Homemade Authentic Mexican Beans (Frijoles)
This easy Mexican beans (frijoles) recipe is made with pinto, black, or frijoles negros, cooked with garlic, onion, and oregano. Perfect as a side dish with tacos or grilled meats, it’s simple and versatile, made in a pot, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 264kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried beans pinto, black, white, or any other favorite variety
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1-2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 12 cups water
- 1 bunch epazote
- 1 tablespoon salt
Optional For Serving
- Queso fresco
- Mexican Cream
Instructions
- Check for a date on the beans; freshness matters. Dried beans last up to two years, but are best cooked within a year of harvest.
- Always rinse beans before cooking, and check for stray rocks, twigs and leaves.
- Wash them well and place them in a pot with clean water to soak over night. Next day, drain the water and put fresh water over them, then continue with the recipe.
- If you do not want to let them soak overnight, place the chopped onions, salt and garlic together in the pot, cover it with a lid and bring it to a boil.
- When the beans start boiling, reduce the heat and let them simmer for about 90 minutes to 2 hours until the beans are soft. The time varies based on the type of beans or how dry they are.
- Make sure that there is enough water during the cooking process. There should always be liquid covering your beans as they cook.
- To make sure your beans are cooked thoroughly, scoop up a couple of beans and blow on them. The skin should curl and wrinkle. Then taste. They are done when they’re tender and cooked through to the center (but not mushy). Let them cool in their cooking liquid.
- Before removing the beans from the heat, add the epazote.
- Serve them with salads, rice, warm corn tortillas, grilled meats etc.
Notes
- If you want to speed up the cooking process, use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. It’ll reduce cooking time to about 30 minutes.
- Got leftovers? Store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They taste even better the next day and make a great addition to tacos or cheese burritos.
- If you're in a rush, use the quick-soak method: bring your beans to a boil, then remove them from heat and let them sit for about an hour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1196mg | Potassium: 1062mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 5mg
