These pinto beans simmer slowly with onion, garlic and optional epazote until tender but still whole. Serve them with their flavorful cooking liquid: a simple side dish for tortillas, rice or a Mexican meal.
Frijoles de olla literally means beans from the pot: the beans are gently cooked until tender and kept whole, with some of their cooking liquid. That makes this different from refried beans, where cooked beans are later mashed or fried. Pinto beans are a practical choice: they become creamy inside and usually hold their shape well when simmered gently. Dried beans keep for a long time and can be used year-round; when buying them, pay particular attention to whether the package has been open for a long time, as older beans can take noticeably longer to soften.
Soaking overnight shortens the cooking time and helps the beans cook more evenly. Rinse them first and remove any stones or damaged beans. After soaking, drain off the water and use fresh water for cooking. If you don’t have time to soak them first, you can cook them unsoaked; allow for a longer, less predictable cooking time and check regularly that there’s enough water in the pot. The beans should stay submerged while they cook, but they don’t need to boil hard: a gentle simmer prevents the outsides from breaking down before the centers soften.
Onion and garlic give the cooking liquid a mild, savory base. Epazote, an herb used in Mexican bean dishes, adds a distinctive herbal aroma if you can find it. It isn’t essential: leave it out if it’s unavailable rather than pretending another herb tastes exactly the same. Add the salt when the beans are almost tender. That way, you can judge how done they are and season the cooking liquid without having to guess about the cooking time.
Serve the beans in a deep bowl with enough cooking liquid to keep them juicy. Chopped cilantro is a fresh, optional finishing touch; warm corn tortillas, rice or other Mexican dishes go well with them. Refrigerate leftovers, covered, within two hours and use them within three to four days. Reheat the beans with their liquid in a pot until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if the liquid has thickened during storage.
Check the pinto beans for stones or damaged beans and rinse them. Place them in a large bowl, cover with plenty of cold water and soak for 8–12 hours.
Drain and rinse the beans. Put them in a large pot with the onion, garlic and epazote, if using. Add 1,5 liters of fresh water; the beans should be well covered.
Bring to a boil and immediately turn the heat down low. Simmer the beans gently with the lid set slightly ajar. Skim off any foam that forms and add hot water as needed to keep the beans submerged.
Check for doneness after about 60 minutes. Add the salt when the beans are almost tender, then continue cooking until they’re creamy inside but still whole; this usually takes 75–120 minutes in total, depending on the beans.
Remove the onion, garlic and epazote. Taste the cooking liquid and add more salt if needed. Serve the beans with a generous spoonful of cooking liquid and a little cilantro, if desired.
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