Name: Slow Cooker Black Velvet Beans
Yield: Makes 6 cups (1½ L) or about 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups (500 mL) dried black beans, sorted and rinsed; 6 cups (1½ L) water; 2 dried Mexican avocado leaves; 1 tbsp dried epazote; 1 white onion, diced; 1 yellow bell pepper, stems and seeds removed, and diced; 1 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil; 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 1 Tbsp minced chipotles en adobo; 1 Tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground; 2 tsp sea salt; 3 Tbsp sour orange juice (or 2 Tbsp orange juice + 1 Tbsp lime juice); ¼ cup (60 mL) fresh cilantro leaves

Photo of Black Velvet Beans in a bowl with a spoon and cilantro garnish.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce

Catriona first tasted delicious black beans on a childhood trip to the Yucatán. Luz’s recipe brings together the flavors of Mexico’s Gulf Coast with the anise-like flavor of Mexican avocado leaves and the tang of sour oranges. These beans have a delightful velvety texture.

Recipe information

Yield
Makes 6 cups (1½ L) or about 8 servings

Ingredients

2 cups (500 mL) dried black beans, sorted and rinsed

6 cups (1½ L) water

2 dried Mexican avocado leaves

1 tbsp dried epazote

1 white onion, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, stems and seeds removed, and diced

1 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 Tbsp minced chipotles en adobo

1 Tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground

2 tsp sea salt

3 Tbsp sour orange juice (or 2 Tbsp orange juice + 1 Tbsp lime juice)

¼ cup (60 mL) fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation

Step 1
In a slow cooker on high heat, add beans and water.
Step 2
On a griddle on high heat, toast avocado leaves for a few seconds on each side, until aroma is released. Using fingers, crumble into bean pot, along with epazote.
Step 3
In a large frying pan on medium heat, sauté onions and bell peppers in oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, chipotle, and cumin and sauté for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to bean pot. Cook beans on high for 4–6 hours or low 6–9 hours, or until skins are soft and insides are creamy. Add salt and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Before serving, stir in sour orange juice and garnish with cilantro leaves.

Cover of the cookbook featuring a bowl of soup topped with shredded cabbage, radish slices, cilantro, and lime wedges.

From Decolonize Your Diet: Plant-Based Mexican-American Recipes for Health and Healing by Luz Calvo and Catriona Rueda Esquibel (published by Arsenal Pulp Press, 2015). Excerpted with permission from the publisher. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.

TagsMexican Latin American Black Bean Bean and Legume Vegetable Chipotle Chile Orange Citrus Fruit Main Side Dinner Dairy Free Gluten Free Nut Free Vegan Vegetarian Easy Simmer Slow Cooker Cookbooks

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

27 Black Bean Recipes for Easy, Hearty Meals
Our favorite ways to cook black beans, whether you start with canned or dried.
51 Best Slow-Cooker Recipes for Set-It-and-Forget-It Meals
Fuss-free, comforting weeknight dinners, cozy breakfasts, and anytime desserts—all from your slow cooker.

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

27 Black Bean Recipes for Easy, Hearty Meals

51 Best Slow-Cooker Recipes for Set-It-and-Forget-It Meals