For most people, dry beans are more space-efficient than frozen beans. If time is your concern, however, freezing different kinds of cooked beans is an easy way to have the base for numerous meals ready to go. Plus, homemade cooked beans are far superior to canned beans, even if you freeze them.
These black beans can be served as a side dish or be used as a soup base to which you can add stock and other vegetables. You can also substitute these beans for chicken in this Slow-Cooker Enchiladas Recipe to make vegetarian enchiladas.
Freezable Black Beans Recipe
• 1 pound dry black beans
• 6 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1 large onion, diced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. The evening before cooking, cover beans in water and soak overnight. (This is unnecessary if you use a pressure cooker.)
2. In the morning, rinse beans and cover with stock. Bring beans to a boil, skim off any foam, and reduce heat to medium.
3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about an hour, or until beans are tender.
4. Pack beans into freezer-safe containers such as wide-mouth glass canning jars or plastic bags. Leave 1/2 inch headspace per pint, label and seal.
For more freezer-friendly recipes, read the original article, A Guide to Freezing Food.
