Sofia and Francisco's enfrijoladas
Enfrijoladas are a go-to weeknight dinner throughout Mexico and we get why: tortillas smothered in a smooth, rich bean sauce makes for a super simple, yet comforting dish. “At home, enfrijoladas are traditionally made with leftover frijoles negros from the night before,” says Sofia Casarin of Tamoa. “But we like to use whatever frijoles we have on hand because each variety provides something unique to the bean sauce.” Sofia and her partner, Francisco Musi, founders of Mexico-based brand, Tamoa, shared their go-to enfrijoladas recipe with us to celebrate the launch of our collaboration that features 3 limited-edition bean varieties: Amarillo, Atolito, and Pichoaca.
“We make this recipe at home all the time and love experimenting with fillings and toppings. Francisco is Lebanese-Mexican so sometimes we use labneh instead of crema.” Sofia also shared that the sauce makes an excellent bean soup by simply adding more bean broth. This is the exact kind of versatility we love to see in a recipe– because it builds confidence and creativity in the kitchen, and delivers a delicious meal in no time.
Note: Nixtamal is fresh masa dough made from dried corn kernels that are soaked and cooked in a mixture of water and a mineral called calcium hydroxide and then ground into a paste. Using nixtamal, rather than the alternative instant corn flour (Maseca or others), as the base for tortillas creates a complex, flavorful tortilla. Look for 100% nixtamal on the tortilla package.
Which beans to use? Any of our varieties of Mexican heritage would work wonderfully.
Featured bean: Chaparro
Other beans to try: Flor de Mayo, Flor de Junio, Bayo, Ojo de Cabra
Take 'em from dried to cooked with our guide!
The details
- Serves: 4-6
- Time: 30 minutes (plus bean cooking)
- Cookware: large skillet, medium skillet, food processor or blender, bean cooking vessel of your choice
What you’ll need
- ½ lb dried beans (makes ~3-½ cups cooked), flavored with ½ white onion and ¾ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp lard or neutral vegetable oil, divided
- ¼ medium white onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 jalapeño, chopped
- 1 dried chipotle chile, stemmed
- 12 corn tortillas, preferably 100% nixtamal and heirloom corn-based
- Filling: shredded chicken or scrambled eggs (optional)
- Topping ideas: thinly sliced onion, queso fresco, cilantro leaves, crema or labneh, spicy salsa
Steps
Prepare the beans: Cook beans according to the Primary Beans cooking guide in the cooking vessel of your choice. Once cooked, set aside to cool (do not discard the bean broth).
Cook the vegetables: In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp lard or oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6-8 minutes. Add the strained beans with a little bean broth and cook for a few minutes to meld the flavors. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, heat a medium dry skillet or comal over medium heat and toast the dried chipotle until aromatic (do not allow to burn). Cover with boiling water and allow to soften.
Blend into a sauce: Transfer bean mixture and softened chile to a food processor or blender. Puree until very smooth, adding some bean broth and/or chile soaking liquid to form a sauce. Season with salt.
Assemble: Return bean sauce to the large skillet over extra-low heat to keep warm. In the medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high. Working in batches, cook tortillas until lightly browned (before they start to crisp), about 1 minute per side, and then set aside. Add another tbsp oil half way through. When you're ready to serve, working one at a time using tongs, dip tortillas in bean sauce, turning to coat. As you remove them and transfer them to the plates for serving, fold the tortillas like tacos. Add any filling you plan on using and top with additional bean sauce. Serve with desired toppings.
