Basic Mexican Pot Beans

By
Robin Grose
Robin Grose
Food writer who lived in Mexico City for 20 years, learning key flavors and techniques to create Mexican food recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 09/15/23
Basic Mexican beans in a bowl

The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 10 servings

Though beans are eaten in many countries in Latin America and around the world, there is probably no other country as closely associated with this foodstuff as Mexico. Beans are prepared in a thousand different ways there, but the most basic (and the manner in which most other bean dishes start out) is what is called frijoles de la olla, or “pot beans.”

Frijoles de la olla is traditionally cooked in an earthenware pot, which adds a wonderful rustic flavor to the beans, but they can also be made in a standard metal cooking pot, pressure cooker, or slow cooker with delicious results.

As happens with so many foods that are fundamental in culture, each Mexican cook has his or her own particular way of preparing beans. What follows is a basic recipe to get you started on your way to your very own version.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried beans, such as pinto, black, or flor de mayo

  • 1/2 medium onion

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 3 quarts water

  • 1 sprig epazote (if preparing black beans)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for basic Mexican beans gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  2. Spread the dried beans out on a table or other flat surface. One by one, slide each bean off the table with one hand, catching it with the other, leaving behind any tiny stones or other debris. Place the beans in a strainer and rinse.

    Dry beans spread out on a wooden surface

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  3. Place the rinsed, drained beans in a medium- to large-sized cooking pot over medium-high heat. Add the water.

    Beans resting in a pot

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  4. Dice the onion and the garlic and add them to the pot. Cover the pot and allow to come to a boil. Once the boiling point has been reached, reduce heat to medium-low to keep a steady simmer that does not produce large bubbles.

    Diced onions placed on top of beans in a pot

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  5. Cook beans until they are soft. Make sure there is always plenty of water in the pot, adding boiling water when and if necessary. Cooking time will vary depending on the freshness of the beans. Typically, though, beans will take an hour and a half to 2 hours to soften, though they could take a little less or quite a bit longer. Beans are cooked when one can be easily smashed between your thumb and forefinger.

    Beans on spoon having their softness checked

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  6. If you are making black beans, it is traditional to season them with a sprig of fresh epazote. Add the herb just a few minutes before taking the beans off the stove, as epazote’s wonderfully rustic aroma and flavor cannot withstand long cooking.

  7. Once the beans are cooked, add the salt and stir. If salt is added before beans are thoroughly cooked, it prevents them from becoming completely soft.

    Salt being added to the cooking beans

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  8. Enjoy your delicious, soupy beans in bowls as a side dish to grilled or fried meats, or use a slotted spoon to dish out just the beans to accompany any savory dish—you will be amazed at how delicious this simple preparation is.

    Mexican beans in a blue bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

Tip

  • Use leftovers as an ingredient for other dishes such as refried beans, bean soup, or ranchero beans or refrigerate leftovers for reheating; they will thicken and become more delicious each time they are eaten.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
311 Calories
34g Fat
1g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 311
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 44%
Saturated Fat 5g 27%
Cholesterol 19mg 6%
Sodium 300mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 20mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)