Name: One-Pan Southwest Black Bean Skillet
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Southwest
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 small yellow onion, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1 cup frozen corn kernels; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1½ teaspoons chili powder; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies; Salt and black pepper, to taste; ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional); Juice of 1 lime

Let Me Tell You About My Go-To Lazy Dinner (and That One Time I Burnt the Beans)

You know those nights when you look in the fridge and think, well, am I really expected to pull off dinner again? That was me last week, staring at a lonely bell pepper and a can of black beans with about as much motivation as a wet paper towel. That’s when I remembered my old faithful—the One-Pan Southwest Black Bean Skillet. I first made this when I was trying to impress my (very much not impressed) little brother with a meal that wasn’t just cereal or toast. Spoiler: He ate thirds and asked if I’d make it next week, which pretty much counts as a standing ovation in my family. Oh, and in case you’re worried, I have only burnt the beans once—just once! And let me tell you, even charred beans have their own, uh, smoky charm. At least that’s what I told everyone at the table.

Why You’ll Love This (Or At Least Why I Keep Making It)

I make this when it’s been that kind of day and I can’t be faffed with more than one pan. My people go absolutely bonkers for this because it’s filling, got some heat (which you can dial up or down depending on the mood) and the leftovers—if there’re any—are even better the next day. Not saying I’ve hidden the last serving at the back of the fridge before, but… okay, I have. Also, clean up is a breeze. I’ve ruined my fair share of pans trying more complicated stuff, but this one is pretty much foolproof. Well, unless you do what I did and forget it on the stove while having a full-on phone rant with your mate. Oops.

Here’s What You’ll Need (Give or Take)

2 tablespoons olive oil (or veggie oil—use whatever’s handy, honestly I’ve even used butter in a pinch!)
1 medium onion, chopped as rough or fine as you like
1 bell pepper, any color (red looks snazzy, but green is usually what’s lurking in my fridge)
3 cloves garlic, minced (sometimes I cheat and use garlic paste, no judgement)
1-2 teaspoons chili powder (I go heavy, but if you’re cooking for spice wimps, start with 1)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (plain works too, but smoked gives that extra ooof)
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed (my grandma always insisted on Goya, but I think any cheapo supermarket brand is fine—don’t tell her though)
1 small can corn, drained or about 1 cup frozen (sometimes I just skip this if I don’t have any and nobody noticed)
1/2 cup chunky salsa (your favorite jarred kind works—one less thing to chop)
Salt & pepper, to taste (sometimes it hardly needs salt if your salsa is punchy)
Juice of half a lime (or roughly a tablespoon if you’re using the bottled stuff)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional—skip if you think it tastes like soap, I respect that)
Grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese for topping (if you do dairy—vegan cheese is alright but doesn’t really melt, so… your call)

How I Actually Make It (With a Little Chaos)

Stick a big skillet (nonstick is ideal but honestly any old frying pan will do) on medium heat. Splash in the oil, and swirl it a bit.
Toss in the chopped onion and bell pepper. Cook until they’re softish—about 4-5 minutes? Stir occasionally, unless (like me) you get distracted by something shiny and start scrolling your phone. Just don’t let them brown too much.
Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika. Stir, smell, and have a small moment of joy as the kitchen gets all aromatic. Sometimes I sneeze at this point, just a warning.
Dump in the beans and corn, then pour in the salsa. Mix it all up. If it looks too thick, throw in a splash of water or veg broth—it’s meant to be hearty, not soupy, but you do you.
Let it bubble gently for 7-8 minutes (this is usually where I sneak a taste and adjust salt or add more chili powder if I’m feeling wild). If it looks a bit weird—don’t worry, it sorts itself out once the cheese goes on.
Squeeze in the lime juice, stir, and scatter most of the cilantro. Top with as much cheese as your sensibilities permit. Turn off heat but cover the pan for a few minutes to let the cheese melt (or don’t, if you’re impatient like me and just want to dig in with the cheese barely starting to go gooey).
Scoop it right out of the pan to bowls (or tortilla chips if you want to make things extra fun). Dinner: handled.

Stuff I’ve Learned (Usually the Hard Way)

Lime at the end really makes the flavors pop. If you forget it, it still tastes alright, but just kind of flat. Maybe not a disaster but, y’know.
If you let it sit covered off the stove for ten minutes, everything mingles. I am not always patient enough for that, but when I am, it’s better.
I once tried doubling the beans for “more protein,” and uh, it got stodgy; stick to one can unless you have a bigger skillet.
Don’t fret if your onion is a bit old and sprouting. Just cut off the greeny bits and keep going. Waste not, want not, right?

If You Want to Mix Things Up: My Experiments

Subbed in kidney beans once—tasted fine, looked, well, kinda odd but no one really cared (except me, apparently)
Chopped zucchini tossed in with the onions is a neat way to sneak in veg
Tried making it extra spicy with chipotle in adobo: absolutely delicious, but whew, do not recommend for small kids!
Attempted with quinoa to bulk it up—it went gluey. Wouldn’t do that again unless I was really desperate

What If I Don’t Have The Right Pan?

Honestly, I use my battered old cast iron but I’ve made this in a wok, a big saucepan, even a Dutch oven once. Just, er, avoid a tiny pan or you’ll end up with stuff all over your stovetop (ask me how I know). If you need to, make it in two batches, or cut the recipe in half. Here’s a handy article about alternative pans if you want to geek out like I did one Sunday.

Keeps Well, But Rarely Lasts

You can stick leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, probably up to three days; though honestly, in my house it’s lucky to last the night. It’s actually better, maybe, day two—more flavor melds and all that. If you’re organized (unlike me), you can freeze it for a month, just skip the cheese and add that when reheating. Oh, and a quick zap in the microwave works fine for reheating—stovetop is just that little bit better in my opinion, unless you’re hangry.

How We Actually Eat This (The Real Scoop)

I like mine with a pile of tortilla chips, or spooned into warm tortillas if I’m feeling industrious. My family? They scatter extra cilantro on top and flop on the sofa to eat it like a dip. Sometimes we do a “DIY bar” with sour cream, avocado, extra hot sauce (for those who dare), and it turns into a glorified nacho party. Once, someone asked for a fried egg on top—turns out, that’s genius. If you want something lighter, a simple salad with lime vinaigrette is solid too.

Things I’ve Messed Up (So You Don’t Have To)

Trying to rush the onions; they need those few minutes to get soft or you’ll wind up with crunchy bits in your skillet. Not great.
Chucking in way too much salsa once because I was, well, distracted. Made things a bit soupy, had to let it cook down. Just go easy on the liquid, you can always add more.
Oh, and don’t forget the lime at the end! Makes all the difference (I think)

“Wait, Can I…?” (Questions I Actually Get)

Can I use pinto beans instead? Definitely! The flavor changes, but honestly, I rotate beans all the time. Sometimes I’ve even used a mix because I’m cleaning out the pantry.
How spicy is this? Well, if I’m cooking for the spice-averse, I halve the chili powder and use a mild salsa; otherwise, I go wild. Adjust it to your crowd!
Is it vegan? Yup, as long as you skip the cheese or use a vegan version. I mean, I backslide into cheese most of the time but you do you.
Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely. I think it tastes even better after a day in the fridge—almost like the flavors finally make friends.
Is fresh corn better than canned? Oh, fancy! If you have it, sure, just slice it off the cob and chuck it in. Otherwise, canned or frozen is grand.
What if I hate cilantro? Just leave it out or sub parsley, or nothing—it’ll still be tasty. My cousin says cilantro tastes like soap and refuses to eat it—more for me.
Does it freeze? It’s okay. Freeze without cheese for best results, and try to use within a month. Mine never quite makes it that long, but you might be better at restraint.

And if you’re nervous about the whole “one pan” thing—I promise, it’s hard to mess up; even my buddy, who’s notorious for burning water, has managed it! If you want to see another take on black bean skillets, I like this version on Budget Bytes for some extra inspiration.

Anyway, let me know how you get on, or if you also end up eating it straight from the pan on your lap in front of the telly (no judgement, I swear).

One-Pan Southwest Black Bean Skillet: A Lazy & Delicious Favorite