Frijoles Con Espinacas
This simple “fijoles de la olla” recipe prepares whole beans in a creamy broth that are incredibly delicious and healthy. I serve this dish as an entree for weekday meals and as a side dish for a multi-coarse dinner. As a side dish it’s a great alternative to refried beans.
Many recipes for cooking beans instruct you to soak the beans from several hours to overnight prior to cooking. After cooking beans for over 30 years, I say it’s just not necessary. Follow my instructions for cooking beans and you will be happy with the end result. For a detailed discussion on the pros and cons of soaking beans go to this article.
Ingredients
2 cups dry pinto beans
3 cloves garlic (1 whole and smashed, 2 minced )
6 cups water
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion thinly sliced
8 oz baby spinach washed
Salt and pepper
Makes 4-6 servings
Preparation
Spread the beans on a flat surface and inspect and remove any debris and broken beans then wash them in water and drain. Place the beans in a 4 quart sauce pan, add 1 smashed garlic clove and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a very low simmer, cover and cook for 2 hours and 20 minutes. Periodically check the water level and add hot water as necessary. When the beans are cooked soft to the touch add 1 tablespoon of salt, stir and set aside. Beans may be prepared a day ahead.
In a 10 inch fry or sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a moderate high level then add the onions, salt and pepper to taste, sauté for 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, saute for 1 minute then add the spinach and cook until wilted. In the final step, add the beans and some or all the bean-broth depending on how soupy you prefer this dish. Heat before serving in bowls or pasta dishes. Serve with corn or flour tortillas.
Note
If you can, avoid buying packaged beans because they could have been sitting on the self for too long; instead find a store where they are sold in bulk and you will likely find newer beans. Refried beans are cooked in the same way except that you reduce the level of broth to a level of ¼ inch above the beans before mashing.
My preference is to stick with the simple combination of ingredients in this recipe because the dish gives out big natural flavors but you can be creative too. Plate the dish with one or more of these condiments – Cotija cheese, crumbles of hard boiled eggs, diced Serrano chile and mexican chorizo. Buen Provecho.
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