Cheesy Black Bean Bake 1-pan meal

This simple bean dish packs a ton of flavor and takes just minutes to prepare.

It’s versatile too. Spoon it into soft tortillas or over rice for a filling main dish, serve it alongside beef or chicken as a side dish or scoop it with tortilla chips as an appetizer.

It’s the kind of recipe I find myself going to again and again on those days when I don’t really feel like cooking, but I don’t want convenience food either.

I like to keep it simple and garnish it with a handful of cilantro leaves, but sliced avocado and/or jalapeno would be excellent additions.

Cheesy Black Bean Bake

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, peeled

and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons ketchup

¾ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon ground cumin 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

¼ cup boiling-hot water Salt and ground black pepper

3 to 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded Warm tortillas, cooked rice, or tortilla chips for serving Cilantro, optional garnish

Hot sauce, for serving Heat oven to 450 degrees. In an 8-inch oven-safe skillet heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the garlic and fry, stirring frequently, until garlic is lightly browned.

Watch the heat carefully, so the garlic does not burn. Stir in the ketchup, paprika, pepper flakes and cumin; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Add the beans and water and stir to combine. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Transfer skillet to oven and bake 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beans are bubbly. Serve immediately with

tortillas or rice and garnished with cilantro and hot sauce, if desired. Makes 2 main dish servings. Recipe adapted from The New York Times

(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant) Cheesy Black Bean Bake