Name: 10 Minutes or Less Easy Taco Beans
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Tex Mex
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 clove of garlic (minced); 1 small onion (finely diced); 1 400 g / 14 oz can of Borlotti beans; 1 tsp taco seasoning; 1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth; salt and pepper to taste

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Just how easy are these taco beans and what can I do with them?

These taco beans are great as a side dish, paired with Spanish rice, sprinkled on nachos with lots of cheese and fresh salsa or even eaten plain on its own with some hot sauce, avocado and tortilla chips.

Just sauté some onions and garlic together, add the beans, chicken broth and taco seasoning then bubble away until most of the water is gone, leaving everything coated in delicious spice.

To refry or not to refry?

If you are like me and never really cared for refried beans then you’ll probably opt out for a healthy heaping of whole frijoles negros (black beans) instead.

However, as much as I love my black beans, I simply don’t have the time to make them properly and do them justice (AND they need to be done justice).

Couple this with the fact that the proper black beans to make frijoles do not exactly grow in the hedgerows around this part of the world. I’m lucky if I can get some masa harina to make corn tortillas with.

So what is a cook to do? Improvise with canned goods apparently. Those cans of Borlotti beans are surprisingly versatile.

No, it’s not a proper substitute for the real frijoles cooked for hours with love and care. But does it satiate my craving? And does it do it without too much faff and time? You betcha’!

Chopped red onions and garlic frying in a small pot — Over medium/medium-high heat, add olive oil, diced onion and minced garlic. Cook until the onion is transparent.

Beans, chicken broth, onion, garlic and spice cooking in a pot — Add chicken broth, beans and taco seasoning. Stir to combine and increase heat. Bring to a boil.