Muy Bueno: Fiestas 
Frijoles Adobados
This Frijoles Adobados dish, or Chorizo and Black Bean Chili, is a hearty one-pot chili that’s rich and spicy and perfect for chilly nights garnished with queso fresco, chopped avocado, and served with saltine crackers. Serve over white rice for a complete cold weather meal.
My Mom’s Recipe
When my mom had leftover Frijoles de la Olla and Red Chile Sauce she would simply add Mexican Chorizo and ground beef to make a large pot of spicy chile beans (Frijoles Enchilados). In fact, y mom’s delicious recipe is in the Muy Bueno cookbook.
Frijoles Adobados
This recipe is published in my friend Leslie’s Taqueria Tacos cookbook. It is very similar to my mom’s, but instead of pinto beans this dish is made with black beans and does not include ground beef.
This chorizo and black bean chili dish is a hearty one-pot chili that’s rich and spicy and perfect for chilly nights garnished with queso fresco, chopped avocado, and served with saltine crackers. Serve over white rice for a complete meal.
Chorizo, black beans, and a variety of dried and canned chiles seasoned with instant coffee and brown sugar, give these Frijoles Adobados a Mexican flair the whole family will love. Adjust the chile if you have small children or are looking for a little less zing.
Frijoles Adobados
Ingredients
- 3 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 dried chipotle pepper, stemmed (I used canned chipotle)
- 3 cups water
- ½ medium white onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 ounces Homemade Mexican Chorizo or store-bought, casings removed
- 4 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon saffron
Garnishes:
- cilantro leaves
- crumbled queso fresco
- chopped avocado
- lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring the dried chiles and water to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the chiles have softened completely. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Blend the chiles, their cooking water, the onion, and the garlic in a blender until smooth.
- In the same pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking it up into small pieces using the back of a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes, until fully cooked but not completely browned. Stir in the beans, chile puree, brown sugar, coffee granules, salt, paprika, oregano, pepper, and saffron, and cook, stirring occasionally for 6 to 8 minutes, until the beans start to boil. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Garnish the beans with fresh cilantro leaves, limes, wedges, and chopped avocado.
Notes
Photography by Jenna Sparks.
3 Comments on “Frijoles Adobados”
Fantastic recipe to keep handy for those times when you need something comforting and inviting. Can’t wait to give it a try!
I’ve been looking for a great chili recipe, and here it is! This will be tonight’s dinner. Can’t wait to try this!
First of all, let me say that “me encanta tu sitio y recitas” (I hope that translated properly – I’m Swiss/German – lol). This came at a good time. I will be hosting a birthday party for my wife and inviting all our local Mexican friends this summer. If I can do this dish justice, and using the homemade beef chorizo in your link created by George, I’ll serve this alongside my traditional American BBQ dishes and my own chili. All the best to you. Thanks. Dave