Black Bean Pilaf Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's healthier, black beans or pinto beans? ›

Pinto and black beans are extremely similar in their nutritional values. They both offer protein, fiber, calories, iron, vitamin B1 and more. However, pinto beans have slightly more calories, carbs, fiber and fat content.

Best Black Bean Recipes

Season them with lime juice and zest, chili powder, oregano, and/or cilantro, and serve them as a side dish with Mexican or Latin American-inspired dishes like tacos or taquitos. Paired with some cilantro lime rice, they could also pass as a meal on their own!

Technically, canned black beans are already cooked, and you can use them right out of the can. Cooking canned black beans will make them taste even better.

You can cook black beans with or without soaking, but keep in mind that soaking beans ensures they'll cook faster and more evenly. It can also make them easier to digest by reducing some of the gas-producing indigestible carbohydrates, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Some news stories have picked up on preliminary studies showingblack beans among the highest in certain antioxidants. However,other research shows kidney beans slightly higher in totalantioxidant power. Different types of analysis and cooking methodsare enough to blur nutritional differences among these healthyoptions.

While lard has been replaced with vegetable oil or shortening in many households, the distinct richness and velvety texture it imparts to a skillet of refried beans is hard to beat. The closest substitute for lard is bacon grease, which is another form of rendered pork fat that's arguably even more flavorful.

Canned black beans are a versatile, ready-to-use ingredient that you can use to boost the nutrient content of many dishes. They're a rich source of plant-based protein and fiber. This makes them a weight-loss-friendly food that may also help you manage blood sugar levels and lower your risk of heart disease.

Sometimes black beans can come out tasting bitter. To prevent this, be sure to use an appropriate amount of salt. This recipe calls for a tablespoon, but don't forget to taste for salt when your soup is finished and add more if desired; it will depend on how salty your bacon is, too.

"If you rinse your beans thoroughly, you will have a consistently flavored product, but if you do not rinse them, different amounts of salt will remain in the dish each time you cook it, and it will be hard to cook consistently," he says.

Can dogs eat black beans? ›

Black beans are packed with nutrients that can help your dog stay healthy. Not only are they a great source of protein and essential amino acids, but they're also high in fibre, which supports digestion and helps maintain healthy bowel movements.

Fun Fact: Discarding the soaking water and rinsing beans can help make cooked beans more digestible. Some people choose to save the soaking liquid because some nutrients are leeched from the beans into the liquid during soaking. We prefer to drain our soaking liquid but you can decide what works best for you.

Open beans can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days; while it may be tempting to store them right in the can, the USDA recommends transferring them to plastic or glass containers. Beans have a low acid content and this makes them slightly more perishable than more acidic canned foods.

Here's the thing: Beans that have not been soaked ahead of time will always take longer to cook, but they will, indeed, cook. But timing aside, sometimes we actually like to cook beans straight from dry, as is the case with this easy black bean soup recipe.

The bottom line

Black beans are among the most frequently consumed dry pulses around the world. They're considered nutritional powerhouses that are rich in plant-based protein, fiber, and antioxidants that help manage blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol levels.

Smaller beans like adzuki, lentils, mung beans and peas digest more easily. Pinto, kidney, navy, black-eyed peas, garbanzo, lima, and black beans are harder to digest and should be eaten only occasionally. Soybeans and black soybeans are the most difficult beans to digest.

“The overall nutritional differences (between canned and dried beans) are often quite minimal, and it's more important to get the benefits of beans by preparing what's convenient for you,” Basbaum said.

Black beans can be high in carbohydrates, so they may not be ideal for people following a low-carb diet. They also contain some difficult-to-digest compounds that can cause gas and intestinal discomfort if you eat too many.