Cheesy, Spicy Black Bean Bake

By Ali Slagle

Published March 17, 2020

  • A cast-iron skillet is full of cheesy, spicy black-bean bake with bottles of hot sauce and tortilla chips nearby.
    Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(11,862)
Comments
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Whether or not you’ve fallen for this cheesy white-bean tomato bake, we’d like you to meet its bolder counterpart, smoky and spiced, with lots of melty cheese. Black beans shine in a deep-red mixture of fried garlic, caramelized tomato paste, smoked paprika and cumin. The whole skillet gets coated in a generous sprinkling of sharp Cheddar or Manchego cheese, then baked until melted. The final result is what you hope for from a really good chili or stew, but in a lot less time. For a spicier rendition, add a pinch of cayenne with the paprika, or douse the final skillet with hot sauce. Serve with tortillas, tortilla chips, rice, a baked potato or fried eggs.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

  • ¼ cup tomato paste

  • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

  • ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

  • ½ cup boiling water

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 1 ½ cups grated Cheddar or Manchego cheese (from about a 6-ounce block)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

41 grams carbs; 63 milligrams cholesterol; 553 calories; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 32 grams fat; 15 grams fiber; 824 milligrams sodium; 28 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 475 degrees. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Fry the garlic until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, red-pepper flakes and cumin (be careful of splattering), and fry for 30 seconds, reducing the heat as needed to prevent the garlic from burning.

  2. Step 2

    Add the beans, water and generous pinches of salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top then bake until the cheese has melted, 5 to 10 minutes. If the top is not as browned as you’d like, run the skillet under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
11,862 user ratings
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Comments

faisane

Even quicker (and more energy-efficient) to make on the stovetop - add the cheese, cover the skillet, and the cheese will melt. For browning run it briefly under the broiler.

Jeff

Delicious. Easy. Great dip for a football game party, and Easy to double in quantity if needed. I would add sautéing a diced onion at the beginning next time.

RAMJ

We enjoy beans as a diet staple. This can be a main dish served with tortilla chips or used as a side with tacos, burritos or enchiladas Try adding a can of spicy enchilada sauce in addition to the tomato paste in this recipe. Try blending whole beans with refried beans. I like adding onion and also a little minced garlic, perhaps some sauteed jalapeno or serrano peppers. Never wrong to sprinkle in a liberal dose of freshly cracked peppercorns. I will pour a few squirts of habanero sauce on top.

Sarah

I would love to bring this to a picnic. Has anyone ever made this in a slow cooker and have tips? Or could it be eaten cold? Just brain storming..

Mika

This is tasty, easy, and pretty quick, but I'm not sure what is "spicy" in the original recipe. Following other commenters here, I added a whole onion (sauteed before the garlic), half a jar of pickled jalapeños, and vegetable broth instead of the hot water. It was quite lovely, but still by no reasonable measure spicy.

Margaret

Great recipe! I never drain black beans as their liquor makes for a great sauce. Added a few tomatoes that needed to be used up. Will make regularly. I used gochugaru flakes instead of red pepper flakes, as that is what I had in the cupboard. Will definitely make again

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Credits

By Ali Slagle

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