There’s something poetic about soaking beans. These hardy little protein-packed seeds bide their time in the back of our pantry, sometimes for years, just waiting for a water bath to tell them it’s time to spring to life. As they cook, they take on a silky smooth mouth feel, holding up to our most daring applications. With so many of us at home and looking for ways to stretch our pantry and budget, beans are having a bit of a hey-day, but I would argue that the beans aren’t impressed with our renewed interest. For thousands of years, beans have been a staple to the human diet, providing a healthy punch of protein, fiber, and essential iron. Beans have been eaten in Mexico and Peru as long as 9,000 years!

Today, I’d like to share my favorite bean dip. Alison Roman writes about having a “house snack,” and this would probably be mine. I make it so often, I have the recipe memorized. I always have some stashed away in the freezer (it freezes beautifully), and it’s ready to pull out if we need a weekday snack, or as a quick dip for parties and gatherings. Its super easy, has huge flavor payoff, and can be used in a variety of ways (we love dipping tortilla chips in it, but we’ve also been known to spread it on quesadillas, to smear it on bread for a delicious torta, or spoon it into quick and filling burrito bowls).

Seriously, this dip is a work horse.

Quesadillas with melty cheddar, Frijoles sin Puerco, and crispy kale

This recipe came to me from an acquaintance in a post-grad class I was taking for my ESOL endorsement. For our last class, we all brought a well-loved family dish & the recipe to share in a potluck-style party. I have no memory of what I brought, but I do vividly remember the cute little crock pot she brought that was filled to the brim with gently bubbling beans, cheese, and chorizo. That crock pot was the first thing to be emptied at our little gathering, and I was hooked.

The traditional recipe is called “Frijoles Puercos,” which loosely means “porky beans.” It cuts no corners, and is pretty calorie dense (think chorizo, butter, and lots and lots of cheese). A popular recipe from Northern Mexico with many variations, I’ve adapted it to make it a bit healthier. I use soyrizo, whatever cheese I have on hand, and if I’m making it vegan, I leave out the cheese and use Smart Balance butter. It still tastes amazing, and this way, everyone can enjoy it!

Just a quick note about epazote (ep-pah-ZOH-teh). Epazote is a Mexican herb that is earthy and spicy, and is commonly used in Mexico, especially in Oaxaca and the Yucatán, in both culinary and medicinal applications. I find that when cooked with beans, it really helps with digestion. It is a hardy self-seeding annual (it can survive as a perennial in gentle winters), and grows happily in a pot or sunny bed. I always throw a bit in when cooking beans. It’s not necessary, but it’s worth seeking out if you cook a lot of beans and/or Mexican food.

I’ve had this little pot of epazote for about 5 years now. It dies back in the winter, but reseeds itself every spring.
A healthy little epazote plant growing among my poppies. It loves full sun, and is a tender perennial, meaning it will die back in the winter if unsheltered. This guy is next to the house, so it survived last winter and is still going strong.

For more information on epazote, The Spruce Eats has a nice explainer. Okay, onto the recipe!

Frijoles sin Puerco

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dried pinto beans
  • 2 tbs epazote (optional)
  • salt, to taste
  • 1/2 cup butter (use a vegan butter like Smart Balance)
  • 1 package soyrizo- or use 10 oz. traditional chorizo if that’s your style
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños + some of the pickling liquid
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup salsa de botella, to taste (bottled Mexican hot sauce: Valentina, Tapatio, etc.)
  • 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, asadero or chihuahua all work great. You could also use vegan cheese, or just leave it out)

** recipe can be doubled, and freezes well

Directions:

  1. Soak the beans overnight. Place in a pot (I use my instant pot) and cover by a couple of inches with water. Add onion, garlic, 1 tsp salt & epazote, if using. Cook the beans until tender (on the stove top, this could take anywhere from 2-4 hours, depending on how old your beans are. In the instant pot or pressure cooker, 12-14 minutes does the trick).
  2. When the beans are done, use a ladle to remove any excess liquid (it should be no higher than the beans- around 2 cups of liquid is fine and will help it blend smoothly). Use an immersion blender or blender to blend the beans, garlic, and onion until super smooth.
  3. In a heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter and add the soyrizo or chorizo. Cook until the soyrizo has begun to crisp and the butter takes on a lovely red hue.
  4. Add the bean puree to the soyrizo & butter. Stir in the salsa de botella, and cook on medium-low heat until the dip has reached a thick porridge-like consistency.
  5. Add in the pickled jalapeños plus a splash of the pickling liquid if you like it spicy, and the cheese, if using. Stir until the cheese is melted, and taste for seasoning (use a chip to help gauge saltiness). Add more salsa or salt if needed.

That’s it! Be sure to let cool before freezing.

I hope you enjoy this at your next gathering, on a delicious torta or quesadilla, or as I do most often, as a fantastic post-run, protein rich snack.