Habichuelas Guisadas [Recipe + Video] Dominican Beans (2024)

En Español Recipe ↆ Video ↆ

Why we ❤️ it

Dominican Habichuelas Guisadas is one of the components of the "Dominican flag" (our traditional lunch of rice, chicken or beef, beans and salad) and appears almost every day at the table at "la comida" (lunch) time.

"Dominican cuisine is more than just rice and beans" could be the motto of our blog, and probably would be if it were a little more flashy. Rice with stewed beans is one of the most common combinations on the Dominican table, and this recipe will give you the traditional authentic Dominican sazón (flavors).

What's habichuelas?

If you're a Dominican, you already know the answer; for those who do not know it:

Habichuelas is what Dominicans call beans. Classified as habichuelas, we have cranberry (or pink beans), pinto, white, red kidney, navy, and black beans. Other types of beans and pulses have their specific names: habas (butter beans), guandules (pigeon peas), judías (green peas), lentejas (lentils), frijoles partidos (split peas), etc.

Habichuelas are typically bought dry, soaked, and then boiled (see how to do in a pressure cooker). Freshly shelled beans are called Habichuelas verdes, and are cooked using a different method.

Green beans and types of habichuelas.

Habichuelas guisadas recipes

When we say habichuelas guisadas, in general, we refer to stewed red beans or cranberry and pinto (the recipe further down). For the others, it will be necessary to be more specific: "Habichuelas negras guisadas", "Habichuelas blancas guisadas", for example. In general, the recipe can be the same for all habichuelas.

Puerto Rico also has its own Puerto Rican habichuelas, but they are not identical, and that's a subject for a blog about Puerto Rican cuisine.

Top tips

• My mom only usedajíes gustosos(a non-spicy version of Scotch bonnet peppers), and some homes use cubanelas (cubanelle peppers). The first are harder to find nowadays, and I don't like the taste of cubanelle in my habichuelas, so I use pimientos dulces (bell peppers).
• Each Dominican home cook will have their own preference when it comes to what to add to habichuelas. For some, "verduras" – a combination of recaito (cilantro or coriander leaves) and recao (flat parsley) – are a must.
• Oregano is almost universally used; and in my region of the country, ditén (thyme, tomillo) is never left out.
• If you can find cilantro ancho (recao in Puerto Rico, sawtooth herb in English), use one leaf; it's like a boosted cilantro flavor but not offensive to people who dislike cilantro.
• Most homes do not add auyama to their beans. I cannot think of not adding them to mine. My mom would have disapproved if I didn't.
• The final color of your beans will depend on the type you use. The darker ones are red kidney beans, the ones that have a less intense color are either pinto, pink, or cranberry beans.
• Typically, we use dry beans, which we soak and boil at home, which is a more environmentally friendly, low-sodium, more inexpensive option. See our instructions to boil beans at home, but you can use canned beans if you so choose.

Dominican lunch and ingredients for habichuelas.

Serving suggestions

Habichuelas is typically served as one of the components of La Bandera Dominicana. Some people (about half, according to our casual polls) like habichuelas with their locrio dishes (rice with meat or seafood).

About our recipe

We have to emphasize, as we often do, that "cada cocinero tiene su librito" (each cook has their own little cookbook). There are no two homes where these stewed beans recipes are identical.

Moreover, there are differences between regions; for example, this is how they were cooked in my parental home. My family is from La Línea and part of Cibao, where ditén (thyme) is an essential part of "las habichuelas". And yeah, you can shorten it like that, and your host/waiter will know what you're talking about.

This recipe has been independently tested and reviewed by Sagrario Matos. We have incorporated her tips and ideas into this recipe.

If you are familiar with other versions, go ahead give your beans your personal / family / regional touch. And I'll love it if you leave in the comments what makes yours special.

Buen provecho,

Recipe

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Habichuelas Guisadas [Recipe + Video] Dominican Beans

By: Clara Gonzalez

Learn how to make habichuelas guisadas, the flavorful stewed beans dish that we serve almost every day, and see whey we love our Dominican beans so much.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 396kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 23gFat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 1064mgPotassium: 1794mgFiber: 17gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 4915IUVitamin C: 58.2mgCalcium: 152mgIron: 6.1mg

Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.

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