THE Costa Rican Black Beans Recipe

By Published On: January 10th, 2024

These Costa Rican black beans are packed with flavor, fiber, and protein. This traditional Costa Rican recipe is the only one you’ll ever need!

bowl of black beans with avocado and cilantro garnish
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About This Costa Rican Black Beans Recipe

You will never go to a Costa Rican home where there are no beans on the stove or in the fridge. Many Costa Rican moms even batch-cook black beans for their kids when they leave for the week for work or college.

Costa Rican black beans are made and used most specifically in the traditional Costa Rican gallo pinto recipe, for a Costa Rican casado and the traditional Costa Rican bean dip, also known as frijol molido. These beans are also eaten as a simple black bean soup accompanied by a hard-boiled egg and Salsa Lizano.

The most traditional way to make Costa Rican black beans is in a pressure cooker, but you can also use a slow cooker. I use an Instant Pot because it has both a pressure cooker and a slow cooker, so I can decide how I want to cook them!

For the beans in this recipe I use dried black beans, and I usually use whatever variety is on sale at the grocery store. I really like the Kroger store brand, and the Goya brand is also great. You really can’t go wrong.

Many Costa Ricans will also substitute red kidney beans in place of the black beans, and that is totally fine as well.

RELATED POST: Traditional Costa Rican White Rice Recipe

Costa Rican Black Beans Recipe

Printable Recipe Below

Ingredients:

  • black beans
  • salt (I prefer sea salt)
  • red pepper
  • cilantro
  • garlic cloves
  • white or yellow onion
  • celery
  • carrot
  • Salsa Lizano
  • Pressure cooker (I use an Instant Pot, slow cooker directions under “variations” heading)
close up of costa rican black beans before cooking

Instructions

Rinse the black beans and place them in the pressure cooker.

Rinse and chop your veggies, then add them on top of the beans.

Add salt and enough water to cover the beans plus about another 4 inches. Since the beans absorb quite a bit of water when cooking, you want to have some extra so the beans don’t scald and stick to the bottom of your pot. Plus the extra broth is great for a caldo de frijol! (Costa Rican black bean soup)

Add salt, and pressure cook for 25 minutes. I let the air out naturally as opposed to forcing it out, but you can do it either way. I notice beans are more tender if you let the pressure cooker rest for about 10 minutes after it is finished.

I add the salt at the beginning of the recipe, but many people prefer to add it in the last 30 minutes of cooking because they say the salt makes the beans harden. I don’t think it does but to each his own.

cooked black beans with avocado garnish

When you are ready to serve, just remove the large vegetable chunks and serve separately. Or keep them in!

Black beans are often served with Salsa Lizano, but if you add the Lizano to the entire pot of beans, they can go bitter fast. It is better to put the Lizano on individual portions, or on the beans that you are sure you will serve.   Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Related Article: What Is Salsa Lizano From Costa Rica? 

Substitutions

You can really use any type of beans with this recipe- we will sometimes get tired of black beans and then use a red bean like a dark red kidney. When we make white beans with pork, we cook the beans in this style as well.

You can also cook your garbanzo beans in this style- really all of the Costa Rican beans are cooked this way and then different ingredients are added depending on what recipe we are making.

Variations

Cook the beans in the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours, or cook on high for 4-5 hours. The cooking time varies depending on your pot and electrical current.

Some people simmer the beans for several hours on the stovetop, but for that method, I recommend soaking the beans overnight first.

You can add bay leaves to the recipe to add some flavor, and you can get away with using Worcestershire sauce in place of Salsa Lizano if you had to, but Salsa Lizano is better.

Some people cook their black beans in chicken broth, but that is not traditional in Costa Rica at all. Neither is adding chili powder or lime juice- those are Mexican variations.

Related post: 30+ Foods To Try In Costa Rica

Serving Suggestions

Costa Rican Black Beans are a staple of the Costa Rican diet and therefore are a part of many of our hallmark recipes. Here is a list of black bean recipes we eat regularly at Casa Pura Vida.

FAQ

What is the best way to reheat Costa Rican black beans?

I generally reheat them on the stove by putting them in a saucepan and leaving them on medium-low until they just bubble. Just reheat what you need and make sure to put only room-temperature beans in the refrigerator. Otherwise they can go bad fast1

Can I soak the black beans to make this recipe?

You can, and then cut the cooking time in half.

Printable Costa Rican Black Beans Recipe

Yield: 4 cups

Costa Rican Black Beans Slow Cooker

White ceramic bowl of Costa-Rican style slow cooked black beans topped with diced avocado and cilantro leaves.

These slow cooker black beans are packed with flavor, fiber and protein. This traditional Costa Rican recipe uses dry black beans, salt, garlic and onion to create a delicious recipe that's both vegetarian and vegan.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb black beans
  • 2 tsp salt (we prefer sea salt)
  • 1/2 red pepper, cut into 3 pieces
  • handful cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, whole
  • 1/2 white or yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • Salsa Lizano (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Rinse the beans and place them in the crock pot. 
  2. Rinse and chop your veggies, then add them on top of the beans. 
  3. Add salt and enough water to cover the beans, plus about another 2 inches. Since the beans do absorb quite a bit of water when cooking, you want to have some extra so the beans don't scald and stick to the bottom of your pot.  
  4. Cook the beans in the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours, or cook on high for 4-5 hours. The cooking time varies depending on your pot and electrical current.
  5. I add the salt at the beginning of the recipe, but many people prefer to add them in the last 30 minutes of cooking because they say the salt makes the beans harden. I don't think it does, but to each his own.
  6. When you are ready to serve, just remove the large vegetable chunks and serve separately. Or keep them in! 

Notes

Black beans are often served with Salsa Lizano, but if you add the Lizano to the entire pot of beans, they can go bitter fast. It is better to put the Lizano on individual portions, or on the beans that you are sure you will serve.   Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 56Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 412mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 4gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g

Please check this information with your favorite nutrition calculator.

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12 Comments

  1. GAYLE December 29, 2020 at 12:12 pm - Reply

    Am I correct that the beans do not need to be soaked over night before putting them in the crock pot?

    • Christa December 29, 2020 at 2:49 pm - Reply

      Yes! It’s that the BEST? ~Christa

  2. Andrea August 13, 2022 at 3:52 pm - Reply

    So glad I found this recipe! I am having dinner tomorrow with Costa Rican friends and I am in charge of bringing beans. Can’t wait to try out this method!

  3. suze December 2, 2022 at 11:28 am - Reply

    We’ve been here just over a year and I’ve been dying for the recipe for beans and rice. Just finished the rice, the beans are in the crockpot. Do I put carrots and celery in with the beans? Making Gallo Pinto this weekend for my vegan friends

  4. Kristian December 10, 2023 at 6:06 am - Reply

    Hi! When you say Red Pepper, does that mean a Bell pepper?

  5. Tasha February 13, 2024 at 5:58 pm - Reply

    I just returned from CR and had the absolute BEST beans that had been prepared over a firepit at Equus. Despite all the amazing fresh seafood I ate, those dang simple beans on my first day are the 1 thing I can’t stop thinking about! LOL Do you think if I added a dash of liquid smoke, I could replicate a similar taste?

    • Christa Jimenez February 15, 2024 at 11:56 am - Reply

      It’s worth a try! The Costa Ricans are masters of making delicious food over the fire! Let me know if it works! ~Christa

  6. Don Felipe August 8, 2024 at 2:43 pm - Reply

    Same amounts for the Instant Pot as the crockpot? The list of ingredients don’t show amounts. Love the Tico recipes. Did language study there, lived in South Florida and Chile. So, I usually make Cuban style black beans in the Instant Pot, but will try yours for a change. Love the gallo pinto. I always keep some Lizano on hand. I use it with pinto beans as well as black beans. Thanks! ¡Pura vida!

    • Christa Jimenez August 23, 2024 at 12:08 pm - Reply

      Hi! Yes, same amount. The ingredient quantities are in the recipe card. And let me know how they turn out! Pura vida!

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Meet Christa

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I’m Christa and I help families plan stress-free, culturally immersive trips to Costa Rica. As a home chef, I also share my passion for Costa Rican food through authentic recipes. My mission is to help your family fall in love with Costa Rica through practical advice, unforgettable experiences, and delicious meals.

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