Frijoles de la olla is a staple recipe in Mexican cuisine. They are easy to make and uses just a few pantry ingredients. Cooked beans are a great addition to salads, pasta, and stews, or can be used for many Mexican traditional recipes.
The night before clean and rinse the beans. Place them into a large bowl and cover them with water for at least 2.5 inches (6cm).
Next day in the morning discard the soaking water and rinse the beans again.
Place beans into your slow cooker (read notes below).
Add garlic, onions, and salt. Pour water to cover them for about 1.5 inches (4cm) and cook on high for about 4-5 hours (or 6-8 hrs on low).
Once the beans are cooked, discard the onion and garlic.
Adjust salt to taste and serve or use them as your recipe calls.
Notes
Other cooking methods:In a regular pot (olla): Anything between 75 and 90 minutes (depending on the type of beans you are using). You should check that frijoles are always covered with liquid, and stir them from time to time. The tradition calls for a clay pot, but you can use any pot available at home.In an Instant Pot or pressure cooker: 35 minutes at high, then naturally release for 20 minutes. Add only about 1-inch water covering the beans or you’ll end up with too much liquid.Other notes:
When placing the beans to soak, make sure you add lots of water as they will absorb a lot of liquid.
Soaking beans is optional, I have also made them without soaking but you need to be sure that they are not too old or they will take too much time to cook.
You can add two teaspoons of baking soda to the soaking water. This will help to soften the bean’s skin, allow them to cook faster, and become more digestible.