There is nothing like a hot bowl of frijoles de la olla (freshly boiled beans). Freshly boiled beans are a staple in every Mexican household and they are super easy to make. You only need 4 main ingredients: beans, water, salt, and garlic.
Frijoles de la olla
As many of you know, I grew up in a Mexican household which means I heard “Hay frijoles en la casa” all the times I asked my mom for fast food. This translates to, “There are beans at home.” While I was pretty bummed as a kid, I am now very grateful for homemade frijoles de la olla.
Making your own beans at home is very satisfying because it’s overall very easy and the beans are much better quality than canned beans. Making them at home will also save you some money throughout the year.
My Favorite Beans to Use
I highly recommended using Peruvian beans also known as Canary or Mayocoba beans. They are mild in flavor, and have a nice buttery taste. They are also known for making you less gassy/bloated! You can use any kind of beans but keep in mind that cooking time may vary depending on which you use.
Easy Refried Beans Recipe:
Refried Beans:
- 2 cups cooked beans
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 small serrano or jalapeño pepper, diced (optional but recommended)
- 1 Tbsp oil
- ½- ¾ cup water or vegetable broth (or more depending on how you like them)
- Salt to taste
- Turn a pan on medium heat and add oil. Once it’s hot, add onion, and serrano pepper, and cook for about 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add beans and water/veg broth. Wait until they simmer for 2 minutes. Once they are heated all the way through, use the backside of your spatula to mash them until you get your desired consistency. You can also blend them if you want them more purée-like.
- Add more water if you want then a little runnier. Taste and add salt as needed.
- Turn the stove off and let sit for a few minutes before serving.
- I also have a recipe for charro beans that you will love!
Tips for the best frijoles de la olla:
Soak: Soak beans in water for a few hours or overnight. This helps reduce cooking time but it can also help reduce bloating and gas for those that don’t digest beans too well.
Rinse: Rinse beans well before cooking. Rinse and drain at least 3 times before cooking. Beans can come with rocks, sticks and other debris so make sure to pick these out.
Salt: Add salt towards the end of the cooking process to avoid modifying the texture of the beans.
Epazote: Add epazote leaves to help reduce bloating and gas. You can find these at most Mexican grocery stores.
Serve with Authentic Mexican Dishes:
Mexican Zucchini (Calabacitas a la Mexicana)
Print
Frijoles de la Olla (Homemade Beans)
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
There is nothing like a hot bowl of frijoles de la olla (freshly boiled beans). Freshly boiled beans are a staple in every Mexican household and they are super easy to make. You only need 4 main ingredients: beans, water, salt, and garlic.
Ingredients
- 1 lb beans
- Water
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 epazote leaves (optional)
- 2 teaspoons of salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Rinse beans well and remove stones/debris
- Soak beans for a few hours. (Optional)
- Add beans to pot along with garlic. Add onion too if you’d like! Make sure the water is at least 4 inches over the beans.
- If the beans float in the water, they’re old, throw them away.
- Place on high heat until it boils and then immediately lower to a simmer.
- Simmer on low for 1.5-3 hours depending on the bean. Add salt towards to end.
- Once beans are almost done, add salt. At this point you can also add a few Epazote leaves to reduce bloating & gas.
- Turn off and enjoy the best frijoles de la olla ????
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 60
- Category: Sides
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
There is nothing more satisfying than a fresh pot of homemade beans. This recipe hits home! Thank you for the instructions, I used to have a hard time getting it right but not anymore with this!
Love this recipe! It’s so easy and delicious.
Best frijoles I ever tasted!
I never though making beans would be this easy. They also taste so much better than canned! Thank for the recipe
Best beans I’ve ever had!
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