This authentic Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Beans {Frijoles Negros} recipe, is made with smoked ham hock, sofrito and traditional seasonings. Instant Pot DUO Plus, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Beans {Frijoles Negros}
Black Beans, served with Rice, are a staple in every Cuban household.
In restaurants, the Black Beans are served in a Monkey Bowl and the Rice is served on the plate with the entree.
After typing this last sentence, I decided to look up where the name “Monkey Bowl” originated.
I wish I hadn’t.
Growing up in Miami, I ate a lot of Black Beans at home and in restaurants, since I love Cuban food, so much. I learned how to cook Cuban food from my Dad’s wife.
This recipe is “authentic” because it was taught to me by someone born and raised in Cuba. So, authentic, right?
Cast of Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Beans
The ingredients are simple and few.
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Ingredients for Cuban Black Beans?
- Dry Black Beans
- Ham Hock
- Green Pepper
- Yellow Onion
- Bay Leaf
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Tomato Paste
When I make Black Beans on the stove top, I soak them overnight.
Using the Instant Pot DUO Plus, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker, no soaking is necessary.
Wash the Black Beans and Remove Debris
How do you make Cuban Black Beans?
Just toss them in a Colander and give them a good rinse.
Remove any stones or debris.
What is Sofrito?
Sofrito varies from culture to culture. Sofrito is a sauce used as a base in Latin cooking.[1]
The Cubans use Spanish Onion, Green Pepper and Tomato Paste. In the Caribbean cuisine, Sofrito is seasoned lard. In Catalan cuisine, olive oil is heavily emphasized as the third critical component. In Colombian cuisine, Sofrito is called hogao or guiso, and it is made mostly of tomato, onion, coriander, and sometimes garlic.
In Dominican cuisine, Sofrito is also called sazón, and is a liquid mixture containing vinegar, water, and sometimes tomato juice. In Ecuadorian cuisine, Sofrito is called ajito, and it is made of Spanish onions, cubanelle peppers, fresh tomatoes, roasted garlic, cilantro, and ground toasted cumin.
In Puerto Rican cuisine, Sofrito is mostly used when cooking rice dishes, sauces, and soups.
Rough Chop Green Pepper & Onions
So, now that you know about Sofrito, great Black Beans always start out with a Sofrito.
I’ve never been a fan of Green Peppers. Especially if there are large chunks in my food.
Since the Green Pepper and Onions will mostly dissolve in the Instant Pot DUO Plus, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker, don’t worry about dicing.
A good Sharp Knife and a few rough chops, will do. In my Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Bean recipe, the Green Peppers will dissolve enough, so there won’t be chunks.
The flavor it lends to the Black Beans is delicious.
Hot Pot, Cold Oil
I will be posting up more Cuban Food recipes.
Have you tried my Pressure Cooker Cuban Style Yuca con Mojo yet?
How about my Air Fryer Air Fryer Sweet Plantains {Platanos Maduros}?
Both are delicious. Typically, Platanos are served on the plate with the Rice and the main course.
Make sure to use a good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This Rachael Ray Stoneware EVOO Oil Dispensing Bottle works well for pouring in exactly the amount of oil I need.
Making the Sofrito
Why use Smoked Ham Hocks?
- Smoke Ham Hocks add a wonderful flavor. They come already smoked and are found in the fresh meat section and can be found in the freezer section.
- They are mostly fat, with just a small amount of meat.
- The fat is very flavorful and that smokiness, will release the flavor into the Black Beans.
- The flavoring the Ham Hocks gives Cuban Black Beans is really all that is needed, so no need to use chicken broth or any bouillon!
Smoked Ham Hocks usually come in packages of two or three. They freeze nicely using a FoodSaver Vacuum Bag. You can even pop one in your pot frozen!
Bam, bam and bam, this Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Beans recipe is so incredibly easy and quick!
I love that I don’t have to worry about checking a pot on the stove for hours, to make sure I’ve got the perfect simmer.
There is only a few minutes of Sautéing.
Make sure your Spatula does well with high heat.
The Tomato Paste, gets a quick Sauté too!
Pour in the Black Beans and Fresh Water
How long does it take to make Instant Pot Black Beans?
You can have the Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Beans on your table in under an hour, from start to finish!
Cuban Style Black Beans are typically served as a side dish.
You hardly ever see it served as a soup.
Arroz Congri (Cuban Rice and Black Beans) is also very a popular dish and one of my favorites dishes.
My dad’s wife’s mother always made the best Congri for Nochebuena. I will post up a recipe in the coming months.
Aleida, my dad’s wife, also taught me to make a Spanish Tortilla, which I converted for the Pressure Cooker.
It’s great to make for breakfast with my leftover Simply Delicious Air Fryer French Fries!
The Beans will Continue to Absorb Liquid
The Green Pepper will curl up and become one with the Black Beans.
Don’t forget to have a big batch of my Pressure Cooker Perfect White Rice, ready to go.
Or for a higher protein meal, check out my Pressure Cooker Black Bean Quinoa Bowls, which you will find in my Pressure Cooker Cookbook.
Scoop out some Black Beans
Don’t forget to remove the Bay leaf before mashing!
How do I get a nice consistency?
There is a little trick, I learned long, long ago, that gives my Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Beans (and stove top too), a perfect consistency.
A Measuring Cup works well for scooping out some of the Black Beans.
Mash the Beans with a Fork
SMashing the Black Beans with a Fork, is what gives the Black Beans a nice and thick-ish broth.
After adding back the SMashed Beans, simmer for a few minutes, if you like.
As I mentioned earlier, typically, Cuban Style Black Beans are not consumed as a soup.
But, if you like Black Bean Soup, skip the Simmer part and dig in now!
Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans
Can I freeze it?
- Yes, these Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Beans freeze really well.
- They reheat well in the Pressure Cooker using the Pot in Pot method.
So good.
I could eat this every, single day!
Serve with London Broil with Chimichurri Sauce and Instant Pot White Rice. A side of my Air Fryer Platanos Maduros would be fab too. It’s awesome with my Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas too!!
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
- J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Culina Stackable (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
- Alton Brown Salt Box
- Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder
- RSVP Stainless Steel Colander
- My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
- Goya Dried Black Beans
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Beans {Frijoles Negros}
Print Pin Save RateIngredients
- 1 pound Dried Black Beans
- 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 15 ounces Smoked Ham Hock
- 12 ounces Spanish Onions (or Yellow) rough chopped
- 12 ounces Green Pepper rough chopped
- 4 cloves Fresh Garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 2.5 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon White Sugar
- 2 Quarts Fresh Water
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt or to taste
- 1 Bay Leaves
Recommended Products
Instructions
- Rinse Black Beans in cold water and discard stones and bad beans.
- Select Sauté and allow pot to fully heat. Then add Olive Oil to coat bottom of pot. Add Ham Hock, Onions and Green Pepper to cooking pot and Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add Garlic, Tomato Paste, Cumin and Sugar and Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add Bay leave, Water and Black Beans to cooking pot.
- Lock on Lid and close Pressure Valve. Cook at High pressure for 25 minutes. When Beep sounds, wait 10 minutes and then release the pressure.
- Remove bay leaf and toss. Remove about 3/4 cup of the black beans and smash them well, with a fork. Stir the smashed beans back into the pot. Taste and add Salt, if needed.
- Select Sauté and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with Rice.
Notes
Nutrition
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Authentic Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Beans {Frijoles Negros}
I rarely leave comments, but I just had to tell you how much I enjoyed this recipe.
Dinner last night was these black beans with rice! It was delicious.
I haven’t had such good black beans since leaving Miami in the 1990’s.
Thank you.
Hi Lisa. Thank you so much. Jill
Sounds delicious. Since ham hock is used for smokiness. Can I substitute bacon grease instead? I always have that in my fridge! Thanks!
I grew up Cuban and never used meat in our beans. I went without it when I used this recipe and it came out perfect.
If I used a frozen (or canned) sofrito how much would I use? Will I eliminate all of those as ingredients using a pre-made sofrito?
Hi Rebecca. Yes, you can sub out sofrito for the fresh ingredients. I would start with about half a cup at least. Jill
These beans are fabulous…. I Have my own tweaks but my only problem is I never have any leftovers! So if I want to double the recipe and make 2lbs of beans how much water would I add?
These sound amazing, how do they freeze?
Thank you. They freeze nicely. Jill
This was amazing!!! Could NOT stop eating it. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much, Tammy. Jill
Can I use red beans instead of black beans?
I see you don’t use oregano in your Frijoles Negros. Is that a personal preference? I want to try these in the electric pressure cooker but wondered if I should skip the oregano which I would normally use.
I used a stove top pressure cooker and the beans were still a little too firm. The next time I will go 30 minutes and allow pressure to come down naturally. The addition of a little vinegar (either apple cider or balsamic) after cooking adds a little more zip.
I’ve never used ham hock before. It looks like little bones in it. Do you fish it out after cooking or does it sorta disintegrate?
Going to try your recipe today. How do I know how many ounces are in the onions and pepper? Is it like 3 medium onions or 1 pepper? Not sure how much to add.
Thanks!
Joyce, it depends on the onion. Try using a cup of chopped onions and one medium size pepper. Those measurements are not set in stone and you can use more or less. You can also add more seasonings after the fact. Jill
A great recipe!! Thanks for all your hard work to put all the information out for everyone to learn, Authentic Cooking
Hi Mike. Thank you so much. Jill
This is my go to recipe for Cuban black beans. Thank you so much for sharing your family recipe.
Instead of ham hock I used bacon and dashes of liquid smoke. I could eat it with white rice every day ?
Thank you, Lily! Jill
Making these tonight, for dinner tomorrow. Would you store in the fridge with the ham hocks or toss those? The house is starting to smell delicious – can’t wait to try 🙂
After removing the meat from the hocks, there is no need to keep the bones with the beans. The ham hock can be used in bone broth. Jill
This is so fabulous and even better because both my kids loved it! Thank you Jill for another awesome recipe!
Thank you, Colleen. Jill
Just got an instant pot and this was the first recipe I made. The beans came out perfectly! I added a touch more salt at the end and threw in a jalapeno pepper (halved which I pulled out before serving). I was so so happy with the success (and ok, it was quite easy! hahaa). I don’t think I’ll ever buy a can of beans again. Thanks so much!
Wonderful, I am thrilled you enjoyed my recipe. Jill
Can I make these without the ham or bacon for my kosher daughter?
Of course. I’d add a touch of liquid smoke. Look up substitutes for ham hocks and see what you can find. Jill
I.I want to use your recipe but I already soaked the beans. SHOULD I shortend the cookin time?
Ugggghgggghhhhh stop making me scroll for five minutes to get to the damn recipe!
Hi Sheila. Here is a link to my This Old Gal C.cookbook, which does not have ads. Jill
Okay Disgruntled, you want your free tried and trusted recipes and you want them NOW! It doesn’t matter what the cost, to Jill, is in time and money, right? Sorry Jill but I am flabbergasted at how entitled this comment sounds. Oh and thanks this recipe is delicious as are every other dish I have made of yours.
Thanks, Peggy. I am very happy you enjoyed my recipe. Jill
I prefer to pre-soak my beans for boom-boom (gas) reason. How would this affect pressure cooking time. Can you give me a time?
Also, I have the mini instant pot. Do I have to cut recipe in half or can I do the whole pound of beans?
My sister just told me about your site and I have to say dishes look authentic.
Yum! I am imagining this with a well chared, rare steak, and a pile of chopped sweet onions.
Hi! Just a quick question. If I soak my beans overnight, will it alter the cook time in the recipe? Thank you!
I didn’t put any stars because I haven’t made it yet! Not sure why it has a funny face icon? Sorry!
Yes, it will. Jill
The first time I made these the onion and peppers were still pretty solid. This time I cooked for 30 minutes and they were perfect. Great Cuban flavor and no more cans!
What is the purpose of sautéing the onion and peppers since they turn to mush when cooking.
I’m a vegetarian. What can I use for flavour to replace the ham/bacon?
Thanks!
They look so delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
Hi Sheena. Thank you so much. I’d love to hear how you like them. Jill
My prayers have been answered! Thank you Jill for publishing a cookbook!! You are my shero!
Hi Jill,
I clicked on the link for the Rachel Ray Olive Oil dispenser and it took me to a different product.
Thanks for all you do!
Cheryl
Hi Chery. So sorry about that, it has been corrected. Thanks so much for letting me know. I enjoy cooking and sharing, so it is my pleasure. 🙂 Jill
Hi Cheryl. The links should be fine now. Thanks so much. Jill
This looks delicious! We’ve loved all of your recipes that I’ve tried so far. Question-if using bacon instead of a hamhock, would you put it in the pot raw or cooked?
Hi Josie. Thank you so much. Good question regarding bacon. Rough chop it and saute in the beginning. Jill