Ready for your new go-to taco night recipe? These chipotle black beans are so quick and easy to whip up, you’ll have them on repeat in no time! While similar to the ever popular Chipotle black bean recipe, they also incorporate a lot of the flavors from their pinto beans! I like to think of them as the best of both worlds. Plus, they’re vegan and gluten free. Yay!
Jump to Recipe Print RecipeThe ingredients are simple:
Canned black beans – I love the convenience of canned beans and how quickly they make this recipe come together. Just drain and rinse well! (Pinto beans or kidney beans can work in substitution, but I’d only recommend kidney beans if 1) you really love kidney beans or 2) you have pretty limited options)
Salsa – this is my go to trick for packing in a ton of flavor with almost zero effort. I’m not picky in this recipe, so just a basic jarred salsa, like Pace or Tostitos, works great. However, if you’re going all out for taco night and making homemade salsa, that’s great to add too! I usually make a batch of my “Pioneer woman salsa” midweek and have it on hand for as long as it lasts. It adds a great fresh punch. But use what you’ve got!
Vegetable stock – Stock is important here, because we want these beans to thicken up and not be runny or soupy, so we’ve gotta get a lot of flavor with not a lot of liquid. If you don’t have stock on hand, mix ½ a bouillon cube or ½ tsp better than bouillon paste with ¼ cup water. Also, beef stock will work if you’re not concerned about keeping these vegan.
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – these come in cans, either whole or diced. You can usually find them in the ethnic food aisle. They have a little kick to them, so if you’re sensitive to heat, use whole peppers and remove them at the end of the cook time. If you love the spice, feel free to use the already chopped ones. If you don’t have any, you can increase the amount of smoked paprika to get that yummy smoky flavor!
Spices + seasonings – Using dry spices is such a great way to instantly add tons of flavor. Depending on the saltiness of your vegetable stock, you’ll need anywhere from ½-1 full teaspoon salt, and then a simple spoonful of cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
If you don’t have smoked paprika on hand, get some. It’s seriously so good! I buy mine from bulk bins because I use so much of it, and it’s much more cost effective that way. Check at local co-ops or health food stores if you can’t find it. Regular paprika will do in a pinch, but you’ll miss out on that deep, rich, smokey flavor we want. You can toss in a bay leaf if you’d like, but I always forget that part and they come out delicious anyway. Oh, and of course, a small amount of lime juice is never out of place on a comfort food like this!
No fancy equipment:
If you’ve got limited counter space, you probably don’t have room to run an instant pot, slow cooker, rice cooker and air fryer all for one meal. Man, the gadgets we have these days, right? I know they all have their hardcore fan base, and I’ve used them all, but this recipe doesn’t require slow cooking, pressure, or any equipment out of the ordinary. You’ll need a medium sized skillet or saucepan, a can opener, a strainer, and a spoon. Like I said, pretty straightforward. Which is especially handy if you’ve already got your main dish cooking away in one of the aforementioned gadgets.
What to do:
These beans basically cook themselves. You’ll want to drain beans, rinse well, and add to a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Stir in salsa, stock and spices. Bring to an easy boil and then simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid evaporates and your beans have a nice, thick consistency. Remove from heat, add a squeeze of lime juice, and serve!
How to enjoy:
These vegan black beans make the perfect side dish to any mexican dinner night, but they also make a delicious meal as the star of a number of plant based main dishes. Try them as…
Tacos
Burritos
Burrito bowls – bonus points if you make Chipotle cilantro lime rice too!
Taco salad
Nachos
Tostadas
Enchiladas
You can also mash them up a bit with a potato masher or pulse in a food processor for a delicious chipotle black bean dip.
Or, use as a base for tex-mex inspired black bean burgers!
The best toppings:
The toppings kinda make the taco, right? Some of our favorites include:
Guacamole – (here’s our favorite recipe!)
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Diced red onion or yellow onion
Homemade salsa or pico de Gallo – (click here for the best salsa ever!)
Diced green bell pepper
Cilantro
Sour cream
Cheese
When to enjoy:
These beans are a great addition to your cinco de mayo menu, game day spread, or any old taco Tuesday! They’re also great for meal prep, so if you want to, make a double batch in a large dutch oven, and store in an airtight container to have on hand all week. One of my favorite vegan lunches is black beans, brown rice and salsa. So skip the nearest chipotle, bring your own lunch, and save that hard earned money!
Chipotle Chili Black Beans (quick and easy recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 small chipotle peppers in adobo sauce or about 2 tbsp if diced
- 1/4 cup salsa jarred or homemade
- 1/4 cup vegetable stock see notes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika see notes
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 1/4 cup cilantro roughly chopped
Instructions
- Combine black beans, salsa and broth in medium sized skillet or saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in paprika, cumin, garlic and salt. If the mixtures seems too dry, add in more stock a tablespoon at a time until there is enough liquid to bring to a low simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick and heated through.
- Remove from heat, stir in lime juice, garnish with cilantro, if desired, and serve.
Notes
