Looking for a fun way to enjoy black beans? This Caribbean black beans recipe sounds exotic, but it’s made with traditional ingredients and a cooking time of 10 minutes. Its bright flavors make it perfect for summer picnics and an excellent side dish.
When was the last time you used guava in a recipe?
I have always eaten it by itself or with chili pepper or tajin. I never thought of using it in a recipe.
Until now….
🛒 Ingredients
Here is a quick look at the ingredients. It is to understand why these specific ingredients were chosen. To get the full recipe, go to the bottom of this post.
Black Beans – These tiny gems are a nutrition powerhouse! 1 cup of these beans has 15g of protein in it. That includes 50% of Phenylalanine and Lysine, 48% of Leucine and Isoleucine, and a whopping 61% of Histidine. Don’t understand complete proteins? I have a complete guide on what is a complete protein. Additionally, it has fiber and essential minerals. Source: Aminoco.Com, Myfitaudit.com, and URMC.
Guava – If you grew up Spanish or Indian, you might have eaten this fruit frequently. This tropical fruit is loaded with fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and essential minerals. The fleshy texture of the fruit makes it perfect for salads and snacks. Source: Shape.com and Dr. Axe. Word of caution: It has tiny seeds that might cause difficulty for those with dental issues.
Mini Sweet Peppers – Their biggest asset is that they are packed with Vitamin C. Just one serving of mini sweet pepper can give you over 200% of your daily RDA. Choose the mini red pepper because they have the most Vitamin C. Source: EatThisMuch.com. Can be subbed with green peppers, large red bell peppers, or yellow bell peppers.
🌱 Guava tip: Guava has tiny seeds that can be hazardous to little kids and those with dental issues.
🪜 How to make Caribbean style black beans
For those using a food scale, I have listed the precise weights in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Prepping the Black Beans
- Open the can of beans and dump the contents into a sieve. Rinse the black beans with cold water until ALL the liquid that it was preserved in is gone! The beans will weigh about 257g after they have been rinsed.
- Place a skillet on the stove and heat for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add the oil and black beans to the pan and mix well to coat them with the oil. I use avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil for all my recipes. Do NOT use vegetable oil.
Step 2: Flavoring the Black Beans
3. Add all the ingredients, except the guava, to the pan. Add 2 cloves garlic, if you like the taste (I used only one). If you are using jalapeno for spicy flavors, add it now. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes on low heat.
4. Chop the Guava and add it to the black beans. Gently mix and turn off the heat.
Step 3: Finishing Up
5. Drizzle the lemon juice and mix gently. Transfer to a large bowl.
6. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve. You can also garnish with chopped onion or green onion.
🔪 Handy Tip: Chop the guava after the black beans and ingredients have cooked for 3 minutes. This way, the guava won’t get mushy.
🥭 Guava substitutes
Guava is not always in season or easy to find. Also, its seeds issue can turn people off from this recipe. Before you dump this recipe, here are some other fruits you can use in its place. Which one is your favorite?
- Mangoes
- Pears
- Pineapple or pineapple juice
- Avocado
- Apples
- Persimmons
🛒 Where to buy guava: Guava is easy to find anywhere. It’s in the fruit section at Walmart. Or, get it from any Latin and Indian grocery store.
❓ Answering common questions
Black beans are low in methionine, which means they are not a complete protein. Pair it with Quinoa or long-grain brown rice to get a complete protein meal. Check out my list of 8 complete protein recipes.
Yes, if you are not a fan of frijoles negros, you can use: cannellini beans, navy beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans, pigeon peas, or even lentils.
I just used only cumin seasoning for this recipe. In the past, I have used chili pepper, tajin, and lemon pepper. The best seasoning to use here would be (Affiliate Link) Jamaican jerk seasoning.
Absolutely! I prefer using black beans because canned have preservatives. Soak ½ cup of black beans in warm water. Add ¼ tsp of baking soda to the water and soak for 8 hours to overnight. The next day, cook them in the pressure cooker or the Instant Pot. Use the high pressure option and choose the “Bean/Chili” option. You can also cook them in the slow cooker for 8 hours.
🧂 Seasoning Tip: For a true Caribbean taste experience, use Jamaican Jerk Seasoning to flavor these black beans.
⏰ Make ahead and storing leftovers
This Caribbean black beans recipe is easy to make ahead. If you are taking it to picnics or potluck parties, make it the night before. For use in meal prep recipes, make it about 7 days in advance and use it up within a week.
Only chop and add the room-temperature guava when you are ready to serve. So, make this recipe ahead of time without the guava.
For meal prep, I always put them into these (Affiliate Link) glass meal prep containers. When I am ready to eat it, I just put the container (without the lid) into a 200°F mini oven and heat for 5 minutes. Then, I add the guava and devour it.
These black beans are freezable, but I try to use them up within one month of making them. Freeze them in a freezer-friendly container and heat them in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes. The heat time will depend on how long they have been frozen. As always, don’t freeze the guava with the beans.
Leftover Caribbean black beans can be refrigerated for up to one week.
🧊 Meal Prep Tip: Do not freeze or add the guava to meal prep containers. It will lose its texture and flavor when frozen. Add it minutes before it is consumed.
🍽 How to serve these black beans
These black beans are great by themselves! I love to eat them for lunch, especially in the summer. The first time I made it, I took it to my local park and enjoyed it while reading a good book and getting in my Vitamin D.
They make an excellent side dish to cauliflower rice and vegan sausage, stuffed poblanos, mini crunch wraps, and cooked rice like saffron rice (made with basmati white rice).
The other thing I have done with these beans is to turn them into a burrito. I add guacamole, salsa, brown Caribbean rice, and tofu crumbles or air fryer tempeh. Then, I wrap it in a tortilla and go to town on it.
What delicious recipes will you pair these Caribbean black beans with?
🌯 Serving tip: Add some tofu and/or tempeh to these black beans and turn it into a burrito.
🌶 Spice it up
Can you handle the heat? Spice up these Caribbean black beans recipe by adding any of these hot peppers:
- Jalapeno
- Habanero
- Red pepper
- Scotch bonnet peppers
- Aji dulce
- Hot sauce
🫘 Try these other bean recipes
I love this hearty, protein-rice Instant Pot quinoa and red beans recipe for lunch or dinner. If you like a variety of beans in your meal, try my beet chili and 3-bean chili. For taco Tuesday, this loaded tostada always hits the spot.
What is your favorite way to use beans?
💌 Sharing is caring
Don’t be shy, chime in below in the comments. Let me hear your opinion on this Caribbean black beans blog post. If you enjoyed this, please give it 5 stars and share it on Facebook, Pinterest, Flipboard, Twitter, and Instagram.
Caribbean Black Beans Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 can black beans 257g after rinsing
- 1½ Tbsp avocado oil 23g
- 1 mini sweet pepper, red 16g
- ¼ cup pickled onions
- 1 clove garlic minced, 4g
- ½ tsp salt 2.5g
- 1 tsp cumin powder 5g
- 1 guava 57g
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice 5ml
- 2 stems cilantro 2g when chopped
Optional ingredients
- 1 jalapeno 18g
- ¼ tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning adjust to taste
Instructions
Step 1: Prepping the Black Beans
- Open the can of beans and dump the contents into a sieve.1 can black beans
- Rinse the black beans with cold water until ALL the liquid that it was preserved in is gone!
- Place a skillet on the stove and heat for 30 seconds on medium heat.
- Add the oil and black beans to the pan and mix well to coat them with the oil.1½ Tbsp avocado oil
Step 2: Flavoring the Black Beans
- Add all the ingredients, except the guava and cilantro, to the pan.1 mini sweet pepper, red, ¼ cup pickled onions, 1 clove garlic, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp cumin powder
- Add your optional ingredients now.1 jalapeno, ¼ tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning
- Chop the Guava into small pieces and add it to the black beans.1 guava
- Gently mix and turn off the heat.
Step 3: Finishing Up
- Drizzle the lemon juice and mix gently1 tsp fresh lime juice
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve.2 stems cilantro
Notes
Food Scale Weight
257g Black Beans
23g avocado oil
16g mini red bell pepper
27g pickled onions
4g garlic clove
2.5g salt
5g cumin powder
57g guava
5ml lime juice
2g cilantro
Warning: Guava tip: Guava has tiny seeds that can be hazardous to little kids and those with dental issues. – Chop the guava after the black beans and ingredients have cooked for 3 minutes. This way, the guava won’t get mushy. – Guava is easy to find anywhere. It’s in the fruit section at Walmart. Or, get it from Latin and Indian grocery stores. – For a true Caribbean taste experience, use Jamaican Jerk Seasoning to flavor these black beans. – Do not freeze or add the guava to meal prep containers. It will lose its texture and flavor when frozen. Add it minutes before it is consumed.
I appreciated the tip about adding the guava later to keep it from getting mushy. That was very helpful! Such a simple yet flavorful dish! Yum! Yum!
Thank you, Hazel.