Frijoles de la olla

Mexican slow-simmered pot beans

Origin: Mexico / Mesoamerica

From the journey of Beans.

Frijoles de la olla ('beans from the pot') is one of the oldest continuously prepared dishes in the Americas. Beans have been cultivated in Mesoamerica for over 7,000 years, and this technique of simply simmering them with aromatics in a clay pot (olla) is essentially unchanged from what pre-Columbian cooks were doing thousands of years ago. In Mexican cooking, frijoles de la olla are the fundamental preparation (the mother recipe from which refried beans, bean soups, and countless other dishes are made. They are eaten at nearly every meal: for breakfast with eggs, at lunch as a side in their broth, or at dinner alongside rice and meat. The beans are always cooked gently, from dry, often in a traditional ceramic olla that imparts a subtle mineral quality. Epazote) a pungent Mexican herb: is the traditional aromatic addition, said to reduce the digestive effects of beans. The dish represents one of the world's oldest food traditions: simple, nourishing, and essentially perfect.

Ingredients

Main

500 g dried black beans or pinto beans (about 2½ cups), soaked overnight

Aromatics

1 white onion, halved
4 garlic cloves, peeled
3 sprigs of epazote (or 2 bay leaves as substitute)

Liquid

2 litres water, approximately

Seasoning

1.5 tsp salt, added at the end

Fat

2 tbsp lard or neutral oil (optional, for richness)

Method

Drain the soaked beans and rinse under cold water. Discard any discoloured or damaged beans.
Place the drained beans in a large heavy pot (an earthenware olla is traditional but any heavy pot works). Add the onion halves, garlic cloves, and epazote or bay leaves. Cover with cold water by about 5 cm / 2 inches. Add the lard or oil if using.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming any foam that rises. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered, for 1–1.5 hours until the beans are completely tender: they should crush between your fingers with no resistance.
Season generously with salt. Remove and discard the onion, garlic, and herb sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning. The beans should be swimming in a thick, savoury, slightly purplish-black broth.

Notes

Frijoles de la olla are served in their broth (the broth is as important as the beans. Ladle into bowls and eat with warm tortillas, a drizzle of crema, chopped white onion, and fresh chilli. The beans and broth are even better the next day, once fully cooled and reheated. Reserve the cooking liquid) it is invaluable for making refried beans, bean soups, or thinning any bean-based sauce.

The Gastrographer

Name: Frijoles de la olla
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mexico / Mesoamerica
Ingredients: 500 g dried black beans or pinto beans (about 2½ cups), soaked overnight; 1 white onion, halved; 4 garlic cloves, peeled; 3 sprigs of epazote (or 2 bay leaves as substitute); 2 litres water, approximately; 1.5 tsp salt, added at the end; 2 tbsp lard or neutral oil (optional, for richness)

Mapping Culinary History

To explore — select an ingredient below.

To explore — select an ingredient below · click any location dot on the map for recipes and stories · browse the information panel on the right · trace the full journey on the timeline.

Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control