They are one of the healthiest ingredients you can put into a meal, and they are incredibly rich in protein which is a quality a lot of people desire for their ingredients.
So, with how versatile and nutritious this ingredient is, it is surprising that not as many people use it in their cooking.
Part of the reason why black beans are so popular is that their taste can differ depending on the different ingredients you put them with, so you can make it work with plenty of different dishes.
However, there are a lot of people who avoid eating black beans and similar legumes because they do not like the flavor.
This is a shame not just because of how nutritious and protein rich they are, but also because of how many dishes can make black beans more interesting and easier to eat for those who do not like them plain.
It is worth considering that because black beans are so full of protein and can be very filling, you need to be careful when considering what you are serving them with.
This is because their flavor, and how filling they are can end up overpowering the main dish, or filling people up too much, so ensure that when sorting out portion sizes for black beans, that you keep this in mind.
So, if you are not a fan of black beans and want a way to make them more exciting, or if you like black beans and want something new to pair with them, then you need to keep reading this list.
You will be surprised at just how many different ingredients and dishes compliment black beans well or use them as an ingredient.
So, if you eat black beans regularly, or if you want to serve black beans at an event, and you want to serve them alongside something with a complementary flavor, keep reading!
Why You Should Serve Black Beans With A Side
Especially throughout North and South America, black beans are considered a staple and are eaten by plenty of different families.
Part of the reason why black beans are so popular is because of their nutritional value, for example how they contain a lot of protein, antioxidants, fiber, and carbohydrates.
They tend to have quite a mild flavor, and this means you can pair them with plenty of different foods and get great results!
There are plenty of different ways you can use or prepare black beans, and this is because of how versatile it is as an ingredient. This also means that it works very well as a side.
This is especially important because the flavor of black beans can be seen by some people as boring and not very interesting when they are just plain, this is why we strongly recommend that when you are serving black beans, that you serve them with a side to make it easier to eat!
So, if you are wondering what the best options are, here are 8 of our favorites!
Our Favorite Sides To Serve With Black Beans
Hopefully you will be able to find one suggestion of a side to serve with black beans in this list that will interest you and sounds like something you will like.
All of these dishes work very well with black beans, so make sure to consider how they will taste with the meal you are planning to serve!
This is a quick and simple side dish no one will struggle to get ready. You probably know that corn and avocado already taste great together, but what you might not know is that this also pairs great with black beans as well.
You can add black beans to this dish in multiple ways, the more simple way to is to mix your black beans into the salad to make it easy, or instead you could serve your black beans seasoned and cooked to be crispy and spicy, and then have the avocado and corn on the side as an entrée.
The flavors of the corn and the texture of the avocado is the perfect mix with black beans, and if there is one simple thing on this list you can try, this will save the most time!
If you are looking for a simple dish that will fill you up and comfort you, then there is no better choice than steamed rice and black beans.
This will always pair well with a main, but you can easily enjoy this by itself as well, especially if you add your favorite seasoning to the rice as well. It can be eaten at any time of the day and is a warm and healthy snack that will fuel you efficiently.
This is a staple combination in many cultures, and because of this there are also plenty of different options when it comes to seasoning, so start with something familiar, and then move to trying something more new to you.
One way to add plenty of flavor to your black beans is to combine them with some veggies, and one of the best ways to then make your veggies taste even better, is to roast them to bring out some of their nuanced and complex flavors.
All of these flavors meld amazingly when combined with black beans, and the black beans also make it so they have a little extra protein to make this combination a nutritionally balanced snack, side, or meal.
The best way to ensure that your vegetables will be packed with flavor is to roast them with some balsamic vinegar and garlic, with whatever spices you want to add. Our favorite vegetables for roasting are broccoli, shallots, zucchini, kale, and baby carrots.
Now for something a bit more meaty, if you are looking to get as much protein as possible out of your black beans, then we recommend adding them to a meatball dish, and if you want there to be as much flavor as possible, then making a spicy meatball dish is even better!
We love meatballs because they are super easy to prepare, and you can also customize them really easily as well, this also means that they are easy to pair with black beans, and this makes for a protein rich meal.
If you want to add some more carbs to the meal, you can also easily turn this into a pasta dish!
This chicken soup is already made more flavorful and nutritious with the kale, but if you want to add some more protein and fiber, add some black beans!
It may seem a little obvious, but pork tacos taste amazing when you add black beans, that is why this is one of our favorite combinations on the list. You can either have them as a side, or cook the black beans with the taco mix!
While bruschetta can already be customized in plenty of different ways, one of our favorites is to add some black beans as most other ways of customizing it do not include protein.
Takeaway
Hopefully this list has given you some suggestions for what will work best when served with black beans.
There are plenty of different options here, so if you are struggling to choose which will be your favorite, cross reference which ingredients you already have to the ingredients needed to see which will need you to buy the least ingredients!
Hi, I’m Aubrey, and I have been a chef for close to 8 years. Cooking has always been a passion of mine, as long as I can remember. I loved my play kitchen when I was a kid, and would offer my parents my own (albeit gross) cookie recipes to taste!
Here at ButterandSaltGatherings, I want to offer a wide range of ingredients, flavors, meals and recipes so that you can start living each day to the fullest, and enjoy only the best food.
