Habichuelas Guisadas (Dominican Stewed Red Beans)
Red kidney beans stewed in a sofrito of onion, peppers, garlic and coriander with chunks of squash that melt into a thick, creamy sauce. Spooned over white rice every day in Dominican homes.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Cook the beans
Drain the soaked beans and put them in a large pot with the 2 litres of water. Boil hard for 10 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until tender. Keep the cooking liquid; you will need 1 litre of it later.
- 400 g dried red kidney beans
- 2 litres water
✅ Done when: beans are soft enough to mash easily between two fingers
Make the sofrito
In another large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper and cook about 5 minutes, until soft and see-through, then stir in the garlic and coriander and cook 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 more minute.
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion
- 1 green pepper
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
✅ Done when: tomato paste darkens slightly and smells toasted, not raw
Combine
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Stew until creamy
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Serve
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Cook the beans
Drain the soaked beans and put them in a large pot with the 2 litres of water. Boil hard for 10 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until tender. Keep the cooking liquid; you will need 1 litre of it later.
- 400 g dried red kidney beans
- 2 litres water
✅ Done when: beans are soft enough to mash easily between two fingers
Make the sofrito
In another large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper and cook about 5 minutes, until soft and see-through, then stir in the garlic and coriander and cook 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 more minute.
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion
- 1 green pepper
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
✅ Done when: tomato paste darkens slightly and smells toasted, not raw
Combine
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Stew until creamy
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Beans have been eaten in the Caribbean since before Columbus, and in the Dominican Republic stewed red beans became one of the three colours of 'la bandera', the national lunch of rice, beans and meat.
The squash is the Dominican touch: it melts into the beans and makes them thick and creamy without any cream.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Creamy, savoury and comforting, they're on almost every Dominican lunch table.
💡 Fun Fact
Dominicans call beans 'habichuelas', while Cubans and Mexicans say 'frijoles' and Puerto Ricans use both words.
Dominican Republic
18.49°N, -69.93°W
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