Authentic Cuban dish of ropa vieja (shredded flank steak in a tomato sauce base), black beans, yellow rice, plantains and fried yuca with beer.

A bowl of Mexican-style vegetarian frijoles negros

Frijoles negros (literally "black beans" in Spanish) is a nutritious dish made with black beans, prepared in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and several other nations in Latin America. The black bean, a legume of the species Phaseolus vulgaris, are usually purchased in either canned or dried form. 1 cup of dried black beans yields approximately 2 1/2 cups of cooked beans. Black bean soup (sopa de frijoles negros) is another commonly prepared Cuban favorite.

Frijoles negros is typically seasoned with salt, ham hocks, onions and garlic, tomatoes, powdered cumin seeds, oregano, chili peppers, vinegar, and sometimes other ingredients.

Black beans are high in folate (256 mcg), iron (3.61 mg), magnesium (120 mg), and phosphorus (241 mg); they are also a source of zinc (1.92 mg), niacin (2 mg), and thiamine (.42mg) - based on 1 cup portion size.

[edit] External links

• Detailed Nutrition Information for Black Beans
• A recipe for Frijoles Negros
• A recipe for Black Bean Soup