What To Make With What’s On Sale: Black Beans

It’s a great sale week at several stores including Sprouts, where dry black beans in the bulk section are $0.99/lb!  Dry beans obviously require a bit more preparation than canned beans, but they are also more cost effective.

Here are some ideas for cooking with dry black beans!

This step-by-step post, How To Cook Dry Black Beans In a Slow Cooker at High Altitude, has some very helpful tips for us who live above sea level.  One of the important things to remember is that adding salt or anything acidic (such as tomatoes or vinegar) at the beginning of the cooking process will likely prevent the beans from softening.

Here’s a basic stovetop recipe, Perfect Black Beans, that’s good as written or as a starting point for a more “dressed up” dish.  Remember that at high altitude, the cooking time will need to be increased, possibly even doubled.

This hearty Black Bean Soup calls for canned beans (4 of them!) but cooked dry beans can be substituted — four cans equals about one pound of dry beans.

Here’s another soup recipe that I can’t wait to try: Black Bean Chowder with Yogurt-Cilantro Relish.  This recipe was a finalist in The Pioneer Woman’s 2008 Dairy Contest, and her photos make my mouth water!

Smitten Kitchen’s colorful and healthy Black Bean Confetti Salad — made with beans, bell peppers, onion, lime, and spices — is great alone or as a topping for a green salad.  It makes a tasty salsa or garnish as well.

This Black Bean Hummus is another way to enjoy beans.  Try it with pita chips, as a dip for raw veggies, or for added flavor on a sandwich!

Have you ever had problems cooking dry beans at high altitude?  What’s your favorite way to serve black beans?

Be sure to check out the What To Make With What’s On Sale archives for more meal-planning ideas!