13 Best Rated
Dishes with Black Beans

Enfrijolada is a Mexican dish consisting of fresh corn tortillas smothered with beans in their liquid. Fillings and toppings vary from one cook to another since this dish is popular throughout Mexico due to its nutritive value and inexpensive ingredients. Some of the choices for the filling include shredded cheese, chicken, and various vegetables. The name of the dish means in bean sauce, and the dish is usually consumed for breakfast.Expand

Tutu de feijão is a traditional dish originating from the region of Minas Gerais. The dish is made with a combination of puréed beans (traditionally black beans) and cassava flour that's used as a thickening agent. Other ingredients used in the dish include onions, garlic, olive oil, parsley, and bay leaves. Although there are many variations on the dish, it's usually served accompanied by pork sausages, rice, eggs, or sometimes kale.Expand

Arrumadinho is a complex Brazilian dish that is usually served as an appetizer. The dish is a combination of four elements that are neatly organized and served together as a complete meal. The essential parts are sliced, sun-dried beef, diced and mixed vegetable vinaigrette, beans, typically black eyed peas, and farofa – a toasted cassava flour mixture. All of the ingredients are seasoned with clarified butter, neatly arranged and served on a plate. The four elements of arrumadinho can either be mixed or consumed as individual dishes. A plate of arrumadinho is usually shared by a couple or a group of people, typically followed by a glass of cold beer or a freshly prepared caipirinha. The dish can usually be found in the northeast of Brazil, more precisely in the state of Pernambuco, where it is believed to have originated. It is often sold at food stands as a snack, but it is also commonly served as an appetizer in elegant restaurants.Expand

Pabellon criollo is a traditional dish consisting of black beans, white rice, and slices of steak cooked with tomatoes. The word pabellon means flag, referring to the colors of individual components, which are arranged to resemble the national flag. The dish is sometimes also served with fried plantains, known as tajadas, along with arepas and white cheese. The plantains keep the food from slipping over the plate, and in that case, the dish is known as pabellon con baranda, where baranda means guard rail. If the dish is served with a fried egg on top, it is known as pabellon a caballo. Pabellon criollo is especially popular with Venezuelan cowboys, known as llanos.Expand

Gallo pinto, sometimes referred to only as pinto, is the traditional national dish of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Although many variations of the dish exist, at its most basic it is a blend of cooked and fried rice and beans, combined with herbs and vegetables such as cilantro, peppers, celery, and onions. The name of the dish means spotted rooster, referring to the fact that the combination of beans and rice results in a spotted, speckled visual appearance. It is typically served as a side dish, either for breakfast (alongside eggs or meat), lunch or dinner, and sometimes with all three meals of the day. The origins of the dish are probably Nicaraguan, with the name dating back to the 1900s, inspiring a rivalry between the two countries, so it is not just Costa Rican national dish, but Nicaraguan as well. The obvious difference is that the Costa Rican version uses black beans, while the Nicaraguan version uses red beans. Regardless of its origins, the rivalry still continues, and gallo pinto remains a staple of both cuisines, with a small bottle of Salsa Lizano on the side in Costa Rica, a spicy condiment acting as a reminder of which country's version of the dish one is consuming.Expand

Frejol colado is a traditional Afro-Peruvian dessert consisting of black beans, sugar, milk, and spices. The beans are skinned, mashed into a purée, then cooked with sugar, milk, and spices such as cloves, sesame seeds, and anise seeds until the dish develops a thick texture. Before serving, frejol colado is usually garnished with toasted sesame seeds. The dessert was first prepared over 400 years ago, and it is believed that it originates from Chincha and Cañete. Nowadays, it's traditionally prepared for Easter, though it can be consumed at any time of the year.Expand

Platillo Moros y Cristiano, roughly translated as Moors and Christians dish - a poetic name referring to history, is the national dish of Cuba, a hearty combination of fluffy white rice and seasoned black beans, cooked together in the same pot. Moros y Cristiano is originally Spanish, and it spread to Cuba with its strong Spanish, Caribbean, and North African influences. White rice represents the Spanish Christians, while black beans are supposed to be the Muslim Moors, remembering a long period of wars between the two, known as Reconquista, and celebrating how both groups came to reconciliation in the Iberian Peninsula. The dish is found everywhere in Cuba, and you can't go to any restaurant, home, or street corner without it appearing in some form, so it is not unusual that there are as many recipes for the dish as there are Cuban people with cooking skills.Expand

Fiddleheads and their harvesting is a Maine tradition stemming from Native American times. These coiled tips of young ostrich ferns usually grow near rivers in lakes in Maine, and they're harvested during April, May, and June. The flavor of fiddleheads is often described as a combination of asparagus, mushrooms, and spinach. They're low in calories and rich in fiber and vitamins A and C. Traditionally, the fiddleheads are boiled or steamed and served with a bit of butter and salt, but vinegar and olive oil are also sometimes used as toppings or seasonings.Expand

Sopa negra is a traditional soup with variations throughout Latin America. It's made with a combination of black beans, onions, bell peppers, hot peppers, cilantro, garlic, and chicken broth. The soup is cooked until the beans become tender, and it's then garnished with chopped hard-boiled eggs and a dollop of sour cream or avocado slices. The eggs are cooked in the soup and then removed and peeled before being used as garnishes. This hearty bean soup is usually served with warm corn tortillas on the side and white rice that's mixed into the soup.Expand

Shio daifuku is a traditional confectionery which consists of chewy mochi shells filled with creamy or coarse anko red bean paste. Unlike other daifuku varieties, the red bean paste in shio daifuku is lightly salted, which results in an unusual combination of sweet and savory flavors. They are usually round, and occasionally whole black beans are incorporated in the mochi wrapper. These soft cakes are a staple at many specialized daifuku shops, but they can also be commonly found in many stores and supermarkets throughout the country.Expand