Colombian red beans, often called frijoles rojos, are a comforting bean stew served across Colombia, with especially familiar versions in the Antioquia region. This stovetop version simmers red beans with pork, hogao (a tomato-and-onion sauce) and green plantain until the broth is rich and the beans are tender; ingredients and seasonings vary from home to home.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400 g) dried red kidney beans or small red beans
- 8 cups (1.9 L) water for soaking
- 7 cups (1.65 L) fresh water for cooking, plus up to 2 cups (480 ml) hot water as needed
- 2 cups (480 ml) unsalted chicken or vegetable broth
- 12 oz (340 g) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral cooking oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, about 1 cup chopped (150 g)
- 2 medium ripe tomatoes, about 1½ cups chopped (300 g)
- 2 scallions, about ½ cup chopped (30 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (9 g)
- 1 medium green plantain, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces (about 180 g)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces (about 80 g)
- ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin
- 1 dried bay leaf (about 0.2 g)
- 1 tsp (6 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground black pepper
- ¼ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro (10 g)
Instructions
- Soak the beans. Pick through the beans and discard any shriveled beans or small stones. Rinse them, put them in a large bowl and cover with 8 cups (1.9 L) water. Leave to soak for 8 hours at room temperature. Drain and rinse well before cooking; do not use the soaking water in the stew. If your kitchen is very warm, soak the beans in the refrigerator.
- Start cooking the beans safely. Put the drained beans in a large, heavy pot with 7 cups (1.65 L) fresh water and the broth. Bring to a full, rolling boil, which will take about 15 minutes, and keep it boiling vigorously for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to a steady gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for about 1 hour 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the beans submerged; add some of the measured hot water if the liquid gets low. The beans should be close to tender before the vegetables and sauce go in. A rolling boil is important for dried kidney beans; do not cook them only at a low simmer from the start.
- Prepare the vegetables while the beans simmer. Chop the onion, tomatoes, scallions and garlic, and cut the plantain and carrot. Keep the plantain pieces fairly even so they soften at roughly the same rate. The tomato-onion mixture is hogao, a common Colombian seasoning base; it adds a rounded, savory flavor rather than making the stew taste strongly of raw tomato.
- Brown the pork and make the hogao. When the beans have about 20 minutes left in their first simmer, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork in one layer, working in batches if the pan is crowded. Brown it on several sides, turning as needed, for about 10–12 minutes, until the largest cube reaches 145°F (63°C) on a food thermometer. USDA FSIS lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of pork; transfer the pork to a plate and let it rest for 3 minutes. Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the onion and scallions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, then add the garlic, tomatoes, cumin and black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until the tomatoes soften into a chunky sauce.
- Finish the stew. Stir the pork and hogao into the bean pot. Add the plantain, carrot, bay leaf and salt. Simmer gently, uncovered or partially covered, for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the plantain does not stick. The beans should be creamy inside, the pork tender and the vegetables soft but not dissolved. If the pot looks too thick before the beans are tender, add hot water a little at a time.
- Adjust the texture and seasoning. Remove the bay leaf. For a thicker broth, mash a ladleful of beans and vegetables against the side of the pot, then stir them back in; leave most of the beans whole. Simmer for 5 more minutes, taste and add salt or pepper as needed. Stir in the cilantro just before serving. If the stew seems loose, give it a few extra minutes uncovered; it will also thicken as it stands.
Tips
- Check the beans before adding the tomato sauce. Older dried beans can take longer to soften, and acidic ingredients such as tomatoes may slow softening if added too early. If the beans are still chalky in the center after the first simmer, keep cooking them in their liquid and check every 10 minutes before adding the hogao and vegetables.
- Keep the simmer gentle after the initial boil. A hard boil for the full cooking time can split the beans and break down the plantain. Once the beans have had their required vigorous 10-minute boil, aim for small, steady bubbles and stir from the bottom now and then.
- Use a suitable substitute if needed. If green plantain is unavailable, use a firm potato cut into similar-sized pieces. It gives the stew a softer, more neutral character and lacks plantain’s mild starchy sweetness. For a meat-free pot, omit the pork and use vegetable broth; add 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra oil when cooking the hogao.
- Season gradually. Broths differ in saltiness, so start with the listed salt and taste after the beans and pork have simmered together. If you use salted broth, begin with ½ tsp (3 g) salt and adjust at the end. A splash of hot water is better than extra broth if the stew is already salty.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the beans hot in deep bowls, with white rice alongside or underneath so it can absorb the thick broth. Colombian meals often pair beans with rice, and the combination also makes the pot stretch into a filling supper. Add sliced ripe avocado, a simple green salad or a little chopped cilantro at the table for freshness. If you like a brighter finish, offer lime wedges, but squeeze them over individual portions rather than into the whole pot.
For a larger spread, serve the beans alongside arepas, fried ripe plantain or a simple tomato salad. A small bowl of ají, a Colombian-style fresh chili condiment, lets each person add heat to taste. The stew is substantial, so a modest serving of rice and one fresh side are usually enough. If serving a crowd, keep the beans warm over very low heat and stir occasionally, adding a little hot water if the broth thickens more than you want.
Variations
There are many household approaches to Colombian beans, so treat this as one practical version rather than a single definitive formula. Some cooks favor pork hock or bacon for a deeper, smoky taste; others make a meatless pot or use different vegetables. For a more pronounced smoky flavor, replace up to half the pork shoulder with smoked pork, keeping in mind that it may make the finished dish saltier. Taste before adding the full amount of salt.
For a vegetarian variation, leave out the pork, use vegetable broth and follow the same bean and hogao method. You can add ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika for a subtle smoky note, though it is not a traditional stand-in for every kind of smoked pork. To make the stew spicier, serve it with ají or stir in a little finely chopped chili while cooking the hogao. For a milder, more vegetable-forward bowl, add ½ cup (75 g) diced pumpkin with the plantain and carrot; it softens into the broth and makes the texture sweeter and thicker.
Storage and Reheating
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking in shallow, covered containers. The beans keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. The broth will thicken as it chills, and the plantain may soften further, so loosen each portion with a spoonful or two of water or broth when reheating. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot throughout; USDA FSIS recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer.
For longer storage, freeze cooled portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months for best quality, leaving a little room for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat to 165°F (74°C). The plantain can become softer after freezing, but the beans and broth still reheat well. Do not leave the pot at room temperature for extended storage, and refrigerate or freeze leftovers rather than attempting to preserve them in jars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Colombian red beans without soaking them overnight?
You can cook beans without an overnight soak, but they generally take longer and may soften less evenly. For this recipe, the soak helps shorten the simmer and makes it easier to plan the meal. If you skip it, still rinse and sort the beans, use the same initial rolling boil, and expect the simmer to take longer; add water as needed and judge doneness by tasting a bean, not by the clock alone.
Can I use canned red beans instead of dried beans?
Yes, but the method and timing change. Use about four 15-ounce (425 g) cans, drained and rinsed, and skip both the soak and the long bean simmer. Simmer the broth with the pork and hogao until the pork is tender and safe, then add the canned beans, plantain and carrot and cook until the vegetables are soft. Canned beans are already cooked, so they need only enough time to absorb flavor without falling apart.
How do I know when the dried beans are done?
Take a few beans from different parts of the pot and taste them after they cool briefly. A cooked bean should be creamy all the way through, without a firm or floury center, while still holding its shape. If some beans are tender and others are not, continue simmering and check again in 10 minutes. Bean age and storage conditions can make the timing vary.
Why did my beans stay firm?
Older beans may need substantially more time, and hard water can also make beans slower to soften. Continue simmering in plenty of liquid until they are tender rather than adding more tomato or other acidic ingredients early. Check that the pot is gently bubbling, not barely warm, and avoid adding cold water during cooking; use hot water to maintain the liquid level.
Can I make the stew ahead?
Yes. The flavor settles in nicely overnight, and the stew is convenient to portion and reheat. Cook it fully, refrigerate it within 2 hours, and use it within 3–4 days. If making it ahead for guests, keep the cilantro separate and stir it in after reheating. Thin the beans with a little water if the chilled broth has become very thick.
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