Frijoles de la Olla + VIDEO

Frijoles de la Olla reminds me of lugging an empty stock pot to the local tortilleria. They sold tortillas and beans.

Lucky for us, the owner of the store was in love with our aunt, and he would give us a warm tortilla to “butter us up”.

Once he gave my cousin a lollipop, and that’s when we all fought to visit our future tío. (Tío = uncle) 😉

I think at first we loved him more than my aunt did. He would come over for dinner in his freshly pressed shirt, his best sombrero, and shined boots.

An excuse would be made to leave them alone, and eventually, he won her heart. They married after many lollipops, many tortillas, and many, many pots of beans.

Recipes Using Pinto Beans

Frijoles Puercos
Bean Tamales
Carne en Su Jugo
Frijoles Charros

How to Cook Pinto Beans

Cooking pinto beans is easy. EASY! It involves only 3 ingredients.

• Water
• beans
• salt

However, it does take time. Hours and hours, in fact. You can’t rush the magical bean.

This isn’t “Jack and the beanstalk.” This is “Juan, lets the beans talk”.

• Remove any twigs, rocks, or hard dirt.

Sorting beans is a must. They are very dirty.

Rinse and repeat, or they will taste like mud.

Soaking Methods

Best method: Soak for 6 hours or overnight.

Quick soaking method: Add dried beans and 2 inches of water above the beans.
Bring to a boil. Turn heat off and soak for one hour. Then continue to the cooking instructions.

When the beans are soaked, they absorb the water. They are bigger.

The skin on soaked beans will look wrinkly. Don’t be stingy with the water.

Cooking pinto beans on the stove involves a lot of water.

Pro Tip:

Test your beans after 45 minutes. They should almost be completely soft, add 1 cup of water and salt at the very end until the pinto beans are tender. This will give your beans plenty of liquid to continue cooking and prevent them from burning.

Canned pinto beans

• Use organic canned pinto beans. They taste better than the others.

Drain and reheat the beans with spices like cumin and oregano to remove the canned flavor. Use as normal.

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans

• Follow the instructions of the recipe up to step 5.
• Set the slow cooker: 4 hours on high, or 8 hours on low.

You can make ‘em while you sleep. Although, making them on the stove top is faster.

Instant Pot Pinto Beans:

• Pluses: The beans are not soaked. Ready in no time.
• Minuses: You can’t make a really BIG pot.

This last method is perfect for refried beans or enfrijoladas.

Tell me how easy was that?! You’ll be cooking your pinto beans like a pro in no time. You’ll be able to enter the NBA – “National Beans Association”. Lol!

Frijoles de la Olla is such a yummy Mexican side dish and perfect next to any recipe.

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Cooking Pinto Beans (Frijoles de la Olla)

Next time you’re thinking of cooking pinto beans, or Frijoles de la Olla, try out this easy recipe. It is the perfect side dish to your Mexican food favorites.

5 from 44 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 12 hours

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 14 hours

Servings: 4 cups

Calories: 175kcal

Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb pinto beans
• ▢ Water
• ▢ 1 clove garlic
• ▢ 1/2 onion (small)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons salt

Instructions

• Sort the beans, removing all the rocks and other debris.
• Rinse the beans thoroughly.
• Overnight Soaking Method: Cover the beans with water, at least a few inches above the beans. Overnight is best, or 6 hours.
• OR Quick Soaking Method: Add pinto beans to a stock pot and cover with water 4 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Turn off heat. Let sit for 1 hour.
• Drain.
• In a large stock pot, add enough water to cover 4 inches above the beans, and add onion and garlic.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cover and reduce heat to low.
• You should barely see the water moving when boiling.
• Cook for 1 hour.
• Add salt.
• Then add 1 cup of water.
• Return to a gentle boil.
• Check if tender.
• If needed, cook until tender.
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Sort the bean carefully. Rocks and debris like to hide in packages of dried beans. 

Slow Cooker Method: Transfer the soaked beans to the slow cooker, add enough water to cover 4 inches above the beans, and add salt. Set the slow cooker: 4 hours on high, or 8 hours on low.

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3491mg | Potassium: 535mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!