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black beans
- Filtered water, for soaking and cooking
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (avocado, canola, etc.)
- 1 white onion, diced (approx. 1 cup)
- 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced (approx. 1 cup)
- 1 - 2 hot chile peppers, (jalapeno/serrano), seeded and diced, optional
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Sazón The Spice and Tea Exchange, see Notes
- 1 tablespoon BADIA "Complete Seasoning", see Notes
- 2 heaping tablespoons garlic, minced
- Crushed Red Pepper Flake, optional, The Spice and Tea Exchange
- 1 dried bay leaf, see Notes
- 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar, see Notes
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- Hot, cooked, white, long-grain rice, 6 - 8 servings
- Hot sauce, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Place the beans in a medium bowl and pick out and discard any small rocks. Cover the beans by 3” of water and soak the beans overnight, at least 8 hours, in the refrigerator. Or, follow the instructions on the bean’s package for a “quick soak.”
- Drain the black beans, rinse, and set aside.
- In a 5-quart Dutch oven or saucepot, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, green pepper, and hot pepper if using. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add the Sazon, Complete Seasoning, garlic and crushed red pepper if using. Stir for 1 minute to allow the seasonings to become fragrant. Turn the heat down if the garlic is beginning to burn.
- Add the beans, 6 cups of water, and bay leaf. Stir. Taste for seasoning and add as needed.
- Place the lid slightly ajar on the pot. Cook over a low, gentle simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Check the beans for doneness at 50 minutes. The beans should be tender, but not mushy. Cook for longer time if necessary. Continue to cook and check the beans every 10 minutes until desired doneness.
- Discard the bay leaf. Add the vinegar. Taste for seasoning and adjust as desired.
- Serve the Black Beans with cilantro and hot, cooked, white rice.
Notes
You will be adding a significant amount of salt to this dish. I prefer kosher salt, but you may use another good-quality salt. “Salt as you go.” That’s a statement you will hear from any chef or seasoned home cook. The nutritional chart only includes about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. You will most likely be adding more. Calculate nutrition for yourself if needed.
Brighter-green bay leaves are a much stronger flavor than the dull-colored dried leaves. You may use 1 or half of one for this recipe.
The Spice and Tea Exchange Sazón contains garlic, black pepper, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and oregano.
The beans may be cooked with the cilantro added along with the beans. Goya has a product called “Recaito” that is filled with cilantro. It is delicious, but does contain some ingredients that I don’t prefer to cook with often (Modified Food Starch, Soybean Oil, and MSG).
The beans freeze well for up to 3 months, in a freezer-safe, airtight container.
The BADIA “Complete Seasoning” does contain MSG. If you are sensitive to this ingredient or prefer to not cook with it, feel free to omit the seasoning. You may substitute with dried or fresh oregano, adding the amount to your preference.
Some recipes online call for lime juice as the acid added to black beans. I prefer the tang of vinegar vs. citrus. Either would be good, though.
Slow Cooker method: Follow steps #1 through #4. Pour the onion mixture, beans, 6 cups of water (to cover beans by 2”), bay leaf, Sazón, crushed red pepper (if using) into a slow cooker. Place the lid onto the slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Add the vinegar. Taste for seasoning and adjust as desired. Serve as directed above. Check the beans at 3 hours for doneness and adjust further cook time as needed.
Pressure Cooker method: Follow steps #1 through #4 in a pressure cooker. Add the beans, 6 to 8 cups of water, bay leaf, Sazón, and crushed red pepper if using. Place the lid on the pressure cooker and set to high. Once the pressure cooker/InstantPot has indicated that pressure has been reached, cook at high pressure for 8 to 10 minutes. Do a natural release. Once the pressure has been released, carefully remove the lid away from you. Check for doneness/tenderness of the beans. If more time is needed, place the lid back on, and bring back up to pressure, cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until desired doneness is reached. Add the vinegar. Taste for seasoning and adjust as desired. Serve as directed above.
The nutritional chart does not include rice, hot sauce, or crushed red pepper flakes. It includes 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper.
Nutrition Facts
Black Beans with Sazón
Amount per Serving
Calories
224.13
% Daily Value*
Fat
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
0.42
g
3
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.6
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1.27
g
Sodium
120.9
mg
5
%
Potassium
917.8
mg
26
%
Carbohydrates
38.91
g
13
%
Fiber
9.46
g
39
%
Sugar
2.72
g
3
%
Protein
12.82
g
26
%
Vitamin A
57.32
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
16.09
mg
20
%
Calcium
83.16
mg
8
%
Iron
3.03
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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