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Spicy Black Beans are great for a side dish, and these beans are so easy to make in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker! And a side dish of spicy beans with cilantro may be a bit of a splurge on carbs, personally I’d eat this occasionally to feed my cilantro-loving taste buds!

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Spicy Black Beans with Cilantro finished beans in serving bowl

Spicy Black Beans are a great side dish that’s perfect to go with Mexican food! And I’m updating a favorite slow cooker recipe, so now you can make these Spicy Black Beans with Cilantro in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot.

The flavorful black beans were so easy to cook in the Instant Pot without soaking the beans first. However, it’s important to use fresh beans when you’re not soaking them; the ones that have been on the store shelf or in the pantry for a while will take much longer to cook.

The black beans cook in vegetable stock with minced garlic and dried cilantro, and if you have some I’d add the Mexican herb called Epazote. When they’re cooked the beans get spicier with chopped cilantro, diced green chiles, and some lime juice that cooks with the beans for a few minutes at the end.

And we loved the tomato, green onion, and cilantro mixture served on top of the beans, but purchased guacamole was also amazing with these beans! This recipe may not be for people who don’t enjoy cilantro or anyone who’s strictly limiting carbs, but personally I’d eat these Spicy Black Beans occasionally for a treat.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)

Why do I use Epazote in the spicy black beans?

Epazote is a perennial herb that’s used in Mexican cooking, especially to add to beans. It can be used fresh but Dried Epazote (affiliate link) is most common in the U.S. and adding some Epazote to your beans not only adds flavor, but it makes beans easier to digest. Don’t use too much or you might not like the strong flavor, although cooking mellows the flavor, and I think it’s especially good with black beans.

How spicy are the black beans?

This recipe only uses one can of diced green chiles (affiliate link), and in the U.S. those will always be mild Anaheim chiles. If you’re really not sure about that, you can definitely use half the can to start and then add more when you taste the cooked beans.

How high in carbs are the Spicy Black Beans?

These black beans with cilantro do have 31 net carbs per serving, but the beans also have 13 grams of protein. If I was going to indulge in black beans, I’d eat them with an extra low-carb main dish.

What Size Instant Pot Did I Use?

I use a 6 Quart Instant Pot (affiliate link) for all my Instant Pot Recipes and that’s what I used for the black beans with cilantro.

Spicy Black Beans with Cilantro process shots collage

How to make Spicy Black Beans with Cilantro:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the instant pot version of the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe that includes slow cooker instructions. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Put black beans in the Instant Pot with broth, oil, Minced Garlic (affiliate link), dried cilantro (affiliate link), and Epazote (affiliate link) (if using.)
  2. Lock lid and set Instant Pot to MANUAL, HIGH TEMPERATURE, 45 minutes.
  3. When time ends, let it natural release 20 minutes, then quick release. 
  4. While beans cook, chop cilantro and get diced green chiles and fresh lime juice ready.
  5. When Pressure is released stir in chopped cilantro, diced green chiles and lime juice. Use SAUTE, MEDIUM TEMPERATURE, and cook 5 minutes.
  6. While that cooks, chop up diced tomatoes and slice green onion if you’re making the tomato topping. 
  7. Combine sliced green onion, diced tomatoes and the rest of the chopped cilantro with lime juice and olive oil to make the tomato topping.
  8. We also loved the Spicy Black Beans with this favorite purchased guacamole on top if you don’t have fresh tomatoes or don’t want to bother making the tomato mixture!

Make it a Meal:

Spicy Black Beans with Cilantro would be perfect with any of these low-carb main dishes:

Spicy Black Beans with Cilantro finished beans

Want Low-Carb Mexican Food:

Check out my collection of Keto Mexican Food Dinners if you want Mexican flavors without too many carbs!

Spicy Black Beans with Cilantro finished beans
Yield: 8 side dish servings

Spicy Black Beans with Cilantro

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Additional Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Spicy Black Beans with Cilantro are great for a side dish, and this recipe has instructions for making the black beans in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker!

Ingredients

For Beans in Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

  • 1 lb. dried black beans (see notes)
  • 4 cups vegetable stock ( see notes)
  • 1 T dried cilantro
  • 1 T minced  garlic (see notes)
  • 1 tsp. dried Epazote (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (measure after chopping)
  • one 4 oz. can diced green chiles
  • 2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice

For Tomato-Cilantro Salsa (if using)

  • 1/4 cup sliced green onion
  • 2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (measure after chopping)
  • 2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • 1 T olive oil

Instructions

  1. Put black beans in the Instant Pot with vegetable broth, olive oil, minced garlic, dried cilantro, and Epazote (if using.)
  2. Lock lid and set Instant Pot to MANUAL, HIGH TEMPERATURE, 45 minutes.
  3. When cooking time ends, let it natural release 20 minutes, then release the pressure.
  4. While beans cook chop cilantro and get diced green chiles and fresh lime juice ready.
  5. When Pressure is released stir in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, can of diced green chiles and 2 T lime juice.
  6. Use SAUTE, MEDIUM TEMPERATURE, and cook 5 minutes.
  7. While that cooks, chop up diced tomatoes and slice green onion if you're making the tomato-cilantro mixture.
  8. Combine sliced green onion, diced tomatoes and the rest of the chopped cilantro with lime juice and olive oil to make the tomato topping.
  9. We also loved these Spicy Black Beans with purchased guacamole on top if you don't have fresh tomatoes or don't want to bother making the tomato mixture!


Slow Cooker Instructions:

1. The night before you plan to cook this, rinse beans and pick out broken pieces.

2. Place beans in a large slow cooker (at least 4 quarts), cover with cold water by several inches, and soak overnight.

3. The next morning, rinse and drain beans, then place beans, stock, dried cilantro, minced garlic, and dried Epazote (if using) in Slow Cooker.

4. Cook all day on low, 8-10 hours for very soft beans. (If you want firmer beans, start to check after about 7 hours.

5. When beans are as soft as you prefer, wash fresh cilantro and dry well. (I used a salad spinner.)

6. Chop enough cilantro to measure one cup (or less if not making tomato mixture).

7. Turn slow cooker to low and stir in 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, diced green chiles, and lime juice.

8. Let beans cook 20-30 minutes more.

9. Serve immediately, garnished with tomato/cilantro mixture if desired.

Notes

For the slow cooker beans will cook better if they're soaked overnight.

I love Epazote (affiliate link) in dried beans, but it's completely optional.

You can use chicken stock if you prefer.

Minced garlic from a jar is fine for this.

Recipe created by Kalyn.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 233Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 341mgCarbohydrates 41gFiber 10gSugar 4gProtein 13g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

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© Kalyn Denny
Category: Instant Pot

Spicy Black Beans with Cilantro shown in serving bowl with limes and Green Tabasco Sauce.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Spicy Black Beans cooked either in the Instant Pot or the Slow Cooker make a perfect side dish for any phase of the original South Beach Diet and they’re also good for low-glycemic diets. Dried beans are high in carbs for a strict low-carb diet plan, but I would eat these occasionally for a treat, served with an extra low-carb main dish.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Instant Pot or Slow Cooker for more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
The Slow Cooker version of these Spicy Black Beans was first posted in 2006 and updated in 2012. The post was updated in September 2020 with slow cooker and Instant Pot instructions, and it was last updated with more information in 2025.

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