Moros y Cristianos

Name: Moros y Cristianos
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients: 8 cups of water; 1 lb black beans, dried; 1/4 cup Spanish olive oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 1 large pepper, finely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, pressed; 2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 teaspoon oregano, dried; 3 teaspoons cumin, ground; 1 bay leaf; 3 tablespoons white vinegar; 4 cups long grain white rice, cleaned

Save Recipe

Prep 30 min
Total 2 hr 0 min
Ingredients 14
Servings 10

Save
Print
Pinterest
Facebook
Email

Ready to make?

Save
Share
Keep Screen On

“Moros y Cristianos” is a staple in many Latin-American cuisines, especially in Cuba. I have so many memories of pulling up my chair to a mound of perfectly cooked white rice topped with the smoky, smooth flavors of Cuban black beans. In fact, many Cuban meals are anchored by this combination. This recipe stays true to my heritage, while adding a few helpful tips along the way.

by Qué Rica Vida Cocina

Updated Sep 11, 2015

Save
Share
Keep Screen On

Ingredients

8 cups of water
1 lb black beans, dried
1/4 cup Spanish olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large pepper, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
3 teaspoons cumin, ground
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons white vinegar
4 cups long grain white rice, cleaned

Directions

1

Clean your beans under running water, making sure to remove broken/bad beans or other materials.
2

In a large pot, add water and beans. Let your beans soak overnight.
3

In the same water that they soaked in, bring your beans to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until tender. This will take about 40 to 50 minutes. Do not add anything at this point or your beans will turn out tough.
4

Sauté the finely chopped onion and green pepper in the olive oil until tender. Add pressed garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, white wine vinegar and stir gently for about five minutes or until cooked.
5

Add the sofrito mixture to the beans, making sure to incorporate everything well. Continue to cook covered and on low.
6

Prepare your rice by rinsing under cold water until the water runs clear. Add rice to the beans and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked. Be sure not to uncover the pot until rice is done!
7

Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle olive oil over the rice, and fluff cooked rice gently with a fork.
8

Remove bay leaf. Serve hot.

Expert Tips

tip 1
Soaking your beans is a must! If you can’t soak them overnight, cover them with water in a pot and bring to boil. After 1 minute, turn off the heat and let beans soak for at least an hour. Boiling the beans will help soften the beans quicker.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

“Moros y Cristianos” is a staple in many Latin-American cuisines, especially in Cuba. I have so many memories of pulling up my chair to a mound of perfectly cooked white rice topped with the smoky, smooth flavors of Cuban black beans. In fact, many Cuban meals are anchored by this combination. This recipe stays true to my heritage, while adding a few helpful tips along the way.