Smoky Baked Black Beans {healthy black bean recipe}

Name: Smoky Baked Black Beans {healthy black bean recipe}
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 1085 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups dried black turtle beans (-soaked overnight); 2 tsp dried oregano; 3 cloves garlic (-minced); 2 bay leaves; 1/2 tbsp chipotle powder; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tbsp chili powder; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 1/3 cup bbq sauce (-plus 2 tbsp ); 4 cups vegetable stock (-I used 'unsalted' ); 2 tbsp molasses; 1 onion (-chopped); 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp salt (-or to taste); 1.5-2 cups water

August 26, 2018 Updated: July 3, 2019 By Dawn Coombs 56 Comments

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Hearty, flavourful and nutritious, this healthy black bean recipe using black turtle beans makes for a delicious dinner or filling side. The black beans are infused with lots of flavour from chipotle powder and smoked paprika. So good!

This black bean recipe was originally posted in October 2015 and has been updated.

Recently, hubby had a work trip to Texas for a couple of days. I always love to ask if he had any memorable meals or dishes. I’m allll about the food, lol!! Tell me. Tell me in detail!!

During his trip he said that black beans were a really common dish that was served and he loved ’em. Because both of us are big fans of beans, I knew I had to make some myself!

I’ve made baked beans before (Homemade Baked Beans) and they are completely delicious, but these smoky baked black beans are different altogether.

This recipe is a tad simpler and has a different flavour profile than my other baked bean recipe – it has more of a spicy/smoky flavour from chipotle powder and smoked paprika, it’s not tomato based and uses a different type of bean.

What Goes in this Chipotle Black Bean Recipe?

-Black beans (specifically black turtle beans)

-Aromatics like onion, garlic and bay leaves

-Spices like oregano, chipotle powder, smoked paprika and chili powder

-Veggie stock

-Delicious bbq sauce, tomato paste and molasses

-Salt & pepper

-Water

What are Black Turtle Beans?

Black turtle beans are small shiny beans popular in Latin America (and parts of the United States) and are often referred to simply as ‘black beans’. They’re dense and mealy, which is why they work great in hearty vegan and vegetarian dishes, like this vegan black bean recipe.

For this recipe, turtle beans were the bean of choice for me. Like a lot of beans, they are really high in fibre and who doesn’t like a little extra fibre in their diet?

Find them in your grocery store where you would find dried chickpeas, lentils and the like.

Do you Have to Soak Black Beans? How to Soak Black Beans?

Yes, soak black beans overnight to use the next day in this black bean recipe. Soak anywhere from 8-24 hours. Store the beans in the fridge as they soak overnight.

Pick over beans (i.e. remove any foreign objects, like rocks, and any imperfect beans) and rinse with cold water in a colander.

To soak, simply placed dried black beans in a large bowl and cover completely with cold water. I like to have 2-3 inches of water above the beans because they will expand as they soak.

Don’t have that kinda time or forget to soak and you really want to make this recipe? No worries! Try this quick-soak method from The Kitchn.

How to Cook Black Beans Using Black Turtle Beans?

Aside from soaking the black turtle beans, this healthy black bean recipe is super simple! You just need a little time and patience for them to cook (but the taste is so worth it)!

To cook black beans –

-Drain soaked beans and rinse again with fresh, cold water. Place soaked beans in a dutch oven or large oven safe pot

-To pot add remainder of ingredients. Stir to combine.

-Cover, place pot in oven and cook.

-Half way through cooking, carefully remove black beans from oven, add more water. Stir and make sure beans aren’t sticking. Cook remainder of time.

-When beans are finished cooking, stir in more water to loosen and add a little more bbq sauce. Cooking time is about 5.5 to 6 hours.

-Adjust seasoning, if necessary, and remove bay leaves.

-Portion and enjoy! Psssst—> I love a little squeeze of lime over top!

Tips for Making these Oven Baked Beans

–Don’t skip soaking the black turtle beans overnight! This cuts down on the cook time.

-This black bean recipe is plant based and tastes scrumptious as it is. However, if you like, you can add a leftover ham bone into the pot. Once the beans are cooked and the bone is cooled slightly, pick any excess meat from the bone, shred, and add to beans. Don’t have a ham bone? Crispy bacon works as well. Prefer as they are? That’s cool too! You do you!

-Depending on how ‘loose’ you want these beans add as little or as much water or stock after they’ve cooked.

–Upon reheating, add a little stock or water to loosen.

-Garnish with cilantro, a squeeze of lime, avocado or crumbled feta.

Can you Freeze Beans?

Yep! Hubby and I love to portion cooled leftovers into vacuum seal bags, seal, and throw in the freezer for when we are looking for a healthy, quick dinner. Don’t have a vacuum sealer? No worries! Use freezer safe bags or containers. Thaw when ready to enjoy!

How to Enjoy this Healthy Black Bean Recipe

-Enjoy as is and garnish to taste!

-Serve over nachos

-Enjoy for breakfast with a poached egg on top

-Yummy as a bbq side with your fave protein

-Delicious over grits or polenta

Other Healthy Bean Recipes you may Enjoy –

Black Bean and Tofu Scramble Lettuce Wraps

Meatless Three Bean Chili

Black Bean Burgers

Like most bean recipes, this easy black bean recipe is really inexpensive to make…some beans and a few other ingredients yields quite a large amount. Though this recipe is quite humble and most definitely not fancy, it is pretty versatile; you can enjoy with just about any meal from breakfast to dinner.

Hope you love this healthy black bean recipe using dried turtle beans! They are a fabulous recipe for meal prep for easy weekday meals.

Until next time, take care and chit chat again soon 🙂

~Dawn

P.S. If you think this healthy black bean recipe will make your belly happy too, please be sure to hit that little Pin button. Many thanks, you guys! XO

An overhead shot of two bowl of smoky baked black beans alongside some cilantro, lime, beans, bbq sauce and bay leaves.

5 from 17 votes