Vegan frijoles Zacatecanos

This recipe was designed exclusively for our Toda la Familia kit by Todo Verde founder and NYT Cooking contributor, Jocelyn Ramirez. Our collaboration celebrates plant-based cooking and simple, healthy, abuela-approved meals at home. You can typically find avocado leaves at Mexican grocery stores or online.

Featured bean: Flor de junio

Other beans to try: Ojo de Cabra, Bayo, Flor de Mayo

Take 'em from dried to cooked with our guide! 

Print recipe here

What you’ll need

• 1-½ cups dried Flor de Junio beans or other beans of Mexican origin
• 1 avocado leaf
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt to taste
• 2 Roma tomatoes, quartered
• 2 tbsp neutral flavored oil, plus more for cooking
• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp Todo Verde Carnitas seasoning
• 1 medium poblano chile, chopped
• 1 tbsp refined coconut oil
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ½ cup vegan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
• Tortilla chips, for serving

Steps

Prepare the beans: Add beans to a pressure cooker with avocado leaf, bay leaf, 4 cups water, and salt to taste and cook for 40 minutes. Once the beans are cooked and tender, drain and reserve the cooking liquid.

Make the tomato mixture: Add the tomato to a blender with ½ cup of water and salt to taste. Blend until smooth and set aside. Preheat a skillet to medium heat and add oil until hot and shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook for about 3-5 minutes until onion is slightly seared and softened. Add Carnitas seasoning and cook for an additional 2 minutes until the mixture becomes aromatic. Add blended tomatoes to the skillet with the onions and simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium low heat until the flavors meld and the mixture reduces, stirring occasionally.

Cook the poblano chile: Preheat a pan to medium heat, and add a drizzle of oil until hot and shimmering. Add chopped poblano and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender and seared. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Mash and season the beans: In the same pan used for the poblano, over medium heat add the coconut oil until rendered. Add the drained beans and starting with 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, mash with a bean masher until you have a smooth yet slightly chunky consistency. Using additional cooking liquid as needed to smooth out the mixture. Add the tomato and onion mixture, and the nutritional yeast, and ½ cup of grated cheese. Mix until fully incorporated and simmer for 3 minutes.

Serve: Serve beans in a statement pan or serving bowl, and garnish with additional grated cheese and the seared poblano. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

Check out the other recipes designed for the Toda la Familia kit: Jocelyn's frijoles de la olla and Molletes with tofu al pastor.