Side Staple · Black Beans & Rice

Moros y Cristianos

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The name means 'Moors and Christians' — the black beans and white rice cooked together are a centuries-old nod to Spain's medieval Moorish and Christian populations.

Black beans are simmered with sofrito until the broth turns almost purple-black, then cooked directly with white rice so every grain soaks up the color and flavor. It's the default side dish at lunch counters and street-facing paladares across Havana and western Cuba.

Why it's made this way: Western Cuba, with Havana at its center, is moros y cristianos territory, while black beans give way to red beans and rice traditions further east — one of the clearest west-versus-east dividing lines in Cuban home cooking.