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Master Recipe for Pot Beans

Source: Steve Sando, The Bean Book

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This recipe appears in The Bean Book by Steve Sando (Penguin Random House, 2024) and was demonstrated in the Foodwise Classroom on October 5, 2024.

Steve Sando is the founder of Rancho Gordo, a specialty food company that grows and sources heirloom beans, grains, corn, and more. He has been featured in The New Yorker, the New York Times, Saveur, O Magazine, CBS Sunday Morning, and From the Source on the Magnolia Network. His newest book is The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen (Ten Speed Press, 2024).

Serves 6 to 8

Pot Beans

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or other fat
½ white onion, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 pound uncooked heirloom beans, picked over and rinsed
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, preferably Rancho Gordo Oregano Indio
2 garlic cloves, smashed
4 limes, halved, for serving
Fresh cilantro, minced, for serving
Fresh serrano chile, minced, for serving
Salt to taste

PREPARATION

  1. Warm the olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Add the beans, oregano, and enough water to cover by 2 inches.
  3. Increase the heat to high and bring to a rapid boil; boil for 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. Decrease the heat so that the beans are barely simmering and cook, partially covered, until the beans are soft, from 1 to 3 hours. Add more water as needed to keep the beans fully covered.
  5. Just before the beans are done, season them with salt. (For 1 pound of beans, I recommend about 1 tablespoon of salt.)
  6. Ladle the beans and some broth into bowls. Serve with limes, chopped onion, cilantro, minced chile, and/or other toppings of your choice

Fried Ricotta Topping

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup minced onion
2 cups ricotta, drained
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh epazote (optional)
1 tablespoon finely chopped serrano or jalapeño chile

PREPARATION

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the ricotta and cook, breaking up clumps with a wooden spoon, until most of the moisture is gone, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the salt.
  3. Remove from the heat. Stir in the epazote (if using) and chopped chile.

Rajas (Poblano Strips) Topping

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ white onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, preferably Rancho Gordo Oregano Indio
2 poblano chiles, roasted and sliced into strips
Salt to taste

PREPARATION

  1. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and oregano and cook until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the chiles and stir to combine. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.
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