All recipes

Traditional Mexican Pinto Beans (Frijoles)

Traditional Mexican Pinto Beans (Frijoles) simmer into a rich, brothy pot with tender beans, sweet onion, and aromatic garlic, brightened by cilantro and a gentle heat from jalapeño. Lard adds a comforting depth and silky body that makes the pot liquor especially satisfying. Serve as a hearty side for tacos or grilled meats, or ladle into bowls with warm tortillas for a simple, cozy meal.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook2 hrs 5 mins
  • Serves12
  • DifficultyEasy
Traditional Mexican Pinto Beans (Frijoles)
  1. 1

    Put the beans in a large pot with the onion, cilantro, jalapeño pepper, garlic, and lard; add enough water to cover them by 4 to 5 inches.

  2. 2

    Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for 2 to 3 hours.

  3. 3

    Depending on the beans, it may take up to 5 hours; add more water if needed.

  4. 4

    When the beans are soft, season with salt to taste.

About This Recipe

Traditional Mexican Pinto Beans (Frijoles) is a Mexican side dish recipe made with 8 ingredients. It takes about 2 hrs 20 mins, serves 12, and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Fresh Cilantro, Garlic, Jalapeño Pepper, and Lard. Each serving provides about 80.21 kcal.

Recipe Questions

What is Traditional Mexican Pinto Beans (Frijoles)?
It is a Mexican recipe made with 8 ingredients, usually served for side dish or dinner or lunch.
What is Traditional Mexican Pinto Beans (Frijoles) made of?
The main ingredients are Fresh Cilantro, Garlic, Jalapeño Pepper, Lard, Pinto Beans. The full list of 8 is above.
How long does it take to make Traditional Mexican Pinto Beans (Frijoles)?
About 2 hrs 20 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 2 hrs 5 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 80.21 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Traditional Mexican Pinto Beans (Frijoles) easy to make?
This recipe is rated easy, with 8 ingredients and 4 steps.

How easyChef Pro Scores This Recipe

easyChef Pro gives every recipe a health score from 0 to 100, built from more than 30 nutritional parameters including nutrient density, energy density and glycemic impact. It calculates rather than estimates, so the same recipe returns the same score every time.

The number is traceable. You can see exactly which nutrient moved it, so a dish scoring 78 might show fiber pushing it up while sodium pulls it down, alongside the NOVA processing level of each ingredient.

Your health goal changes the calculation itself, not just a filter. easyChef Pro applies clinically derived weighting across six health dimensions, which is why the same dish can score well for one goal and poorly for another.

Swap an ingredient or change the serving size and that math changes with it. Scoring your own version is the only way to see what your kitchen actually produces.

Modified this recipe?

Changing ingredients or serving sizes changes the nutrition profile. Score your own version with easyChef Pro to see how it compares.

Learn More