Oregano Bay Cuban Style Beans

Description

Classic-inspired Instant Pot black beans featuring dried beans with sweet onions, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, cumin, and smoked paprika for authentic earthy and aromatic vegan flavors enhanced by soy sauce. Nutritional yeast adds a modern twist in this practical one-pan dish. Perfect as a versatile base or main, prepared in around 45-50 minutes.

Cultural Background

Cuban black beans, known as frijoles negros, originated in Cuba with roots in Spanish colonial cooking, African influences from the slave trade, and indigenous Caribbean ingredients. The dish traditionally features beans simmered with sofrito of onions, garlic, and peppers, seasoned with cumin, oregano, and bay leaves for deep aromatic flavor. It became a staple in Cuban households and diaspora communities as an affordable, nutritious everyday food often served with rice.

Recipe Info

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes
SERVINGS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup dried black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 small sweet onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• Pinch of Italian seasoning (optional, for extra herbs)

Instructions

1. Add the rinsed dried black beans, diced sweet onion, minced garlic, water, soy sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano leaves, bay leaf, nutritional yeast, ground ginger if using, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning if using directly into the Instant Pot inner pot and stir to combine evenly.
2. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, set the steam release valve to Sealing position, select Pressure Cook or Manual on High pressure, and set the timer for 30 minutes.
3. Once the cooking cycle completes, allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, then carefully quick release any remaining pressure by moving the valve to Venting.
4. Open the lid, remove and discard the bay leaf, and stir the beans well; the mixture should be tender with a light broth consistency. If too thick, add a splash of water and stir; taste and adjust salt or pepper as needed.
5. Serve hot as a main or base for rice, or store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Tips

- Rinse beans thoroughly under cold water before adding to remove any debris and ensure even cooking.
- Avoid overfilling the pot beyond the 1/2 line for safety with beans that expand.
- For extra depth, substitute a portion of the water with vegetable broth if available, or add a dash more soy sauce at the end for umami.

Nutrition

Calories: 220
Protein: 13g
Carbs: 40g
Fat: 1g

Tags

Lunch, Dinner, Beans or Legumes, Vegan, One-Pot or One-Pan