Do you like black beans? How about refried beans? Then you have to try unfried black beans!
Unfried black beans are cooked black beans that are seasoned and served without frying. Black beans are loaded with nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. By avoiding frying, you eliminate the need for oil. I’ve cut oil out of my diet completely and don’t miss it at all.
Easy Unfried Black Beans
This recipe highlights the natural flavor of black beans that can be incorporated into a variety of meals. Serve them with tacos, burritos, salads, wraps or empanadas. The adaptability makes unfried black beans convenient for quick meals when cooking for one or a large crowd.
Of course unfried black beans are great as a stand alone side dish too. They are also ideal for meal prepping and can be eaten hot or cold. I like to make a batch on Sunday to eat in various dishes throughout the week.
Ways to Eat Unfried Black Beans
Here are a few ideas to get you started, but the possibilities are endless when it comes to incorporating unfried black beans into your meals. Get creative!
- Tacos: Fill soft or hard taco shells with unfried black beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, and the rest of your favorite taco toppings.
- Burrito Bowl: Create a customizable burrito bowl by layering unfried black beans with cooked rice, sautéed vegetables (such as bell peppers and onions), shredded lettuce, diced avocado, and a drizzle of chipotle sauce.
- Soup: Blend unfried black beans with vegetable broth, garlic, onions, and spices (such as cumin, chili powder, and paprika) to make a creamy and comforting soup. Serve hot with a garnish of chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
- Quesadillas: Spread unfried black beans onto a tortilla, top with diced onions, and sliced jalapeños if desired. Place another tortilla on top and cook in a skillet until golden and crispy. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa and guacamole.
- Dip: Blend unfried black beans with garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and your favorite spices to make a flavorful dip. Serve with tortilla chips, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, or bell pepper strips for dipping.
- Stuffed Bell Peppers: Fill halved bell peppers with a mixture of unfried black beans, cooked quinoa or rice and diced vegetables. Bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through for a wholesome and satisfying meal.
- Avocado Wrap: Spread mashed avocado onto a whole wheat wrap, top with unfried black beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a drizzle of hot sauce or your favorite dressing. Roll up tightly and slice into pinwheels for a nutritious lunch or snack.
- Sweet Potato Hash: Sauté diced sweet potatoes, onions, and bell peppers until tender, then add unfried black beans and season with spices like smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic powder.
Unfried Black Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked black beans
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp salt (optional)
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup water (as needed)
Instructions
Step 1 – Add to Food Processor
Put beans and spices in food processor or Blendtec.
Step 2 – Blend
Process 15 to 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides and process until beans are smooth. Add water and blend again as needed.
Step 3 – Serve
Once cooked, you can serve the unfried black beans immediately, or allow them to cool for a firmer texture. They are delicious both hot and cold.
Can I Use Canned Black Beans?
If you only have canned beans, drain and rinse them. Then follow the recipe as instructed. Most cans only contain about 1 1/2 cups of beans, so you may want to reduce the spices and omit the salt entirely.
Storage
Store unfried black beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Versatile, Plant Based Mexican Recipes
If you like this recipe, you’ll love these versatile, Mexican inspired meals too:
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Rice Cooker Cilantro and Lime Rice
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Plant Based Nachos
- Instant Pot Mexican Casserole
Unfried Black Beans

Skip the oil but not the flavor with unfried black beans. This dish is great alone or served in burritos, tacos, wraps, salads, and more.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked black beans
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp salt (optional)
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup water (as needed)
Instructions
- Put beans and spices in food processor or Blendtec.
- Process 15 to 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides and process until beans are smooth. Add water and blend again as needed.
- Serve hot or cold.
Notes
To use canned beans, drain and rinse them. Then make continue with the recipe as instructed. Most cans only contain about 1 1/2 cups of beans, so you may want to reduce the spices and omit the salt entirely.
So easy and delicious; right up my alley! 😉
I actually much prefer these to regular refried beans!
I could live off of this! YUM!
I am VERY new to this lifestyle and am curious how you cook black beans or any other type of beans you use in your recipes
Hi Debra, I usually use my Instant Pot but I just got it last fall. Before that I would cook them on the stove. You can see more details on this post.
https://myplantbasedfamily.com/2012/01/18/plan-for-success/
Good luck!
I’ve had good luck cooking beans in a slow cooker, especially pinto beans, my favorite, but good for black beans too. One blogger has done experiments pre-soaking dried beans before cooking in the slow cooker to just dumping in the beans and water. Read about those experiments here: https://kalynskitchen.com/how-to-cook-dried-beans-in-crockpot/
For me it’s easier to NOT presoak beans, just dump beans, water, seasonings in the crockpot and let it rip. They turn out great.
I believe one recipe I use calls for 10 hours on high for pintos. I season the beans with cumin and sliced jalapenos. After cooking the beans in the slow cooker, assuming my Mexican GF and I don’t much them all immediately (they’re so tasty!) I’ll grab the immersion blender and blend up the beans right in the crockpot. I have a little Cuisinart stick blender that I got at Costco for $20 on sale a few years back. Works great. P.S. Don’t use any type of red beans for this method, or if you do, find instructions for pre-boiling them for 10 minutes to kill the potential toxin in red beans. For me, it’s much easier just to stick to pintos and black beans.
Lately I’ve been experimenting with canning beans in quart jars using the Nesco (formerly Carey) pressure canner. It fits 4 quart jars, wide-mouth, and cooks them up from dry, using a no-soak method, and takes about 2 hours from dry beans to cooked and canned. So far I’m finding that about 250g of dried beans plus filling the jar to about 1/4 inch of the top gives a full jar of beans with an inch+ of headroom in the jar after cooking. The results have been convenient and tasty. I had some early failures too, from not paying proper attention to jar mouth and lid sealing, but have that ironed out now. I’m still early in the discovery process, anyone reading, please educate yourself on canning safety issues before trying this. (Botulism toxin issues)
I don’t like to presoak beans easier. There have been seasons in my life where I could but now it’s easier not to.
I think I have the same stick blender. It makes pureeing hot beans so much easier. I remember years ago I used a potato masher. Not any more! So much easier now.
I’ve never done any canning so I’m a bit jealous. 🙂