Brazilian Black Beans
Only a few ingredients are necessary to make a hearty and nutritious pot of Brazilian Black Beans.
Beans: A Staple Food
Beans are incredibly nutritious and full of flavor, but so often, here in the States we don't know how to cook beans to really make them shine.
Sure, we like to purée them and use them as dip or additives, like hummus or re-fried beans. In the summer, we use beans as the vehicle for sweet and sticky sauces when we serve baked beans at our cookouts or potluck dinners. But, can you really taste the beans in baked beans? They're all about the sauce.
The idea of having just beans as side or as the main element of the meal is something that most Americans find a bit foreign.
Brazilian Black Beans
Beans (feijão) are an incredibly important part of the Brazilian food culture. Typically they are served over rice for lunch (typically the big meal of the day) with vegetables and meat, and then leftover beans and rice are eaten for a light, but filling dinner.
The most common bean found in Brazil is a type similar to the pinto bean, known as feijão carioca, but black beans are widely used the the South East (particularly in Rio de Janeiro), and they hold a special place in Brazilian hearts because they are the key ingredient in Brazil's national dish, feijioada, a hearty been stew with beef and pork.
We will be sharing a recipe for feijioada another day, but for today we have a simple, daily style preparation for Brazilian black beans.
Bacon and a few aromatic ingredients are all you need for a warm and comforting, hearty and filling dish.
Brazilian Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 c black beans, dry, soaked overnight and drained
- 3 slices bacon
- ½ onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Saute bacon in a large, high sided skillet (cast iron works well). Remove the bacon once crisp and drain most of the bacon grease from the pan. Add the diced onions and saute over medium high heat until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
- Add bay leaf and soaked, drained beans to the pan. Crumble the bacon and add it to the pan. Add enough water to cover the beans by about a half inch.
- Cover the pan and simmer until the beans are tender, roughly 1 hour, checking occasionally and adding water if necessary.
- Season with salt to taste and serve warm as a side dish or a protein-rich main with rice.*
Notes
Nutrition
More 5-ingredient recipes from some of our favorite bloggers:
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Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
Looks delicious and I want to try it. I already have black beans. So definitely it is a must-try for me. Thank you so much.
We hope you enjoy it!
As a Brazilian, it's so nice to see our culture spread around the world. Our food is amazing. I think all Latin America food has flavorful dishes where the basis is rice, beans, meat, and salads. Fejoada is the most delicious thing that I already tried. Well, I think I'm home sick right now haha.
It really is incredibly how much flavor can be packed into simple ingredients!
Sarah, thanks for this.
The black bean recipe is perfect. In Brazil the most common meal consists of rice, beans, fried beef salad and fries with variations of meat (cattle, chicken or fish).
You can also change the fries for potato salad with mayonnaise. The salad are usually lettuce leaves and tomato slices with onion.
Carrot, chayote and cucumber can also be served.
When you add pepper it is best that individually do.
Regards
Jose, Thanks for stopping by and sharing more details about common Brazilian meals with us! Chayote is on our list as a food we'd like to try. Cheers!
Yummmm these sound wonderful!
Thanks Bobbi!
I love, love, love black beans! This sounds so simple and tasty!
Thanks Cindy!
Black beans are my favorite kind serving them up as a side dish was common growing up as my father is Dominican, my husband has grown to love them, too! I'll have to try this Brazilian version, with bacon involved I'm sure it'd be a hit.
As we've started trying to eat more beans, we have come to love having them as a side with our meal. They're so hearty and comforting!
I love black beans and with onion, garlic and bacon I am completely sold!!
It is a great combo! Thanks Tara!
We love rice and black beans here. I also sometimes add some green pepper to the mix.
That would be a great addition. We'll have to try it next time!
I love black beans and your recipe is a delicious way to showcase them!!
Thanks Liz!
Oh yum! Lots of flavor and easy to make!
Thanks Nichole!
Oh how I love black beans and this sounds so good.
Thanks Renee!