Let’s Spill the Beans
Beans have always been at the heart of Mexican home cooking. In this first post, I’m sharing memories of growing up in northern Sinaloa, the comforting ritual of cooking frijoles de la olla, and the simple meals that taught me that humble ingredients can still taste like home.
When I think of the most essential Mexican food staples, four things come to mind immediately: beans, tortillas, salsa and cheese.
Humble ingredients, really, but my mother could whip up a meal in no time even if that was all that was left in the fridge.
Let’s talk about the beans.
Growing up in northern Sinaloa, I thought beans were pretty much the same everywhere and that there were only two kinds worth knowing: Azufrado and Mayocoba. Azufrado, also known as Peruvian or Canary beans, were smaller and always my favourite over the larger Mayocoba beans. Both were grown in the fertile lands of the El Fuerte valley, and I still remember going to the market and buying them by the sack.
Every week my mum cooked a huge batch of beans — around two kilos at a time — enough to feed us for days.
First came the cleaning ritual. We poured the dried beans onto the table to pick out tiny stones, sticks and whatever else had slipped through during harvesting. Then they were soaked in cold water before being cooked slowly with onion, garlic and bay leaves.
One important rule in our house: never add salt before the beans are cooked, otherwise they stay hard forever.
Fresh from the pot, they became a meal on their own. A bowl of beans with a little broth, chopped onion, chilli slices or fresh pico de gallo, handmade flour tortillas and a slice of fresh cheese — honestly, that’s heaven to me.
My personal favourites were frijoles guisados. Mum would sauté cooked beans in pork lard (the best flavour, obviously) or vegetable oil if she was pretending to be healthy. Some of the beans would break down and the broth would turn thick and cloudy. Rich, comforting and deeply satisfying.
Once cooled, the beans were portioned into containers and frozen for later.
Frijoles guisados eventually become frijoles refritos — refried beans — when reheated with a little more oil for everyday meals. Some people like them runny, some thick, but one thing is certain: beans appear at nearly every Mexican table, whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner.
They’re inexpensive, filling and incredibly nutritious — packed with fibre, protein, folate and antioxidants. Beans and corn live at the centre of Mexican home cooking, from the humblest kitchens to the fanciest homes.
We even have everyday beans and party beans.
My mum was famous in the family for her frijoles puercos — “porky beans” — cooked with Mexican chorizo, hot sauce and plenty of cheese. They’re spicy, rich and absolutely mandatory at family celebrations.
When I moved to Australia, I was happy to find so many different beans in supermarkets: black beans, kidney beans, faba beans, pinto beans and more. But my beloved Azufrado beans were nowhere to be found.
My sister once tried posting me some from Mexico, but Australian border control had other plans.
Eventually I discovered Great Northern beans. They’re paler in colour but surprisingly close in texture and flavour to the beans from my childhood, and they’ve become my favourite substitute here in Australia.
So naturally, I think it’s time we cook some beans.
Frijoles de la Olla
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried beans of your choice
- 2–3 garlic cloves
- ¼ Spanish onion
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups water
- Salt to taste
Method
Rinse the beans in cold water and soak overnight if possible.
Place beans in a pressure cooker with the water, garlic, onion and bay leaves. Do not add salt yet.
Cook at high pressure for about 50 minutes. If cooking on the stove, simmer in a pot and start checking around the 45-minute mark. Soaked beans cook faster and usually have a better texture.
Once tender, season with salt to taste.
I personally like to overcook them slightly so they’re soft and easy to mash.
Serve with some broth, fresh salsa pico de gallo and cheese.
Refried Beans
If beans from the pot aren’t your thing, turn them into refried beans.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked beans
- 1 tablespoon pork lard or vegetable oil
Method
Heat the lard or oil in a frying pan. Once hot, add the beans with a little broth.
Mash using a potato masher until creamy. If you prefer a smoother texture, use a stick blender.
Serve alongside scrambled eggs, quesadillas or tacos, use as a dip with corn chips or spread onto sandwiches and wraps.
Top with crumbled feta for an extra layer of flavour.