A delicious and healthy dish to eat with any type of Mexican food. These Copycat Cafe Rio black beans are the perfect side dish to eat with burritos, salads, and enchiladas or even plain. An easy, quick, and deliciously flavorful way to take your black beans to the next level to complement any Mexican dish.
Copycat Cafe Rio Black Beans
Keep reading for the ingredients, instructions, and health benefits of this recipe.
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There is a delicious Tex-Mex restaurant here in Utah (and I think in some Western states) that has the most amazing black beans, so when I came across a copycat version of the recipe I knew I had to make it.
These make the perfect side dish or even a delicious lunch.
In the past whenever we’ve put black beans into a Mexican dish, we would simply open the can and add them to the recipe.
Little did we know- we were missing out on so much flavor.
There are so many things you can do to simple black beans to enhance their flavor and take your recipe to the next level.
These beans are so good we actually just serve them as a stand-alone side dish and people LOVE them. Even my kids (who are relatively picky eaters) go crazy for them.
I know you’ll enjoy these healthy black beans.
ARE BLACK BEANS GOOD FOR YOU?
Black beans are a healthy legume for our digestive tracts with a high bioavailability of nutrients.
Black beans are a mixture of protein and carbohydrate, but the carbohydrate type is a mixture of starch and fiber, which is beneficial for our bodies and helps us regulate blood sugar levels.
Along with providing fiber and protein, a serving of black beans is packed with many other nutrients to benefit your body. Here are a few:
- Iron- creates healthy red blood cells for delivering oxygen to your body.
- Zinc- plays a role in protein synthesis, wound healing, growth and development, and regulating your immune system.
- Folate: essential for DNA synthesis and making red blood cells, and is important for pregnant women in order to prevent birth defects.
- Thiamin: a key component of metabolizing food to give you energy.
- Copper: important for skin structure, creates healthy red blood cells as well as nerves and enzymes.
- Phosphorus: strengthens bones and teeth and helps in muscle and nerve function.
- Magnesium: also strengthens bones and maintains healthy blood pressure and energy conversion.
Many of these nutrients are important to include after exercise to help your body refuel and recover, making black beans a great post-workout food.
Other health benefits of regularly including legumes, such as black beans, in your diet include reduced risk of some cancers, lower cholesterol, and improved cardiovascular health.
And if you also eat other protein foods like meat, fish, and poultry, then black beans count as a serving of vegetables.
WHAT IS THE HEALTHIEST TYPE OF BEAN?
Beans/legumes can be comparable to many fruits and vegetables with their high nutrient and phytochemical content. They are low in fat, and high in folate, potassium, magnesium, and iron. They also provide you with fiber and protein.
Some of the highest nutrient-packed beans include black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, mung beans, and navy beans.
But ALL types of beans are a great food to regularly include in your diet for overall health and decreased risk of disease. Start eating more beans for a well-balanced diet- they are easy to make and eat, delicious, and very affordable.
Black beans are a healthy choice for a healthier you- even if you use canned beans.
CAN BLACK BEANS HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT?
Black beans can be beneficial for weight loss when included regularly in your eating plan.
Including black beans in your diet is a great way to get protein and fiber, which both help you to feel full, decrease cravings, and contribute to a lower calorie intake.
Keep your serving size to about 1/2 cup of black beans, and they will be a great addition to your healthy weight loss diet.
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These black beans are simple to make and act as the perfect side dish to any Mexican meal; or put them in burritos, tacos, enchiladas for crazy good flavor.
Hope you enjoy.
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (16 oz) can black beans, undrained
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on how much of a kick you want to add)
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon lime juice (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
- In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic over medium heat until tender.
- Add in black beans, cumin, and cayenne pepper and bring to a boil; let simmer for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
- Stir in lime juice, fresh cilantro and salt and pepper.
- Serve and enjoy!
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Looking for some healthy Mexican dishes to serve with it?
Turkey and Black Bean Enchiladas
Do you have an Instant Pot? It’s probably my favorite cooking appliance of all time. So simple, so quick, and so delicious! Check out this collection of some of my favorite healthy Instant Pot side dishes:
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