Venezuelan home cooking made practical for an American kitchen.

recipe

Caraotas negras: Venezuelan black beans

Dried black beans with a separate onion-and-pepper sofrito, finished to the right consistency for rice, pabellón or arepa filling.

AI editorial review: 2026-10-22

Researched recipe; not cooked or tested by Culinara.

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Ingredients and method

Planned for about 6 side portions; the finished volume depends on reduction

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
  • 10 cups cold water for soaking, discarded afterward
  • 8 cups fresh water for cooking, plus hot water as needed to keep the beans covered
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 1 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup finely diced, seeded ají dulce, or another 1/3 cup red bell pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste

Method

  1. Put the beans and soaking water in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse. This recipe is for dried black beans, not canned beans or black soybeans.
  2. Put the soaked beans in a 5- to 6-quart pot with 8 cups fresh water. Bring to a full boil, then reduce to a steady gentle simmer and partially cover. Keep the beans under water, adding hot water as needed. Begin checking after about an hour; older beans may need substantially longer.
  3. Before adding the sofrito, check several beans from different parts of the pot. They should mash easily with a fork and have no hard, chalky center. Continue cooking until they do. Retain the cooking broth.
  4. Meanwhile, warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and both peppers until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly without browning it, then stir in the cumin. Scrape this mixture into the tender beans along with the salt.
  5. Simmer uncovered, stirring along the bottom, until the broth lightly coats a spoon and the vegetables have blended into it. Allow roughly 15 to 30 minutes for this finishing stage, but use the consistency to decide. If it becomes too thick, add a little hot water. Taste and adjust salt.
  6. Serve moist with rice. If using the beans inside arepas, transfer only the needed portion to a skillet and reduce it further until it stays on a spoon without dripping. Refrigerate the remainder promptly.

Why the sofrito goes in after the beans soften

Caraotas negras are black beans; the seasoning and amount of broth differ among Venezuelan households. Here the dried beans soften first, and the separately cooked onion, sweet peppers, garlic and cumin season them afterward. The finished beans remain whole in a thick broth.

This version contains no bacon, chorizo or added sugar. Sweetened versions exist, and a diner who prefers that contrast can sweeten a separate portion. A smoky canned-bean recipe is a useful shortcut, but it is not the same cooking schedule as a pot of dried beans.

Sources: [1] [2]

Bean age matters more than the clock

Buy a bag with good turnover and allow flexibility in the meal plan. If a bean still has a firm center, keep simmering before reducing the broth. A dry surface or split skin does not tell you whether the middle has softened.

Nebraska Extension recommends refrigerating an overnight soak, draining it and cooking in fresh water. This formulation follows that process and omits baking soda. Do not add tomatoes, vinegar or lime while trying to soften stubborn beans; acidic ingredients can delay tenderness.

The broth thickens further as the beans stand. Stop the reduction a little looser than the final texture you want, especially if you plan to reheat them.

Sources: [3]

US shopping notes and substitutions

Ají dulce brings fragrance without the heat of a typical habanero. Bell pepper is the practical fallback here; the result will have a simpler pepper aroma. Mince the vegetables finely enough that they do not dominate a spoonful.

Use the same finished beans for a bowl of rice and beans or for a dominó-style arepa with grated white cheese. Add cheese at serving so the stored batch remains dairy-free; check the cheese and other package labels if an allergy is relevant.

Sources: [1]

Store beans with some of their broth

Divide into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F, at 40°F or below. Use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat portions to 165°F, stirring and adding water if needed; bring the broth to a boil.

Sources: [4]

Research sources

  1. Venezuelan Cooking (MW) — Caraotas Negras (checked 2026-10-22)
  2. Jani Díaz, Laylita — Pabellón criollo venezolano (Spanish) (checked 2026-10-22)
  3. Nebraska Extension — How to Cook Dry Beans from Scratch (checked 2026-10-22)
  4. USDA FSIS — Leftovers and Food Safety (checked 2026-10-22)