🇵🇦 Panamanian Cuisine

Frijoles Panameños

Panamanian Stewed Beans

Prep Time 15 min
Servings 6
Difficulty Easy
Calories 243 kcal

Creamy, slow-simmered red beans in a rich sofrito with cumin, garlic, and cilantro — the essential side dish of the Panamanian Interior.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Drain soaked beans. Place in a large pot with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer.
  2. 2 Cook beans 1-1.5 hours until tender.
  3. 3 In a separate pan, sauté onion, garlic, and bell pepper in oil. Add tomatoes, cumin, and oregano.
  4. 4 Add sofrito to the beans. Simmer 20 more min until thick and creamy.
  5. 5 Mash some beans against the pot side to thicken the broth.
  6. 6 Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro.

Did You Know?

In the Panamanian Interior, a meal without beans is considered incomplete — they appear at breakfast, lunch, and dinner without fail.