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5.0 from 6 votes

Mexican Beans (Frijoles de la Olla)

Nothing is easier or more filling than a simmering pot of Mexican beans. Frijoles de la Olla is a cheap, no-fuss whole food recipe. Use pinto, mayocoba, or whatever beans you've got!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 5 mins
Additional Time
12 hrs
Total Time
13 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 218 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried beans (preferably pinto, bayo, mayocoba, or cranberry beans; see Note 1)
  • 1 tbsp salt (divided into 2 tsp for soaking + 1 tsp for cooking)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 9 cups water (divided into 6 cups for soaking + 3 cups for cooking; see Note 2)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak 2 cups of dried beans in 6 cups of water and 2 tsp of salt, for at least 12 hours or overnight. (I strongly recommend taking the time to soak, but if you are in a hurry, see Note 4 for a no-soak method.)
  2. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Transfer to a heavy-bottomed pot. Pour in 3 cups water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp garlic powder. (See Note 3 for Instant Pot instructions.)
  3. Cover the pot. Set it on medium-high heat until the contents come to a boil, around 10–15 minutes.
  4. Once a rolling boil is reached, remove the lid and stir down the foam. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and cover again.
  5. Check the beans frequently during the first 10 minutes to stir down any foam and ensure the heat is maintained at a bare simmer; after the initial 10 minutes they'll settle down and you won’t have to check on them again until they're done cooking.
  6. Cook the beans for 1–2 hours until they are softened to your liking. This will depend on the variety and age of your beans.

Notes

  • Pinto beans are one of the most common beans that are traditionally used for frijoles de la olla. Other popular varieties are bayo beans, mayocoba beans, and cranberry/romano beans which all work.
  • You can also add additional 1 cup of water during cooking for soupier beans (and trust me, that bean broth is delicious).
  • To make this recipe in an Instant Pot: Follow Steps 1 and 2 to soak and drain the beans. Then add the beans and the rest of the ingredients to the Instant Pot, only adding 2 cups of water instead of 3 cups. Cook using the Pressure Cook setting for 5 minutes on High Pressure. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before quick-releasing the remaining pressure.

  • To make this recipe without soaking beans:

    For no-soak beans on the stove, double the cooking time and increase the amount of water by 2 cups. For no-soak beans in the Instant Pot, add 10 minutes to the cooking time, increase water by 1 cup, and let the pressure fully naturally release.

  • For no-soak beans on the stove, double the cooking time and increase the amount of water by 2 cups.
  • For no-soak beans in the Instant Pot, add 10 minutes to the cooking time, increase water by 1 cup, and let the pressure fully naturally release.

Nutrition Information

Calories 218kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 15g (30%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 0.1g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g Sodium 5491mg (229%) Potassium 878mg (25%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 2646mg (265%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6cups

Amount Per Serving

Calories 218

% Daily Value*

Calories 218kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 15g 30%
Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Sodium 5491mg 229%
Potassium 878mg 19%
Fiber 10g 40%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 2646mg 265%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.