As I mentioned in a previous post I could live on black beans. They are a staple in my house. These beans are quick and easy. They freeze well and combined with the cilantro lime rice they make the best salad, quesadillas, and burritos. I usually make a big batch of the beans and rice to put together freezer burritos. My husband lives on home made freezer burritos for lunch at work.
With a few ingredients you can transform boring black beans.
Cafe Rio Black Beans
2 T olive oil
2 T chopped onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1 15 oz. can black beans (or 3 1/2 C cooked black beans)
8 T tomato sauce ( I have done this with tomato paste as well, about 1 T)
A little bit of sweetener**
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.
2. Add the onions, garlic and cumin. Tip: I know my pan is hot enough if I add an onion and it sizzles. Be careful it isn’t too hot though. Saute until soft and the onions are translucent.
3. Add the beans with liquid, a little bit of sweetener, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes. It will thicken up and let all of the flavors get happy with each other.
**I always add a little bit of raw sugar or agave when I am using canned tomatoes (including sauce) it rounds out the flavor and makes it taste homemade. Just a pinch but it makes a big difference.
Tip: If you are doing homemade beans add salt to taste.
On a trip to Utah about 5 years ago, I had the pleasure of eating at Cafe Rio. The food was amazing. I was so pleased to find this recipe. We had beans and rice for supper, with homemade salsa and guacamole. So yummy! I had three helpings.