Soupy Black Beans with Cotija

Photos, recipe, and pottery by Allie Stack.

Allie Stack is an Asheville based ceramic artist who makes functional, brightly colored pottery with whimsical drawings often depicting items from our daily lives. To learn more about her, visit her website at: www.alliestackeramics.com and find her on instagram at: @allie.stack   

Ingredients

• 2 cans black bean, undrained 

• 1 yellow or red onion, diced 

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

• 1 jalapeno, diced 

• 1 non-spicy pepper, diced (can be bell, cowhorn, sweet, etc) 

• 1 handful of cherry tomatoes (doesn’t need to be exact), sliced in half 

• 1 teaspoon cumin 

• 1 teaspoon chili powder 

• Juice and zest of 2 limes 

• Cilantro, chopped for topping 

• Cotija, crumbled for topping 

• Salt, pepper and olive oil 

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat, add jalapeno, pepper, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes, until softening and starting to brown. Add in cumin and chili powder and cook for 1-2 more minutes. 

2. Add in tomatoes and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until they are beginning to break down, mash slightly with back of cooking utensil. 

3. Add the beans with the bean liquid and bring to a simmer. Season with more salt and pepper and simmer for about 5 more minutes. Turn off heat and mix in lime zest and juice. 

4. Finish with the toppings - sprinkle cotija and cilantro on top. Enjoy with tacos, as a side dish or eat with chips!