Black Bean

Black bean is a small, kidney-shaped legume with glossy black skin and a pale interior. When cooked it turns tender and creamy while holding its shape, with a mild, earthy, slightly sweet flavor. It anchors soups, stews, rice-and-beans, tacos, burritos, salads, and purées; the cooking liquid can turn inky and savory. Common retail forms are dried and canned.\n\nDomesticated in Mesoamerica from the common bean, black bean spread across Latin America and the Caribbean and now features widely in Mexican, Cuban, Brazilian, and Southwestern U.S. cuisines. Farmers harvest mature pods for dry storage, and processors cook and pack beans for canned products.