Epazote Black Beans
Traditional Mexican epazote black beans soaked overnight, simmered with onion and epazote leaves, then mashed and refried in onion-scented oil. Authentic frijoles refritos negros from scratch.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
7 hrsTraditional Mexican-style black beans, the way they’re cooked in home kitchens from Oaxaca to the Yucatán. Dried beans soak overnight, then simmer all morning with onion, salt, and a handful of fresh epazote leaves, the herb that gives authentic Mexican beans their unmistakable savory-medicinal aroma. Epazote also famously reduces the gassiness of beans, which is part of why it’s been the traditional pairing for centuries.
The two-step technique is what separates these from any pot of plain black beans. After the beans cook tender, they get a second cook: hot oil, more onion until translucent, then mash some or all of the beans into the pan. The result is refried beans (frijoles refritos) with concentrated flavor and a creamy-rough texture that takes well to anything you spoon them onto.
Chef Tips
- Use dried beans, not canned. Fresh-cooked epazote beans have a texture and flavor canned can’t touch.
- Add salt only after the beans have started to soften (about 45 minutes in). Salt added too early can keep beans from cooking fully.
- Always top up with boiling water, never cold. Cold water shocks the beans and stops them from softening evenly.
- Save the dark cooking liquid (caldo). It makes a quick, deeply savory bean soup or stock for other Mexican dishes.
Variations
- No epazote? Substitute a bay leaf plus a pinch of dried oregano, though the flavor profile will be different.
- Use pinto beans for traditional northern Mexican refritos.
- Serve with warm tortillas, crumbled queso fresco, and a squeeze of lime.
Ingredients
Directions
Let the dried black beans stand one night with water enough for to cover all, next day cook with the same water add more if needed, adding epazote leaves, onion and salt.
When the beans are cooking you only can add boiling water if need to add more.
The beans will be done when are soft.
The beans are ready for fry, in some vegetable oil fry the other onion chopped, when it is transparent add the beans as you wish, mashed all or mashed some, do not add much broth, you can use it (the broth) for to make a soup with it, then cook for a 20 minutes.
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