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This cozy Black Bean Stew is a Hispanic-inspired dish with daring flavors. Sautéed greens, canned black beans, Mexican herbs and spices, and masa harina are simmered in a thick and comforting vegetable broth. Vegan and Gluten-Free.
This Vegan Black Bean Stew is the sort of meal you curl up with on a chilly day. Canned black beans, sautéed greens, Mexican seasonings, and masa harina are mixed in a comfortable vegetable broth to supercharge the Hispanic and Latin-inspired flavors in each spoonful. Plus, it’s nice for meal prep and might be frozen for later!
Desk of Contents

A Easy, Filling, and Flavorful Winter Staple
My Black Bean Stew Recipe is impressed by the favored dish served in Hispanic and Latin American cuisines. It’s straightforward to make in a single pot and is the sort of hearty meal you spoon over rice on a chilly day.
Now, black bean stew recipes are inclined to fluctuate relying on the place you’re on the planet. This vegan variation is closest to the Dominican and Mexican variations. It makes use of aromatics and peppers as the flavour base and Mexican herbs and spices for that additional oomph. I wouldn’t name it genuine, but it surely nonetheless pays homage to the basic.
To make it, a mixture of black beans, sautéed greens, and spices is simmered in an fragrant broth earlier than it’s thickened with masa harina (finely milled corn flour). The completed stew is thick, creamy, and severely filling. In different phrases, it’s every little thing you possibly can ever want in a cold-weather staple!
Components for Stewed Black Beans
Like my different vegan stew recipes, this black bean stew makes use of easy pantry staples for the spine of its taste, whereas a handful of starring substances assist the dish shine. I like to recommend buying at your native Latin market, however you need to be capable to discover most of what you want at well-stocked grocery shops.

- Sofrito: that is produced from a medley of finely diced and sautéed onions, crimson bell peppers, poblano peppers, and garlic cloves. Strive to not skip something right here, as these veggies give the stew plenty of its close-to-authentic flavors.
- Mexican Herbs and Spices: floor cumin, cayenne pepper (non-obligatory), and dried oregano add heat and earthiness. If you wish to go all out, seek for Mexican oregano once you’re buying. It’s barely brighter and fruitier than the “common” oregano that’s possible already in your spice rack.
- Recent Cilantro: all of the cilantro goes into this stew, stems and all! You may in all probability use contemporary parsley in its place when you’ve got the “cilantro tastes like cleaning soap” gene, however the flavors shall be fairly totally different.
- Black Beans: canned black beans are the best choice. For somewhat bit of additional taste, prepare dinner 1 1/2 cups of dried black beans as an alternative. Use the directions in my On the spot Pot Black Bean Soup to discover ways to prepare dinner dried beans the straightforward means.
- Vegetable Broth: go for a low-sodium vegetable broth, both store-bought or do-it-yourself utilizing vegetable scraps.
- Masa Harina: this finely milled corn flour is a staple in Hispanic and Latin delicacies (it’s used to make tortillas, tamales, sopes, and way more). It’s added to the stew on the finish to thicken the broth and depart a creamy consistency behind that you just wouldn’t get from cornstarch or all-purpose flour.
Find out how to Make Vegan Black Bean Stew

- Sauté the onion and bell peppers in a big pot till the onion begins to brown.
- Subsequent, sauté the garlic, cilantro stems, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper within the pot.
- Add the black beans, tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Warmth to a boil, then cut back the warmth and simmer for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, whisk the masa harina and heat water in a small bowl till a clean paste types. Stir this combination into the stew and proceed simmering till it thickens.
- Flip off the warmth and stir within the lime juice and cilantro leaves.
- Serve the nice and cozy stew in bowls with rice and the remaining cilantro leaves on high.
Caitlin’s Cooking Suggestions
- The sofrito is the important thing to the flavour. A little bit endurance goes a good distance when sautéing the onion, garlic, peppers, and spices! Give these onions sufficient time to brown, and ensure all these spices have bloomed and are sticking to the onions and garlic. Your style buds shall be blissful you took your time, belief me.
- Modify the consistency of the stew. The masa harina paste will thicken the stew because it simmers. If it has thickened an excessive amount of after simmering for five to 10 minutes, you’ll be able to stir in 1/2 cup of water in increments till it has thinned to your liking. If the stew is simply too skinny, both (1) use a potato masher to mash a few of the black beans within the pot or (2) mix 1/3 cup of the stew in a blender, then stir it again into the pot.
Serving Strategies
You may technically eat this black bean stew year-round, however I prefer it finest for comforting winter dinners. Get pleasure from it in all of its advanced, fragrant glory by ladling a beneficiant scoop over a bowl of fluffy white rice together with your alternative of toppings. Recent cilantro, fried plantains, sautéed greens (like collard greens, spinach, or Swiss chard), diced avocado, vegan bitter cream, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges are all nice choices.
I’d additionally advocate making an attempt this stew with a aspect of my Vegan Picadillo or my Vegan Jackfruit Pernil for a severely flavor-packed dinner. Yum!
If you happen to’re in search of extra hearty vegan stews, you’ll additionally love this Leek and Butter Bean Stew, this Creamy Coconut & Purple Lentil Curry, and this Cozy Vegan Stew with Mushrooms!
Find out how to Retailer Leftover Stew
Look forward to the leftovers to chill earlier than transferring them to an hermetic container. The stew will hold for as much as 5 days within the fridge or as much as 2 months within the freezer. Enable the frozen stew to thaw within the fridge in a single day earlier than reheating.
Leftovers might be reheated in a saucepan on the range or within the microwave till warmed by means of. If the stew has thickened, stir in a splash of vegetable broth or water till the consistency has thinned barely.
Substitutions and Variations
- Masa Harina Substitute: If masa harina just isn’t obtainable the place you reside, you’ll be able to both (1) sprinkle 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour over the aromatics on the finish of step 2 or (2) combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water in step 4 (instead of the masa paste). Repeat this another time if the stew remains to be too skinny to your liking.
- Much less Spicy Possibility: Omit the cayenne pepper and/or use a inexperienced bell pepper instead of the poblano pepper for a light stew.
- Enhance the Spice: The poblano pepper will also be substituted for 1 to 2 diced jalapeno or Anaheim peppers (seeds and veins eliminated) for a warmer twist.

Recipe FAQs
Sofrito (which means “to stir fry”) is a mixture of finely diced fragrant greens. In Latin delicacies, sofrito is made up of onions, garlic, and peppers.
Sure, you’ll want 1 1/2 cups of dry black beans for this stew. The beans will have to be soaked in a single day and simmered in contemporary water earlier than being added to the stew (in step 3).
Be happy to sauté a number of extra veggies with the onion and peppers, like diced carrots, celery, or cherry tomatoes. Stirring in a handful of leafy greens on the finish couldn’t damage, both.
Certain, pinto beans are an important substitute for black beans right here (though it will not be a black bean stew).
Get pleasure from! If you happen to make this recipe and resolve to share it on Fb or Instagram, don’t overlook to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I’d additionally find it irresistible in the event you may depart a remark under with a recipe score! Thanks for the help 😊

- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion effective cube
- 1 crimson bell pepper effective cube
- 1 poblano pepper effective cube (or sub 1 inexperienced bell pepper)
- 8-10 cloves of garlic minced
- 1/4 bunch cilantro stems and leaves divided and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon floor cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper non-obligatory, omit for gentle stew
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 45 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed (3 cans)
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup masa harina
- Juice of 1/2 lime plus extra to style
- Serving Strategies: rice plantains, or cooked greens
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Sauté: Heat the oil in a big pot or dutch oven over medium-high warmth. Add the onion and bell peppers and sauté for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring often, till the onion is starting to brown. Cut back the warmth to medium.
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Aromatics: Add the garlic, finely diced cilantro stems, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper, if utilizing. Combine nicely and sauté for two to three minutes, till the spices start to stay to the underside of the pot.
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Simmer: Add the black beans, tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Combine nicely and convey to a boil over excessive warmth, then cut back the warmth to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. If the soup begins to splatter, cut back the warmth to medium-low, however preserve a simmer.
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Thicken the Stew: Add the masa harina to a small bowl. Whisk 1/2 cup of heat water into the masa harina, add . Add the paste to the simmering soup and stir nicely. Simmer the soup for a further 5 to 10 minutes, till it has thickened to your liking; stir ceaselessly to forestall something from sticking to the underside of the pot. If the soup will get too thick, skinny it out with water in 1/2 cup increments.
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Closing Touches: Flip the warmth off and stir within the lime juice and a couple of tablespoons of the chopped cilantro leaves. Add salt or further seasonings to style, as vital.
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Serve: Serve heat, topped with the remaining cilantro leaves. Retailer any leftovers within the fridge for as much as to five days. You may as well retailer this stew within the freezer for as much as 2 months.
- Masa Harina Substitute: Masa harina provides a novel texture and taste to this recipe, so I like to recommend utilizing it in the event you can. Nevertheless, in the event you don’t have it, I’d advocate both (1) sprinkling 2 tablespoons of all goal flour over the aromatics on the finish of step 2, or (2) Mixing 1 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water in step 4 instead of the masa paste – add this to the pot and stir nicely, and repeat another time if the stew remains to be too skinny to your liking.
Energy: 577kcalCarbohydrates: 96gProtein: 32gFats: 10gSaturated Fats: 1gPolyunsaturated Fats: 2gMonounsaturated Fats: 5gSodium: 19mgPotassium: 1544mgFiber: 32gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1325IUVitamin C: 76mgCalcium: 163mgIron: 9mg

