Name: Fríjoles antioqueños
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 13 h 20 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 450 g dried red cargamanto beans, picked over; 2.5 litres water, plus more for soaking; 250 g fresh pork rind or fatty pork belly with rind, cut into 2 cm pieces; 2 green plantains, about 350 g peeled, cut into 2 cm pieces; 1 medium carrot, about 120 g, finely grated; 2 red onions, about 250 g total, finely chopped; 8 g fine salt, divided; adjust to taste; 1 g ground cumin (optional); 2 ripe tomatoes, about 250 g, finely chopped; 2 spring onions, about 100 g, finely chopped; 15 ml neutral oil; 10 g fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped

Region Antioquia, Colombia

Category Bean stew

Preparation time 35 minutes

Cooking time About 2 hours 45 minutes

Soaking time 8–12 hours

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Fríjoles antioqueños

Fríjoles antioqueños: Antioquian beans with green plantain and hogao

A slow-simmered bowl of cargamanto beans, pork rind and green plantain, finished with tomato-and-scallion hogao. This Antioquia-style version is thick, savoury and substantial enough to anchor a meal.

Fríjoles antioqueños are associated with Antioquia and appear in many household forms. Regional cooking references describe cargamanto or liborino beans, pork rind, green plantain, carrot and hogao, while noting that families adapt the vegetables and sides to what is available. This version follows one documented combination and cooks the hogao separately before stirring it into the pot, so its flavour and the stew’s thickness are easy to adjust.

The beans need an overnight soak and a patient simmer. Start checking them after the stated time: older dried beans may take longer, and the broth is best adjusted with hot water rather than hurried over fierce heat. Serve with rice or a warm arepa if you like.

Ingredients

Beans and stew

450 g dried red cargamanto beans, picked over
2.5 litres water, plus more for soaking
250 g fresh pork rind or fatty pork belly with rind, cut into 2 cm pieces
2 green plantains, about 350 g peeled, cut into 2 cm pieces
1 medium carrot, about 120 g, finely grated
2 red onions, about 250 g total, finely chopped
8 g fine salt, divided; adjust to taste
1 g ground cumin (optional)

Hogao finish

2 ripe tomatoes, about 250 g, finely chopped
2 spring onions, about 100 g, finely chopped
15 ml neutral oil
10 g fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped

Method

Sort, rinse and soak the beans Pick through the beans and discard stones or damaged beans. Rinse them under cool running water, then cover with plenty of fresh water and soak for 8–12 hours. If the room is warm, soak them in the refrigerator. Drain and discard the soaking water before cooking.
Start the beans in fresh water Put the drained beans and 2.5 litres fresh water in the large pot. Bring to a full boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer. Cook covered, with the lid slightly ajar, for about 60 minutes, skimming foam if it gathers. Keep the beans submerged; add hot water if needed.
Add the pork and vegetables Keep raw pork separate from ready-to-eat food. Add the pork rind, grated carrot and red onions, then simmer for 30 minutes. Add the green plantain and half the salt. Continue simmering for about 30 minutes, until the beans and plantain are tender. Timing varies with the bean harvest, pot and size of the pieces.
Cook the hogao While the pot simmers, warm the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the spring onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft, stirring so it does not brown sharply. Add the tomatoes and optional cumin; cook for 10–12 minutes until saucy and the tomato has collapsed.
Finish the stew Stir the hogao into the beans. Simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth looks glossy and lightly thickened. For a thicker texture, mash a small ladle of beans against the pot and stir them back in.
Check tenderness and season Taste a bean only when it is fully cooked: it should be soft through the centre with no chalky bite. The pork rind should be tender rather than rubbery. Add the remaining salt gradually. If the stew has become thicker than you like, stir in a little boiling water and simmer briefly.
Add cilantro and serve Stir in the chopped cilantro and ladle the beans into warm bowls. Serve with white rice or arepa if desired. Keep raw-meat utensils and boards away from cooked food, and wash them promptly after handling the pork.

Practical guidance

Practical

Keys to a good pot

Use beans from a reasonably recent harvest when possible; very old dried beans can remain firm after a long cook. Soaking shortens the simmer and helps them cook more evenly. Keep the pot at a gentle, steady bubble: a hard boil can split the skins before the centres soften. Add salt in stages and taste only after the beans are fully tender. Pork rind and fatty pork belly are both suitable for this pot. Their fat content varies, so skim excess fat if the finished broth seems heavy. Green plantain thickens the stew as it softens; cut it evenly and avoid stirring roughly once it begins to break down.

Equipment

Large 5–6 litre heavy pot with lid Colander, cutting board and chef’s knife Box grater, medium skillet and wooden spoon Ladle, kitchen scale and measuring jug

Nutrition per serving

Values are estimates for one of eight servings. Bean variety, pork-rind fat and the amount of salt retained in the pot can change the result. Rice, arepa and other accompaniments are not included.

Practical guidance

Serving A bowl can stand on its own, or join rice and arepa for a more filling meal. Some Antioquian tables add hogao by the spoonful at serving; this version already includes it, but you can reserve a little for a fresher topping. Avocado, ripe plantain, chorizo and other sides belong to broader frijolada or bandeja paisa spreads rather than to the bean pot itself. Ingredient choices Cargamanto beans are a familiar choice, but liborino and other large beans appear in regional kitchens. If you use another dried bean, keep the method and extend the simmer until fully tender. Pork rind brings gelatin and a savoury texture; fatty pork belly with rind is a practical substitute. For a lighter pot, reduce the pork and expect a thinner broth. Green plantain thickens the stew as it softens. Cut it into even pieces so it cooks at a similar pace. If you prefer a clearer broth, add it later and avoid mashing beans. Hogao is a cooked tomato-and-scallion sauce; cook it until the tomato has softened before adding it to the pot. Planning and troubleshooting The soaking is inactive time, but it is essential to plan ahead. If the beans are still firm after the scheduled simmer, keep cooking at a gentle bubble and add hot water as needed. Acidic ingredients can slow bean softening, so the tomatoes go into the hogao rather than directly into the beans early in the cook. If the broth tastes flat, first check salt; then add a little more hogao or chopped cilantro instead of increasing the heat. If the stew becomes too thick, thin it with boiling water. If it is loose, simmer uncovered and mash a small amount of beans against the side of the pot. Stir from the bottom occasionally so beans do not catch as the broth thickens. Storage and reheating Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers, within 2 hours of cooking. Keep chilled for up to 3–4 days. Reheat to 74°C, stirring, and bring the stew to a rolling boil. Add a splash of water if it has thickened in the refrigerator. Allergens and food safety The listed ingredients contain no major regulated allergen, but check packaged beans and oil for cross-contact information. Rice, arepa and other accompaniments may add allergens. Keep raw pork and its juices away from cooked food and wash hands, knives and boards after contact. Cook beans at a steady simmer until completely tender; never taste them while undercooked. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat thoroughly.

Final notes

Tip 1: Soak the beans ahead and keep the simmer gentle for an evenly tender pot. Tip 2: Add the hogao near the end, then adjust salt and thickness before serving.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: About 350–400 ml
Calories: About 350 kcal
Carbohydrate: About 51 g
Protein: About 17 g
Fat: About 8 g
Fibre: About 13 g
Sodium: About 450 mg, estimated

Fríjoles antioqueños

Ingredients

Beans and stew

Hogao finish

Method

Practical

Keys to a good pot

Equipment

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Arepa antioqueña

Chorizo antioqueño

Mazamorra paisa