Colombian Red Beans – Frisoles Antioquenos are served with rice and a flavorful part of the national dish of Colombia.
Colombian Red Beans – Frisoles Antioquenos
by Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
Frisoles Antioquenos are said to be a part of the National Colombian dish called Bandeja Paisa which is a tray of several dishes which includes the cooked red beans, rice, avocado, tomato, and some sort of meat such as grilled steak or chorizo, and sometimes topped with a fried egg.
I had read about this recipe several years ago and the one that took most of my interest was a recipe by Erica Dinho, and from which this recipe is adapted. I served those beans with rice, carne asada and also some ranchera sauce, tomato and avocado as well as some chiles toreados.
(Recipe adapted from a recipe for Frisoles Antioquenos by Erica Dinho at mycolombianrecipes.com)
You can see some other pictures I have taken of this below, where I served the beans with rice, avocado, tomato and ranchera sauce as part of a bandeja paisa, as well as having some carne asada on the side to make a full meal (although the meat isn’t really necessary if you don’t want that much food).
You might ask yourself as you read through the recipe why on earth you would ever go to so much trouble making separate sauces and pastes just to make some beans.
Hmm…
But…but…but…I have to tell you in earnest that these are in fact, the very best beans I have ever eaten. Before this, I had no idea that you could go about building layer after layer of complexity in flavor in something as simple as beans. But since making this, it has just reassured me that there are ways to make even the simplest of foods even more sublime, to raise the street food of a peasant to that of a king, to really make your cooking shine.
So I do hope you take the few extra minutes to try the methods suggested in this recipe. If not, I have seen where you can buy things such as hogao sauce ready made in a jar, so you *could* cheat a little bit and save a little time if you are very busy.
But don’t cut yourself short by ignoring the ways to elevate the lowly bean to one which inspires your passion, and your palate. Doing so is the best pastime.
~Sue
Colombian Red Beans - Frisoles Antioquenos
- prep 8 hours
- cook 60-90 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 pound dried cranberry beans or Roman beans
- 1 pound smoked pork, smoked turkey, or smoked ham
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 8 cups water
- 5 carrots, whole
- 1 green plantain, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- avocado (optional garnish)
- chopped tomato (optional garnish)
- steamed white rice (to serve with beans)
Alinos paste:
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/2 poblano pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon achiote oil (annato oil)
- 1/2 cup water
Hogao Sauce:
- 15 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Method:
- Soak beans in enough water to cover overnight, then drain or do a quick soak: cover with water by a couple inches and bring to a boil; boil 3 minutes then remove from heat and allow to rest, covered for one hour before draining.
- While beans are resting prepare hogao sauce by bringing tomatoes, scallions, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and oil to a boil, then reducing heat and simmering for about 20-25 minutes until mixture is like a salsa. Set aside.
- Prepare alinos paste by placing bell pepper, poblano, onion, cumin, coriander, water and annato oil in a food processor and pulsing until it is finely minced. Rinse your food processor right away because the annato can stain the plastic if let to sit; place paste in a stainless bowl and set aside.
- Place soaked beans in a large heavy pot with 8 cups water, smoked pork, ground cumin, baking soda, garlic, carrots, plantain chunks, hogao sauce and alinos paste.
- Bring beans to a boil and simmer, covered, for thirty minutes.
- Remove carrots and plantain along with about 2 cups beans and liquid. Puree this mixture in a food processor, and return to pan. Remove smoked meats and take any meat and return to pan, discarding any bone, fat or unusable gristle/cartilage.
- Continue to cook beans another 30-45 minutes or until beans are tender (time may vary slightly due to age of beans). It is more important that the beans be tender than to cook an exact amount of time.
- When beans are done, stir in the chopped cilantro, and serve beans over or alongside rice, topped with avocado or tomato (or both) if desired. As a side dish, this is said to be often served with grilled steak or carne asada, but as a main dish, it is a good rice and beans entree.
From the kitchen of palatablepastime.com
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Beantastic!
As part of the Sunday Supper Movement, I and a host of other food bloggers are pleased to present to you some of our favorite bean recipes to start the month of March like a lion. Special thanks to Tammi of MommasMeals for graciously hosting this event and working so hard to make sure all the I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed. It’s a big group and a ton of work to keep all together! Thanks so much.
Beantastic Beginners:
- Avocado Hummus by Our Good Life
- Bean Ragoût and Crisped Mushrooms by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Chickpea Fries (Panisse) by Curious Cuisiniere
- Five Layer Greek Hummus Dip by Food Done Light
- Pizza Roasted Chickpeas by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- White Bean and Basil Spread by Peaceful Cooking
Bean-a-rific Soups and Stews:
- Butternut Squash White Bean Soup by Magnolia Days
- Chickpea and Bean Soup by Momma’s Meals
- Classic Cassoulet by Food Lust People Love
- Navy Bean & Kale Soup by An Appealing Plan
- Navy Bean Soup by The Messy Baker
- Slow Cooker Pork and Bean Stew by Nosh My Way
- Kielbasa and White Bean Soup by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Spicy Sausage, White Bean and Spinach Soup by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
Bean-a-licious Sides:
- Clams with Black Beans by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Maple Brown Sugar Baked Beans by Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen
- Pinto Beans With Cornbread Croutons by Nik Snacks
- Whiskey Bacon Baked Beans by Sew You Think You Can Cook
Incredi-bean Main Meals:
- Bean and Bacon Tacos by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Beefy Lima Bean Casserole by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Colombian Red beans – Frisoles Antioquenos by Palatable Pastime
- Honey-Lime Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos by The Chunky Chef
- One Pot Tuscan Style Garlic Herb Pork Chops by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Skillet Black Beans and Pork by Cooking Chat
- Ultimate Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes by Pancake Warriors
- White Bean Ragout, Frisèe, and a Fried Egg by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Amaze-beans Sweet Endings:
- Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean Bark by Love and Confections
- Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies by Wallflour Girl
- Gluten-Free Donuts by NinjaBaker
- Pecan Praline Black Bean Brownies by Rhubarb and Honey
- Soy Awesome Cookies 2.0 by What Smells So Good?
- Strawberry Coco-Cacao Bean Smoothie by Dandelion Greens
- Sweet Bean Pie by Shockingly Delicious
- Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee by Noshing With The Nolands
Looks like cranberry beans will be another addition to my pantry. What a fantastic dish and all those incredible flavors.
Wish I had some of this delicious Columbian bean recipe right now! Seriously, my mouth is watering!
I am absolutely making these. Love all the flavors.
Wow, this would make great party food! I love all the different components which make this such a wonderful dish!
What a fantastic recipe, and I loved reading about the background of the dish. And very interesting on the layers of flavor- I agree, it would be worth the extra effort!
Sue, I truly appreciate your honoring of the history and food cultures of the world. Your yummy recipe starring Columbian red beans is no exception!
This authentic dish looks amazing! I’m so drooling here!
Wow! Another stunning dish Sue.
This dish sounds wonderful. I love all of the flavors!
Oh my … I can totally see why this dish is worth all the time it takes to make it! I would love to have a dish of this ASAP!
I have no doubt all that hard work paid off – your beans look wonderful!
Wow these look sooooo good and a perfect dish for those lazy Sundays when you want to hang out in the kitchen and fill your house with wonderful aromas.
My parents had Columbian friends and they would cook for us. They always made these delicious beans. I can’t wait to try them again!!
Mmm! I love Colombian food
This looks like an incredible celebration of flavor!!!! I love anything from Central or South America – I KNOW I’d love this!!
I’d love to try these with smoked turkey!
Most smoked meats will work in this, ham hocks, turkey wings or legs, smoked pork or neck bones, ham, etc.
I love love LOVE red beans and rice and your version with the smoked chicken? Lovely!!
We make beans with just about any kind of smoked meat. There are subtle differences in flavors, but it doesn’t change the recipe overall, and it can be a great way to use a leaner meat, such as chicken or turkey, since the smokiness still imparts. I like to save bits of this or that in the freezer until I get the smoker going, then smoke it all and package it for use later. Wing tips are especially useful that way.
This is very nice, and I’ve made it three times now — once on the burner, once in a slow-cooker, and once in a pressure cooker. I think 8 cups of water is too much.
Hi looks amazing! I want to do this in a pressure cooker instant pot, any modifications? Thanks.
It might need to be done in stages, but beans do cook very well in the IP.
Just a couple of things to mention, being a person that lives in Antioquia (expat from the U.S.), I kinda have to laugh because #1, you cannot find smoked ham, much less a ham bone here, if you’re lucky you can find a couple of ounces of imported bacon for 10 bucks (I’m exaggerating but you get my drift)….nor can you find poblano chiles anywhere nor are there fire-roasted tomatoes in a can. That said, this is definitely NOT an authentic Frijoles Antioqueños recipe, although it is probably delicious, it’s an american one.
I would describe it is an authentic way to make the dish with ingredients in the United States. We do what we can wherever we are. 😉