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Arroz y Frijoles

Rich, brothy beans ladled over delicious arroz is one of my earliest memories of childhood. Served with freshly made pico de gallo and a hefty sprinkling of crumbled fresco.
Author Vianney Rodriguez

Ingredients

  • For Arroz:
  • 2 cups Mahatma extra-long white rice
  • 2 to matoes quartered
  • ½ onion roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ¼ cup cilantro washed and chopped
  • 1 carrot peeled and diced
  • ½ cup fresh peas
  • For Frijoles:
  • 1 pound pinto beans
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • ½ onion
  • epazote optional
  • 8 cups of water
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • To Serve: chopped cilantro diced tomatoes, crema, avocado slices and queso fresco

Instructions

  1. For Rice:
  2. Place rice in a bowl, rinse with cold water, strain.
  3. In a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, and set aside until ready to use.
  4. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add rice, sauté, stirring often, until lightly toasted and golden brown, about 4–5 minutes.
  5. Pour in tomato puree, stir and continue to cook for an additional two minutes.,
  6. Stir in broth, cilantro and carrots, bring to a boil. Cover, add frozen peas, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff before serving.
  7. For Frijoles:
  8. Clean beans to remove any bits or broken beans and place in bowl. Rinse beans under cold water until water runs clear and drain. Place in a large heavy stockpot, add water. Add onion, bay leaves, garlic and bring to a boil.
  9. When the beans have reached the boiling stage, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 1 ½ hours. If needed, add more water to your pot—you always want at least 2 inches of water covering your beans. This will help to create your broth. At the end of 1 ½ hours, check the texture of your beans. They should be soft, not mushy or falling apart. Remove the onion and add salt to taste.
  10. To serve: Ladle frijoles in a bowl, then add rice over beans. Garnish with chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, crema, avocado slices and queso fresco.