Mexican · lunch, dinner, side
Frijoles de la Olla (Mexican Pot Beans)
Video by Jauja Cocina Mexicana on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan with a vegetable stock cube or salt instead of the chicken bouillon powder
- Vegetarian with a vegetable stock cube or salt instead of the chicken bouillon powder
- Gluten-free with a swap: Naturally gluten-free; check the label if you season with a bouillon cube
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Pinto beans give about 23 g of plant protein and 17 g of fibre a serve, with most of a day's folate and a third of a day's iron, cooked with just onion, garlic and a drizzle of oil.
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Ingredients 6
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Soak the pinto beans for several hours (not much longer, or they can start to ferment), then drain and discard the soaking water. 0:22
- Bring a pot of water to the boil, then add the beans, the halved onion, the whole garlic cloves and a drizzle of oil. 0:49
- Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 1½–2 hours, checking now and then and topping up with hot water so the beans stay covered. Don't salt yet: salting early keeps the skins tough. 1:15
- When the beans are soft and the broth has thickened, season with salt or a little bouillon and simmer 5–10 minutes more. Taste, adjust and serve in their broth. 1:58
Tip. Soak the beans for several hours first (not included in the time). Season with salt instead of chicken bouillon to keep it vegetarian. Freeze portions in their broth; leftovers make refried beans.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 2
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 61%
- Protein 29%
- Fat 10%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 91% of the 47 g of net carbs come from the dried pinto beans. To cut carbs, try a smaller portion with extra leafy or other non-starchy vegetables.
One serve has about 51% of a day’s sodium. Use less salt, stock or sauce, or a reduced-salt version, to bring it down.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Folate High86%
345 µg a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (98%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Omega-3 High40%
0.6 g a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (68%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Iron High33%
5.9 mg a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (97%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Magnesium High27%
114 mg a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (96%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Zinc High25%
2.7 mg a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (95%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Potassium High24%
1120 mg a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (94%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin B6 High24%
0.4 mg a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (76%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin K High20%
24 µg a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (92%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Show the other 7
Vitamin C8%
7.1 mg a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (44%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Calcium7%
90 mg a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (81%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Selenium7%
3.7 µg a serve, mostly from dried pinto beans (78%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin E3%
0.5 mg a serve, mostly from oil (82%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin A0%
0 µg a serve. Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Jauja Cocina Mexicana; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.