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(11,626)
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 monosaturated 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
11,626 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.

Kelli

I’ve added chili in adobo and it’s a nice spicy and Smokey touch!

Laura

Clearly this is an easy and satifying dip. It really sang for me today as the star of burrito straight from my freezer. I filled flour tortillas, wrapped in plastic wrap and froze a few weeks ago. I wrapped it in a wet paper towel and microwaved it for 2 minutes. Then I actually paused mid keystroke at my desk to mindfully savor my lunch. Thank you for being my rose of the day.

veronica

started cooking and realized i was short on tomato paste. subbed half with adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers). delicious!

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Credits

By Ali Slagle

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