Authentic Cuban Red Beans – Frijoles Colorados

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Cuban red beans, or frijoles colorados, are actually my favorite bean dish. I love the creaminess, the sweetness from the ham, the soft vegetables, and the chunks of meat. This is one of those dishes that doesn’t need any sides other than the bed of white rice to serve it over.

Cuban red beans, or frijoles colorados, are a comforting dish that’s full of bold flavors and hearty goodness. Whether served alongside rice or enjoyed as a main dish, this recipe brings the essence of Cuban home cooking to your table. With a mix of tender beans, spices, and rich broth, it’s a dish that’s simple to make but tastes like a labor of love. Let’s get started and bring a taste of Cuba to your kitchen!

Ingredients for Cuban Red Beans

Below are the standard ingredients in Cuban red beans. The plantains are optional but something my family loves to include, because the sweetness work so well with the other flavors in the dish.

• Dried red kidney beans
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Yellow onion
• Green bell pepper
• Garlic
• Smoked ham hock
• Tomato sauce
• White vinegar
• Dry cooking wine
• Cumin, oregano, salt and pepper
• Russet potatoes
• Squash, or calabaza
• Optional: plantains (I love adding plantains to this dish)

My grandma doesn’t like potatoes so she often makes it without the potatoes, which you can see in some of the photos, but it usually does contain potatoes.

How To Make Frijoles Colorados

Step 1: Soak the Beans

If you’re using dried beans, then you need to soak them first. There are two methods: soaking in water for at least 6 hours or the quick soak method.

With the quick soak method, you can boil the beans for 2 minutes, remove them from the heat, and soak them for 1 hour.

If you’re using a pressure cooker, then you can skip the soaking.

Step 2: Cook the Beans

Stovetop Method

After soaking the red beans, add the ham to the pot of beans and add 3 more cups of water. Bring to a boil then simmer on low for 1 hour. Remove the ham meat from the bone and set the meat aside.

Make the sofrito by heating the olive oil at medium-high heat in another large pot or a Dutch oven and add the chorizo. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the onions and peppers, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, cooking wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, sazon, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the beans with the water and ham meat to the pot with the sofrito. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the beans have softened.

Once the beans are soft, add the squash and potatoes. Simmer at medium-low for 20 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally. If needed, add more water. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Pressure Cooker Method

Using a pressure cooker means you can skip soaking the beans. This is actually my abuela’s preferred method of making beans.

Place the ham hock and beans in the pressure cooker with enough water to cover the beans, then cook for about an hour, until the beans are soft. I set my Instant Pot to 40 minutes on high and it takes about an hour in total.

While the beans cook, make the sofrito by heating the olive oil at medium-high heat in another large pot or a Dutch oven and add the chorizo. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the onions and peppers, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, cooking wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, sazon, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the beans and ham to the sofrito pot and cook on medium-low for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the beans have softened. Once the beans are soft, add the squash and potatoes. Simmer at medium-low for 20 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally. If needed, add more water. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Using Canned Beans

If you use canned beans, start by making the sofrito. Heat the olive oil at medium-high heat in another large pot or a Dutch oven and add the chorizo. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the onions and peppers, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, cooking wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, sazon, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the canned beans, water, ham and vegetables to the pot and bring to a boil then simmer for 30-40 minutes on medium-low. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings.

How To Serve Frijoles Colorados

Cuban red beans are typically served over white rice. We often serve it with a salad or plantains, either tostones (fried green plantains) or maduros (sweet plantains).

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I often double the recipe and freeze half, to have on hand for a quick meal. I defrost then reheat in the microwave or saucepan.

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Yield: 8

Authentic Cuban Red Beans Recipe (Frijoles Colorados)

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Ingredients

• 1 lb dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 1 large smoked ham hock (1-2 lbs, not sweet ham)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 Spanish chorizo sliced (sub sausage or bacon)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 ounces tomato sauce
• 2 ounces dry white cooking wine (vino seco)
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 packet Sazon Goya
• 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• Optional: butternut squash, cubed
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. Soak dried red kidney beans in a pot with enough water to cover the beans overnight, or for at least 6 hours. Drain the beans.
2. Add the ham to the pot of beans and add 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil then simmer on low for 1 hour. Remove the ham meat from the bone and set the meat aside.
3. Make the sofrito by heating the olive oil at medium-high heat in another large pot or a Dutch oven and add the chorizo. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the onions and peppers, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
5. Stir in the tomato sauce, cooking wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, sazon, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the beans with the water and ham meat to the pot with the sofrito. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the beans have softened.
7. Once the beans are soft, add the squash and potatoes. Simmer at medium-low for 20 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally. If needed, add more water.
8. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings. Enjoy over white rice.

Pressure Cooker Method

1. Place the beans and ham hock in the pressure cooker with enough water to cover the beans, then cook for about an hour, until the beans are soft. I set my Instant Pot to 40 minutes on high and it takes about an hour in total. Remove the ham meat from the bone and set the meat aside.
2. Make the sofrito by heating the olive oil at medium-high heat in another large pot or a Dutch oven and add the chorizo. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the onions and peppers, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the tomato sauce, cooking wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, sazon, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the sofrito and ham to the beans with the water and cook on medium-low for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the beans have softened.
6. Once the beans are soft, add the squash and potatoes. Simmer at medium-low for 20 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally. If needed, add more water.
7. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings. Enjoy over white rice.

To make from canned beans:

1. Cut the ham hock into pieces.
2. Coat a large pot or Dutch oven with olive oil and set to medium heat.
3. Add the chorizo and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the green pepper, onion, and garlic, and add all but the garlic to the hot pan.
5. Sauté the sofrito until the vegetables are soft, translucent, and aromatic. This should take a few minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
6. Stir in the tomato sauce, cooking wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, sazon, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add 2 cans of red kidney beans (including the liquid in the can), 4 cups of water, squash, and potatoes to the pot. Bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings. Enjoy over white rice.

Let me know in the comments if you give this recipe a try! I hope you enjoy it.

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