Frijoles Puercos are refried beans taken to the next level with chorizo, chile peppers, cheese, and onion. The easy recipe comes together in just 20 minutes and is always a hit at parties, potlucks, or any time you’re feeding a crowd.
In Mexico, there are all kinds of versions of frijoles puercos, but the ones from Sonora and Sinaloa are hands-down the most popular.
They always make an appearance at big family gatherings and serve as a side dish for a carne asada platter or as an appetizer with tortilla chips.
This frijoles puercos recipe is super easy to make and you can even freeze a big batch and have them ready whenever you want.
Ingredients
- Beans: Pinto beans work great, but any kind you like is fine. Use canned or make a batch of frijoles de la olla.
- Chorizo: Use Mexican chorizo for the traditional recipe.
- Cheese: Asadero, Oaxaca, or manchego are perfect. Or use any melty cheese like quesadilla mix or mozzarella.
- Onion: Adds flavor and a bit of texturewhite.
- Chilies: Chipotles bring a smoky kick, pickled jalapeños add tang. Use whatever spicy chilies you have on hand.
- Grease: Pork lard or bacon grease = amazing flavor. Or just use olive oil if you prefer.
Frijoles Puercos Recipe With Photos
We’re starting with a couple of tablespoons of lard. Heat that up over medium heat and toss in the chorizo.
Use a spoon to break it up and let it sizzle for about a minute. Don’t walk away, this stuff cooks fast and smells incredible.
Now lower the heat a bit and add your chopped onion. Let it hang out and get soft and translucent (about 5 minutes or so).
If it starts sticking, just give it a little stir and a tiny splash of water if needed.
Once your kitchen smells like magic, go ahead and add the frijoles de la olla (cooked beans), a couple of chiles en vinagre, and a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.
Mix it all up, then turn off the heat. You can let it cool just a bit before blending.
Transfer everything to a blender or food processor and pour in about a cup of the cooking water from your beans, or plain water if that’s what you’ve got.
Tip: Want to amp up the tangy heat? Add a few spoonfuls of the pickled jalapeño juice.
Then blend it all up until it’s silky smooth. We’re going for that creamy refried bean consistency with a little kick.
Now, back to the pan. Add the rest of your lard (or oil), heat it up, and pour in your blended bean mixture. Let it cook for about 30 seconds, stirring so nothing sticks.
Toss in the cheese and stir until everything melts and gets nice and gooey. You can cook it a little longer if you want it thicker, or keep it looser if you’re serving it as a dip. That’s it!
Scoop your frijoles puercos into a bowl, maybe top with a little extra cheese or sliced jalapeños, and then serve. This spicy bean dip is seriously addictive! I could eat it with everything.
Serve with totopos tortilla chips, as a side for grilled meats, or spread on a bolillo roll to make a sandwich.
There are so many ways to enjoy frijoles puercos and it all depends on your mood (and what you’ve got in the kitchen). Buen provecho!
Tips for Storing, Reheating & Taking to a Potluck
These frijoles puercos are the kind of dish that are super convenient to make ahead. Here’s how I store and transport them when I’m bringing them to a gathering, or just saving leftovers for another day.
Storing leftovers
- Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and they’ll stay good for up to 3 days.
- For longer storage, I like to freeze them in zip-top bags. Just portion them out, squeeze out the air, and flatten the bags so they stack easily. They’ll last in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
Reheating the frijoles
These frijoles are delicious at room temp, so if you’re taking them to a potluck and they’ve cooled down a bit, they will be perfect.
But, if you’re pulling them straight from the fridge, warm them up in a pan over medium heat, stirring now and then until heated through. A splash of water or bean broth helps loosen them up if they’re a bit thick.
If they’ve been frozen, let them thaw in the fridge overnight or use the defrost setting on the microwave if you’re short on time.
Potluck tips
- I usually bring them in a sealed container or one of those glass baking dishes with a lid.
- If you want to reheat on-site, bring them in something you can pop in the oven or microwave.
- If you know there won’t be a way to reheat, just let them cool slightly before packing them. They travel really well.
Video
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Frijoles Puercos
Ingredients
- 5 cups pinto beans (cooked)
- 8 oz Mexican chorizo
- ½ small onion (chopped)
- 1 chipotle pepper (or more, if wanted)
- 2 Tbsp pickled jalapeños (chopped)
- 4 Tbsp lard or bacon grease (divided)
- 1 cup Asadero or Oaxaca cheese (read notes)
- salt (as needed)
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of lard in a pan over medium heat.
- Add chorizo and crumble it with the back of a spoon. Stir for 1 minute.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and add onions.
- Cook for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and cooked through.
- Add beans, pickled jalapeño, and chipotle peppers to the pan.
- Mix to combine and then turn off the heat.
- Allow the beans mixture to slightly cool down, then transfer everything to a food processor or a blender.
- Add 1 cup of the cooking water from beans, or just plain water, and blend for a couple of minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Heat the remaining lard in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the creamy mixture to the pan and cook for half a minute.
- Mix in the cheese, cooking everything together until the mixture has the desired consistency.
- Transfer to a bowl or serving plate and garnish with pickled jalapeños and queso fresco before serving.
Notes
- You can use canned beans or homemade frijoles de la olla.
- Add jalapeño brine for an extra tangy kick.
- These beans freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Use zip-top bags and flatten for easy storage.
- Great as a dip, taco filling, or side for carne asada.
- Tastes amazing at room temp, perfect for potlucks!
- Reheat gently with a splash of water if needed.
Nutrition Information
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How much would leaving out the pork lard/bacon grease change the final product? I’m sensitive to things with a lot of fat in them (RIP my gallbladder), but I know the chorizo is important in the overall flavor, so I wouldn’t want to leave that out. It’s typically pretty fatty on its own, so hoping I could just use that?
Hi Mila, you can also opt for low fat store-bought chorizo, or make your own using a lean cut (like loin). The fat from chorizo add flavor, yes, but the main flavor comes from the spices, so you can also leave out the lard/bacon grease and cook the chorizo on low heat until cooked through and a bit of its own fat release on the pan.
Thank you for the recipe, frijoles puercos are one of my favorites sides for carne asada. My mother used to add tomatoes and sardines too but I like them more simplest like your recipe.