StewsEasyFree

Mexican Pot Beans

Name: Mexican Pot Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 130 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2.5 litres Water; 0.5 White onion; 3 cloves Garlic; 2 ramitas Fresh epazote; 1 tbsp Salt; 1 splash Olive oil; 500 g Bean negro seco

130 min (10 prep + 120 cook) Easy 8 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 11 Mar 2026 · Updated: 19 Mar 2026

Beans slow-simmered in a pot with epazote, the foundation of Mexican cooking.

About this recipe

Pot beans are the cornerstone of Mexican cuisine: beans slowly simmered in water with onion, garlic, and a sprig of epazote until tender, yielding a thick, aromatic broth. Traditionally cooked in clay pots, which impart a unique earthy flavor, they form the base for refried beans, enfrijoladas, molletes, and dozens of other dishes. They are served in their own broth, accompanied by warm tortillas, diced onion, serrano chile, and a drizzle of olive oil. The most commonly used varieties are black beans or pinto beans, though each region has its preference. The key is slow, patient cooking, allowing the beans to naturally release their starch to thicken the broth.

History & Origin

The common bean is one of the oldest crops in Mesoamerica, domesticated over 7,000 years ago alongside corn and squash, forming the sacred triad known as the 'milpa.' Pre-Hispanic peoples cooked them in clay pots over hot stones, a method that remains virtually unchanged in rural communities today. During the colonial period, beans became a dietary staple across all social classes. Friar Bernardino de Sahagún documented multiple bean varieties in the Florentine Codex. Mexico is home to over 70 native bean varieties, each region with its favorite: black beans in the southeast, pinto in the north, flor de mayo in central Mexico, and Peruvian beans in the west. The clay pot is not a mere tradition: the porosity of clay allows more even cooking and imparts minerals to the broth. Today, pot beans remain the very first dish a Mexican learns to cook.

Estimated cost

£4.00

Total cost

£0.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

190

Calories

12g

Protein

33g

Carbohydrates

Fat

Fibre

360mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Sort through the beans and remove any stones, debris or broken beans. Rinse them in a sieve under the chorro of cold water. It is not necessary to soak them, aunque si it haces (8 hours) reducirá the tiempo of cooking in half.
💡 Never add salt at the start: it toughens the bean skin and lengthens the cooking time.
2
Place the beans in a large pot (preferably of barro). Cover them with cold water, that covers the beans by about 8 centimetres. Add the onion and the garlic cloves enteros.
💡 If using clay pot, inicia with low heat to prevent it cracking from the temperature change.
3
Bring to the boil over high heat. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to its lowest setting, cover the pot leaving a small gap and cook for 1.5-2 hours. Keep an eye on the water level and add hot water if necessary (nunca cold, ya that detiene the cooking).
4
When the beans are tender (they break apart easily when pressed between your fingers), add the ramitas of epazote and the salt. Cook 20-30 minutes more for that the flavours integren.
💡 You can aplastar algunos beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth naturally.
5
Serve the beans in its broth in clay bowls. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped onion, serrano chilli into rounds and warm tortillas.