Ingredients:

  • 1 lb dried black beans, rinsed and sorted
  • 6 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Pour dried beans into a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water. Sift through the beans to remove any small stones or shriveled legumes.
  2. Place the rinsed beans, diced onion, minced garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and olive oil into the slow cooker. Pour in the 6 cups of water or broth and stir gently to combine.
  3. Cover and cook in the slow cooker for 6 hours until the beans are mahogany-colored and tender.
  4. Stir in the sea salt and black pepper. For a creamier consistency, use a potato masher to crush approximately 10% of the beans directly in the pot and stir them back in.