Sofrito Black Beans

Step 1

Clean the beans. Pour black beans into a strainer, and rinse. Run your fingers through the beans a few times and pick out any rocks or dirt.

Step 2

Soak the beans. Pour beans into a large pot and cover by a couple inches with water. Ideally, let sit overnight. If you're running short on time you can skip the soaking step and put the beans directly on the stove, add the bay leaves and bring to a boil.

Step 3

Cook the beans. If you've soaked them overnight, drain the beans the next day, return to the pot, and cover by a few inches with fresh water. Place over medium-high heat, add bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook until beans are tender, about 1 hour.

Step 4

Make sofrito. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onions, jalapeños, and garlic and season generously with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are starting to brown and become soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, and coriander and stir to toast the spices for a couple of minutes.

Step 5

Combine sofrito and beans. Once beans are tender, add onion mixture to beans and stir to combine. If you'd like the bean broth to be thicker, let the beans cook uncovered until they are the desired thickness. Taste and season with salt. Serve!