Frijoles Borrachos (Drunken Beans)

Slow simmered pinto beans, frijoles borrachos, or “drunken beans” get their flavor from dark Mexican beer and bacon. Juicy and bursting with flavor!

At a glance

What stands out: The recipe is straightforward to mix and the beans are so good!

How long it takes: Dried beans have to soak overnight. Then you’ll need 10 minutes to prep them and at least 2 1/2 hours for the beans to cook.
Equipment you’ll need: large pot, stove
Servings: 10

Traditional Mexican fare, frijoles borrachos are about a standby beans we've ever had. We first tried them at a restaurant up north. When we saw drunken beans on the menu, we had to try them. We like anything with pinto beans.

When the bowl of beans arrived at our table, we were slightly surprised to see that they were juicy, actually soupy. After the first spoonful, we eagerly slurped up all the soupy goodness.

The broth is a standby part! Flavored with dark beer, molasses, and lime juice, it’s so so good. We not so subtly asked the waitress what could possibly be in those rich beans and she gave us a few pointers. Not the whole recipe, of course.

But don’t worry, we won’t leave you wondering about how to make your own frijoles borrachos, or drunken beans. We can’t wait for you to try this recipe for the most flavorful beans ever!

About This Frijoles Borrachos Recipe

Because you start with dried beans, this recipe takes a little time. It’s pretty much all hands-off time and plus, you get to enjoy the rich aroma while they cook. Just let your pot of beans simmer gently on the stove, and enjoy the fragrance. Anticipation can be one of a standby parts of cooking!

What goes in

• Dried Pinto Beans: Dried pinto beans need to be soaked at least 12 hours or overnight unless you have a pressure cooker (see Instant Pot pinto beans for directions). If you prefer, canned beans can be substituted.
• Bacon: We like center cut bacon because it’s leaner. You’ll also end up with meatier chunks of bacon because it’s sliced thicker. There’s no need to cook it first.
• Onion: Use any type of onion you happen to have. We usually use yellow onions for this type of recipe where the onion is cooked so thoroughly that it pretty much disappears. Yellow cooking onions are inexpensive and have lots of oniony flavor.
• Jalapeño Pepper: The peppers add a little flavorful heat but aren’t too spicy by any means.
• Garlic: Two fresh garlic cloves add a subtle garlic flavor. Increase it if you love lots of garlic.
• Dark Beer: Use a Mexican beer such as Modela Negra. Stay away from hoppy beers which can be bitter when used in cooking. You’ll need one bottle. Serve the rest of the six pack with your meal :)
• Chicken Broth: You’ll need three cups of broth. Once the beans are soaked, drain the water off, and use broth to cook the beans so they have plenty of flavor.
• Molasses and Brown Sugar: This combination of adds deep notes of caramel and sweetness to the sauce.
• Dried Mexican Oregano: There are lots of different types of oregano and they don’t even come from the same type of plant. Look for Mexican oregano in the spice section of your grocery store.
• Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, and Salt: This trio seasons the beans.
• Fresh Lime Juice and Cilantro: Please don’t be tempted to skip the lime juice. Stir it in right before serving the beans, along with some fresh cilantro.

How it comes together

Sauté bacon and veggies. To start the party, sauté bacon, chopped onions, jalapeño peppers, and garlic in a Dutch oven until the bacon is cooked and the veggies are softened.

Add beer. Deglaze the pan with a bottle of dark Mexican beer. We like to use Modela Negra. Pour the beer into the pan and cook over medium high heat, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the browned bits.

Add beans and sauce. Now it’s time for your beans to party. Dump the pinto beans in the pan, along with broth, molasses, brown sugar, and seasonings. The beans will absorb the beer and the broth, and get soft.

Cook. Let the drunken beans simmer for at least a couple of hours, stirring occasionally to make sure they aren’t sticking. Check the beans to make sure they’re not drying out. If you need to, add more broth. Remember, it’s all about the juice.

Serve. When the beans are tender and you’re ready to serve them, stir in some fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. DO NOT skip the lime juice. It adds just the right note of tanginess. You may even want to add more! We like to serve them with tortilla chips and from-scratch pico de gallo.

Serve drunken beans in a bowl with a spoon so everyone can scoop up all that tasty juiciness.

What does the word "borracho" mean?

Well, you guessed it: “borracho” means drunk or boozy. Since these frijoles (beans) are soused in beer, you could say that they’re drunk. The alcohol will burn off or evaporate during the cooking process so don’t worry that drunken beans will have you feeling tipsy, too! If you’re wondering about how borracho beans differ from charro beans (sometimes known as cowbow beans), it’s the beer. Charro beans are cooked in broth or water.

Before you start

Make It Your Own

• Make vegetarian beans. Leave out the bacon, sauté the chopped onions and jalapeño in 2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil, and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. These beans have plenty of flavor so we're guessing no one will miss the bacon. Drunken beans are reliable for meatless Mondays. Serve the beans with a hearty bread and a salad.
• Add smoky flavor. Stir in ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or substitute chipotle chili powder for the chili powder.
• Alcohol-free beans. Don’t want your beans to be “drunken”? Make them without beer, and add 1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. Increase the molasses to 3 tablespoons so you still get the rich caramel flavor that the dark beer gives the beans.
• Substitute canned beans. If you want to make a quicker version of frijoles borracho, use canned beans. You’ll need three 15.5 oz. cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained. Instead of 3 cups of broth, use 1 cup. Reduce cooking time to one hour.

Keeping leftovers

Leftover beans are so good. Simply put them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge for best results. To reheat, gently microwave the beans or warm them in a saucepan on the stove.

Meal Prep Ideas

Make a big batch of frijoles borrachos and enjoy them all week! Or freeze the beans in portion sized containers so you can enjoy them later.

• Yield: 10 servings
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 2 hours 40 minutes
• Total: 2 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 ounces dried pinto beans ( 2 cups)
• 6 slices uncooked center cut bacon, diced
• 1 cup finely diced yellow onion (about 1 medium yellow onion)
• 2 jalapeño peppers, ribs and seeds removed, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bottle (12 ounce) dark beer (such as Modela Negra)
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Method

1. Rinse beans (sort out any foreign objects) and place in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and cover. Soak overnight (at least 12 hours). Rinse and drain well.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, add bacon and cook until lightly brown and fat has rendered, 5-7 minutes.
3. Add onion and jalapeño and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
4. Add beer and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
5. Add beans, broth, brown sugar, molasses, oregano, chili powder, salt, and cumin. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover pan, and simmer for 2 ½ hours or until most of the liquid is absorbed and beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
6. Before serving, stir in lime juice and cilantro. Serve in bowls.

Notes

Vegetarian: Omit bacon, sauté the chopped onions and jalapeño in 2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil, and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

To make without beer : Substitute 1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. Increase the molasses to 3 tablespoons.

With canned beans: Use three 15.5 oz. cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained, insetad of dry beans. Reduce broth to 1 cup. Cook beans for 1 hour.

For a smoky flavor, add ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or substitute chipotle chili powder for the chili powder.

No need to soak beans! Just rinse them and sort out any foreign bodies. Heat Instant Pot to Sauté. Add bacon, onion, jalapeños and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add beer and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add beans, broth, brown sugar, molasses, oregano, chili powder, salt, and cumin. Stir to combine.

Place lid on and turn valve to seal. Set for Manual (or “Pressure Cook,” depending on model), high pressure, for 50 minutes.

When cooking is complete, let pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. Release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes and turn Instant Pot to sauté. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, longer if beans are not yet tender. Add lime juice and cilantro and serve.