Frijoles Colorados

This Frijoles Colorados Recipe will guide you in how to make this classic Cuban dish of sofrito with red beans and chorizo. This recipe is in essence, the beautiful marriage of red beans with chorizo.

It’s hard to explain. There is something special about taking a bite of these deliciously soft pink or small red beans. It just brings comfort and joy. As with most Cuban dishes, the ingredients are simple, yet the flavor is big.

What is Frijoles Colorados

Frijoles Colorados are a traditional Cuban dish that is also found throughout the Caribbean and South America. They are pink or red beans, mixed with a chorizo based sofrito and simmered to absolute perfection. The sofrito is a traditional base found in most Cuban dishes, but the combination of the sofrito with the pink bean just hits different. We also have a feeling that the chorizo you are using as the base of the Sofrito really helps bring a deep rich flavor to the whole dish. It really does take it up a notch.

There are a few recipe variations throughout different cultures. In some cultures there are more veggies like potatoes involved and it’s more of a stew. In other cultures this can be done with pink or pinto beans, and different herbs are used. Our recipe is a little reflection of all of it.

We are walking you through making homemade beans. Then building the base for your sofrito and combining it all to be one bowl of pure delicious comfort.

Our Tips for a Delicious Frijoles Colorados

If you are looking at the recipe and thinking, “Oh no I want to make this now! I don’t have time to soak the beans!” We got you! You can make this with canned beans. You can sub the fresh beans for two cans, no problem. Drain and rinse your canned beans in the sink, and start the recipe from Step # 4 where you can start building your sofrito.

You can use kidney or pinto beans if that is what you have or what you prefer to use.

Feel free to add potatoes instead of pumpkin, or leave the pumpkin out all together. Always use what you have on hand or what you like.

You can serve The Perfect White Rice or you can have it stand alone. It’s another beautiful and very delicious example of the simplicity yet elegance of Cuban food.

Try Some of Our Other Classic Cuban Recipes

Frijoles Colorados

Recipe by Abuela's Counter Course: Sides, EntreeCuisine: CubanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

Ingredients

• Beans

• 1 pound of pink beans, or small red beans, rinsed in cold water and picked (soak overnight in enough water to cover the beans as they will expand)
  

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 small onion, cut in half

• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled

• Sofrito

• ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil

• 1 piece of dried Spanish chorizo cut lengthwise (I love Palacios brand because it is not as greasy as other brands)

• 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 cubanelle, finely chopped 

• 1 poblano pepper, finely chopped

•  ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (more salt may be needed)

• Cracked black pepper to taste

• ½ teaspoon Sazon con Achiote

• Potaje

• 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
  

• 2 cups of diced kabocha pumpkin or calabaza 

• 2 carrots, peeled and cubed

• ⅛  cup of parsley, finely chopped

Directions

• Soak the beans. Rinse and sort beans making sure there are no small stones in your batch.
  In a large bowl, soak beans overnight or at least 6 hours in 4 cups of water. Drain them from this water.
• Place beans in a large pot, cover with water and set your heat to high to bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1½ – 2 hours, skimming foam from the top.
  
• At 1 ½ hours try the beans. At this point – The beans should be cooked all the way but not mush. (think of the texture of a canned bean – they are soft but still hold their shape) If they need more time give them another 30 minutes. The beans readiness truly depend on their freshness. The fresher the bean the quicker it will become tender. 
• While the beans are cooking, it is time to make your sofrito. In a separate pot on medium/low heat, add the sliced chorizo, bay leaf and the Sazon seasoning. Allowing the chorizo to release some of its oil and the spices in the Sazon to toast slightly.
  
• Then add onions, peppers, olive oil, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally. When veggies start to get soft, add the garlic.
• When the garlic is cooked but not golden brown add the vino seco and stir well. Reduce for 2-4 minutes.
• Add the beans to the sofrito and stir well. Once well incorporated, add chicken broth and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil drop down heat to low. And taste for salt and pepper.
  
• Add the carrots and pumpkin and more water if necessary. Cover and simmer for  20 minutes.
  When everything is tender, about 15-20 minutes add parsley and serve.