Frijoles de la Olla

Name: Frijoles de la Olla
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 17 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 cups dried pinto or black beans, picked over and rinsed; 8 cups water; 1/2 white onion, halved; 3 garlic cloves, whole; 2 sprigs epazote (or 1 bay leaf as substitute); 2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil; 1.5 tsp salt, added at the end; to taste Chopped cilantro, for garnish; to taste Crumbled queso fresco, for garnish (optional)

Frijoles de la Olla — "beans from the pot" — is the simplest, most fundamental way Mexican households cook dried beans: slowly simmered with onion, garlic, and epazote until creamy and deeply savory in their own broth. Serve as a side or the base for countless other dishes.

By YumYum Editorial · Mexican

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 2 min · Total: 17 min · Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cups dried pinto or black beans, picked over and rinsed
8 cups water
1/2 white onion, halved
3 garlic cloves, whole
2 sprigs epazote (or 1 bay leaf as substitute)
2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
1.5 tsp salt, added at the end
to taste Chopped cilantro, for garnish
to taste Crumbled queso fresco, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

If time allows, soak the dried beans in water overnight to shorten the cooking time; drain and rinse before cooking.
Place the beans in a large pot with the 8 cups of water, onion half, garlic cloves, epazote, and lard.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and partially cover the pot.
Simmer for 1.5-2 hours (longer if unsoaked, up to 2.5 hours), checking occasionally and adding hot water if the level drops below the beans.
Beans are done when they are fully tender and creamy, easily mashed between two fingers.
Remove and discard the onion, garlic, and epazote sprigs (or leave the garlic in and mash it into the broth for extra flavor).
Stir in the salt only once the beans are fully tender — adding it too early can toughen the skins.
Ladle into bowls with plenty of the flavorful broth, and garnish with cilantro and queso fresco.