Habichuelas Guisadas Recipe (Puerto Rican Beans)
This Habichuelas Guisadas recipe slowly simmers dried beans, ham, and potatoes in a thick stew packed with bold Latin flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pink or kidney beans
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces small to medium diced ham
- ½ peeled, small-diced yellow onion, about ¾ cup
- 2 finely minced garlic cloves
- ½ cup sofrito
- 2 to 3 teaspoons sazon
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 2 peeled and medium diced medium sized Yukon gold potatoes, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the beans to a container and submerge them in water by 4 to 6 inches. Soak for 8 to 24 hours. To fast-track, cover the beans in boiling hot water and let them stand for 1 hour.
- Drain the beans and put them in a medium-sized pot along with the chicken stock, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring them to a boil, then simmer, covered, on low heat for 60 to 70 minutes, or until tender.
- In the meantime, add olive oil to a large saucier pan over medium-high heat. Add the ham and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until it's a little browned. Set to the side.
- Next, add the onions to the pan, gently season with salt, and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Then turn the heat down to low and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until well browned.
- Add in the sofrito and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over low to medium heat. Then, stir in the garlic and cook for 30 to 45 seconds.
- Stir in the sazon and then add the tomato puree. At this point, check whether the beans are done; if so, add everything from the bean pot to the sofrito saucier pan. If they are not done, turn the heat off on the sofrito pan until the beans are done.
- Add back in the seared ham, the potatoes, salt, and pepper, and cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Serve.
Notes
I highly recommend making Puerto Rican-style beans with dried beans. I know, I know—canned beans are convenient. But using dry beans lets you control the texture and, more importantly, creates a "pot liquor" (the cooking starchy liquid), which plays a major role in the rich, gravy-like sauce. If all you have are canned beans, drain and rinse them well (skip the soak), and cut the initial simmer time to about 15 to 20 minutes.
Bean shortcut: If I’m in a rush, I’ll pour boiling water over the dried beans and let them soak for 1 hour instead of waiting 8 to 24 hours.
Don’t rush the sofrito: I always give it plenty of time to sauté with the onions, letting its vibrant flavors wake up. When it starts to smell sweet and aromatic, that’s my cue to add the garlic.
Adjust the thickness: Sometimes, my sauce looks a little thin near the end. That’s when I use the back of a spoon to mash a few potatoes and beans against the side of the pot. This releases their starches, naturally thickening the stew.
Potato swap: I sometimes swap half the potatoes with another starchy vegetable like pumpkin, kabocha squash, butternut squash, or sweet potatoes.
Optional olives: If I have Spanish green olives or capers on hand, I’ll toss some in to add a briny contrast that cuts through the rich stew.
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 1 day ahead of time and reheat before serving.
How to Store: Store the beans in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add as many stewed beans as you plan on eating to a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or stock to thin the sauce if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 545kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 33gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 947mgPotassium: 1837mgFiber: 14gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 249IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 7mg