Colombian Red Beans with Sofrito

Name: Colombian Red Beans with Sofrito
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 cup dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained; 6 oz chorizo, diced into small cubes; 1 large large white onion, finely chopped; 3 clove garlic cloves, minced; 2 medium medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped; 1 medium medium red bell pepper, diced; 2 tbsp neutral vegetable oil; 1 medium medium carrot, diced; 2 medium medium potatoes, peeled and cubed; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 6 cup water; 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Colombian Red Beans with Smoky Chorizo Sofrito

Colombian comfort food at its finest — creamy red beans swimming in a rich sofrito base where chorizo adds smoky depth to every spoonful. This is the kind of dish that fills your kitchen with incredible aromas and delivers serious satisfaction in a bowl.

DinnerGluten FreeDairy FreeComfort FoodMeal PrepBudget FriendlyOne Pot

Prep20 min

Cook2 hrs

Total2 hrs 20 min

Servings6

Difficultymedium

Nutrition

fat14g

carbs45g

protein18g

calories385

Ingredients

2 cupdried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
6 ozchorizo, diced into small cubes
2 tbspneutral vegetable oil
1 mediummedium carrot, diced
2 mediummedium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tspground cumin
1 tspsalt
½ tspblack pepper, freshly ground
6 cupwater
¼ cupfresh cilantro, roughly chopped(optional)

sofrito

1 largelarge white onion, finely chopped
3 clovegarlic cloves, minced
2 mediummedium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 mediummedium red bell pepper, diced

Instructions

Give the soaked beans a thorough rinse in cold water and drain them completely. They should feel plump and firm — this overnight soak cuts your cooking time significantly.
Warm the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it shimmers. You want enough heat to properly render the chorizo fat without scorching.
Toss in the diced chorizo and let it cook undisturbed for a few minutes, then stir occasionally until deeply browned and crispy. The rendered fat will become your flavor foundation.
⏱ 5 min
Add all the sofrito ingredients — onion, garlic, tomatoes, and bell pepper — right into the chorizo and its rendered fat. The mixture will sizzle and release amazing aromas immediately.
Stir the sofrito frequently and cook until the vegetables break down and become jammy, with the onions completely translucent and the tomatoes losing their raw edge. This concentrated base is worth the patience.
⏱ 8 min
Stir in the drained beans, water, cumin, salt, and pepper. The beans should be completely submerged — add a bit more water if needed.
Bring everything to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let the beans cook slowly — they'll gradually absorb the flavors while becoming tender.
⏱ 1 hr
Add the diced carrot and cubed potatoes to the pot, stirring them in gently so they're evenly distributed throughout the beans.
Keep simmering uncovered now, stirring occasionally, until the beans are completely tender and the potatoes yield easily to a fork. The liquid should have thickened into a rich, stew-like consistency.
⏱ 30 min
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed — the beans should be well-seasoned throughout. Serve in deep bowls with a generous sprinkle of fresh cilantro on top.