Frijoles con Chorizo

Mexico's Independence Day is coming up on September 16th. Many share the misconception that Cinco de Mayo is the Mexican Independence Day; May 5th actually celebrates the victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.



In celebration of el Día de Independencía, aromasysabores is hosting a Mexican fiesta featuring recipes and culture. I will be participating in the celebration and posting some favorite recetas the rest of this month.

To get things started, I am sharing Frijoles con Chorizo, homemade refried pinto beans with mexican chorizo. Please do not confuse mexican chorizo with the spanish variety, which is a drier, cured product. I buy Cacique brand chorizo (the most readily available around here), and always pork chorizo, never beef. I do not use an actual recipe with measurements for this (a tendency I have), so please feel free to make any adjustments.

Frijoles con Chorizo

6 oz. mexican chorizo
1-2 Tbs. vegetable oil
3-4 c. cooked pinto beans
reserved bean cooking liquid
queso fresco, for serving
hot corn tortillas, for serving


Cook the chorizo in oil in a large skillet until it resembles cooked finely ground pork and is lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the pinto beans and mash to your preferred consistency with a potato masher, or the back of a cooking spoon. Stir in the reserved bean broth (a couple of cups, maybe) to reach a soupy consistency. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, again until it is at your desired consistency. Salt to taste (you won't need much), and serve in tortillas with crumbled queso fresco.