Name: Frijoles de la Olla
Yield: Makes about 3 quarts
Ingredients: 3 spring onions or scallions, trimmed, or ¼ medium onion; 2 sprigs hardy herbs (such as avocado leaves, rosemary, thyme, or bay); 3 small sprigs tender herbs (such as epazote, cilantro, basil, or mint); 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 lb. dried beans (such as pinto, black, cannellini, or kidney), rinsed, picked through; 2 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

two bowls of beans topped with radish and avocado served with lime wedges

Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou

In Mexico beans are cooked from dry without presoaking. Because beans are present in every meal, they don’t tend to sit around on market shelves getting old and brittle, and fresher beans tend to cook more quickly. The cooking liquid is usually a savory combination of herbs, alliums, and chiles, with salt added right from the start. A good rule of thumb is to check for tenderness every hour to make sure they don’t overcook and start breaking apart. But if they do, it’s a great excuse to refry them—no one will ever know!

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Recipe notes

Fufu

Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.

Charred Vegetable Ragù

This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!

Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio

Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.

Ta’ameya (Fava Bean Fritters)

Serve these as you would falafel: in a pita, on top of a salad, or as a snack with a dip.

Frijoles de la Olla Ramen (Mexican Stewed Beans)

Traditionally, this Mexican staple is simmered for hours in an olla, or clay pot. You can achieve a similar result by using canned beans and instant ramen.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.