Maple Cayenne Black Beans

These maple cayenne black beans are everything you need for a little sweet heat. Perfect meal prep that will keep you feeling cozy.

Had the pleasure of watching a live cooking demo of a colleague of mine and it was well worth it! Not only did she make an incredible looking dish, but it ended up inspiring me heavily. One key ingredient she pulled out were some dry chilies. And it was at that moment that I realized that I had completely forgotten that I had some as well. As soon as I saw them, I instantly knew that I wanted to recreate a dish I enjoyed A LOT when I was doing my internship in Texas. I needed cheap, easy and satisfying. These maple cayenne black beans ticked off all of those boxes.

Dry Chilies

If you are someone that really loves heat, I highly recommend for you to get familiar with dry chilies. Referring to them as such is a little too general as there are a lot of different chilies that can be dried and provide different flavors and spices to meals.

For this recipe, I specifically went for a common dry chili, chiles de arbol. They don’t really pack much in the flavor department, but they sure do pack in the spice. You don’t need many to kick up the heat in this dish. And they are easy to use or re-hydrate for many dishes. You can stir-fry them in a little oil or throw them into soups and stews as they cook. Definitely, do not forget to pick them out at the end of cooking.

How to make maple cayenne black beans

1. In a pan add oil and red chilies and sauté for about 1-2 minutes on medium heat.
2. Add in onions and green peppers until onions are softened.
3. Stir in garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. To the pan add all of your seasonings, mixing and sautéing for an additional minute.
5. Add in tomato paste, stir well with other veggies for 1-2 minutes.
6. To your mix, add in all remaining ingredients and bring to a low simmer.
7. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for about 10-15 minutes.
8. Stir well and remove chilies. Adjust salt and pepper to your liking and serve.

Tips for making maple cayenne black beans

• I know I just said this, but I’m going to emphasize it again. REMOVE THE CHILIES BEFORE SERVING. Make sure to count out how many there are in the pan as you are cooking so you know how many you have to remove at the end.
• Use the liquid from the can of beans to help thicken your beans. If you are concerned about sodium, many brands are now offering beans that are packed with no added salt.
• To make this dish gluten free, just make sure to opt for gluten free soy sauce, wheat free tamari, liquid aminos or coconut aminos.
• Feel free to add other beans as you wish. I would make this dish all the time subbing different types of beans. My go to options were either black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, etc. They all work great.
• Store these beans for up to 4 days in your refrigerator.

More Black Bean Recipes

• Zesty Chipotle Lime Black Beans
• Lemon Tahini Quinoa Salad
• Black Bean Brownies

Maple Cayenne Black Beans

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• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 3 servings 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: American

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Description

These maple cayenne black beans are everything you need for a little sweet heat. Perfect meal prep that will keep you feeling cozy.

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Ingredients

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• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2–3 dry red chilies
• 1/4 medium red onion (diced)
• 1 small green bell pepper (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp sazón
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust based on spice preference)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 can black beans with liquid

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Instructions

1. In a pan add oil and red chilies and sauté for about 1-2 minutes on medium heat.
2. Add in onions and green peppers until onions are softened.
3. Stir in garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. To the pan add paprika, sazon, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt, mixing and sautéing for an additional minute.
5. Add in tomato paste, stir well with other veggies for 1-2 minutes.
6. To your mix, add in soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup. Stir and bring to a low simmer.
7. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for about 10-15 minutes.
8. Stir well and remove chilies. Adjust salt and pepper to your liking and serve.

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Notes

• To make your beans saucy, use the whole can of beans including it’s liquid. If you are concerned about sodium, opt for a can of black beans with no salt added.
• If rinsing beans make sure to add about 1/2 cup veggie broth and mash some of the beans to thicken sauce as it cooks. 

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★ Catherine