Are you a fan of beans? I absolutely adore them in all varieties and with practically every meal. Mexican food will forever be one of my favorite comfort foods, and you can’t have Mexican food without some really good beans.

These creamy black beans are some of the best I’ve made, hands down. They’ve super simple and are loaded with flavor; when the beans are still hot, stir in the crumbled queso fresco and chopped cilantro. The creaminess of the cheese and the brightness of the cilantro will instantly fuse into the beans, and you’ll be in heaven. They’re not too runny, either, and would be great as a base for nachos!

INGREDIENTS

• Yellow onion, minced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• Fresno (or serrano) pepper, minced

• 1 c. vegetable stock

• Cilantro, chopped

• Queso fresco, crumbled

• Green onions, chopped

• 2 - 15 oz. cans of black beans, drained

• Cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt & pepper, to taste

STEPS

1) Sauté the onion, garlic and fresno pepper in a pan with olive oil over medium-high heat until the onions are translucent. Add a bit of cumin, chili powder & smoked paprika and stir well.

2) Pour in the black beans and vegetable stock and season with lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the liquid has reduced down.

3) Remove from heat, add to a bowl and stir in fresh cilantro + queso fresco. Top with green onions and additional queso fresco and cilantro. Enjoy!