These Homemade Cuban Black Beans are the perfect addition to any Latin-inspired dish.

The sound of chopping against a wooden cutting board brings me back to my childhood, sitting at the counter of my grandparents’ Miami home, watching my mother and grandmother orchestrate a meal, usually of the Cuban cuisine. Ropa vieja, bistec de palomilla, fricase de pollo, arroz congri… these are just some of my favorites. This kitchen setting has traveled from my childhood through my young adulthood, except now I am not just watching, but partaking in the cooking choreography.

There is always wine. We each have our designated glass sitting on the counter that we periodically grab to take a sip, while simultaneously pouring wine from the bottle to the pot or pan. There is always music coming out of the speakers. The TV is off, and everyone is congregating at the kitchen counter or table, conversing and sometimes dancing. Food, however, is always the main event. This Saturday, my mother, whom I sometimes refer to as the exec chef (or jokingly my sous chef if I’m the exec that night) put on her apron and took the reigns. Ropa vieja was on the menu, with rice and black beans (made from scratch) and the usual salad with avocado. Since I’ve previously shared a recipe for ropa vieja, I want to highlight the beans.

If you have the time, dry beans are the way to go. Canned beans are easy, but they can be pulpy and overly-salted. Besides, what’s better than a 79-cent bag of beans? Here’s how to make authentic Cuban black beans…

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Thanks to my mom for providing The Blissful Balance with mouthwatering content!