Spicy Black Beans with Cheddar, Garlic, and Chipotle
Servings: 4
Calories: 539kcal
These spicy black beans work just as well for a lazy weeknight meal as they do for a Saturday night party. It's an easy way to jazz up canned black beans.
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Ingredients
- 28 ounces canned black beans two 14 oz cans
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic
- ½ cup boiling water
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- pinch cayenne
- 1 chipotle in adobo
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Grate the cheddar cheese, slice the garlic cloves thinly.
- Heat the oil in a 10 or 12-inch oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and swirl them around in the oil for 1 - 2 minutes, until they are fragrant and translucent, just beginning to brown.
- Clear a spot in the pan and add the cumin and paprika, stir them into some of the oil and let the spices bloom for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and smoosh it around and let it sizzle for a minute, then stir to combine all the ingredients in the pan and season with a pinch of salt.
- Add the black beans and the boiling water and stir all the ingredients together. Season the beans to taste with salt.
- Top with the cheese and place in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and cheese has melted. Serve with tortillas or corn chips, and optional toppings like sour cream, jalapeños, avocados, or cilantro.
Notes
- Yes, I only call for one chile in this recipe, but don't be annoyed with me. Once you open the can, you can keep the rest in the fridge for some time, or in the freezer for quite a long time. In fact, I pulled the one I used for this recipe from the freezer.
- I tested this recipe in both a 10-inch and a 12-inch Lodge cast iron skillet. Although the original author recommended a 10-inch skillet, I saw no real difference between the two, so use what you got!
- I prefer to grate my own cheese on most occasions. It tends to melt better and have a creamier texture, because you don't have those anti-caking agents found in pre-grated cheese. I use my KitchenAid box grater and I love it. But if you have no time for me on this one, I get it. Pre-grated cheese works fine.
Nutrition
Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 1347mg | Potassium: 917mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1373IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 499mg | Iron: 6mg