Caribbean Black Beans With Mango-Cucumber Salsa

Citrus-kissed beans and spicy fruit finish? Yes, please. Image by author.

This Caribbean Black Beans and Mango-Cucumber Salsa recipe highlights a favorite meal Cameron and I whip up during the scorching days of summer. We perfected it when we lived in Austin, TX, where summers are hot and steamy and we often wanted a quick prep, cooling dish to chow down after cold springs hopping.

Back then, we were big fans of Austin's Barton Springs, which sits so close to downtown that you can lounge in 68 degree F water and gaze past the treetops to the state’s capitol dome, ripples of heat blurring the city scape like a gauzy watercolor. (Full disclosure: I may have imagined this last part. My sun-parched memory likes to think I could see the capitol from the pool.)

Not only is this recipe delicious, but it’s vegan, so you can tuck into a big bowl without concern over critter casualties. Even friends who eat meat have given this dish two thumbs up, and it's been a keeper on our dinner menu for over 15 years.

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Caribbean Black Beans with Mango Salsa

Serves 3

Ingredients '

For Beans:

• 1 large yellow or white onion, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained but not rinsed

• 1 cup orange juice

• Salt and black pepper, to taste
  

For Mango-Cucumber Salsa:

• 2 medium ripe mangoes, peeled, pit removed, and chopped into 1/2-inch chunks

• 1 small cucumber peeled, seeded, and diced

• 1 medium tomato, chopped

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 jalapeno, minced or dashes of favorite hot sauce to taste

• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
  

Directions

Mango Salsa:

1. In large bowl, mix mango, cucumber, tomato, lime juice, salt, chile or hot pepper sauce, and fresh cilantro, until combined.

2. Let salsa sit for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld before topping beans.

Beans:

1. Over medium heat, sauté onions in olive oil until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes, Then, add garlic, ginger, thyme, and cinnamon, and continue to sauté, stirring often to prevent sticking for another 5 minutes.

2. Add beans and orange juice, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens slightly

3. Add salt and pepper, and serve topped with salsa (and extra hot sauce if you're a pepper lover like me).