These creamy Dominican beans, flavored with garlic, onion, cubanelle pepper, and adobo seasoning, cooked in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker, make the perfect vegetarian side or meatless main dish.
Dominican Beans
You guys are in for a treat! When my cousins visited me a few weeks ago from the Dominican Republic, they showed me how to make these delicious Dominican beans made from scratch with dry red kidney beans. In DR, these beans are served daily in most homes. There’s no meat in these beans, so they are great for vegetarians. Of course, if you want to serve them along side some pork chops, steak or Pollo Sabroso that’s great too! For some other Latin-inspired bean recipes, try my Mexican Pinto Beans, Quick Cuban Style Black Beans, and Quick Puerto Rican Style Beans.
How are Dominican beans served?
Rice with stewed red beans, or Habichuelas Guisadas is one of the most common meals at any Dominican table. They are typically served over white rice with concón (the crispy rice at the bottom of the pot). These beans are creamy and thick, they should coat the rice and stick to them. They shouldn’t be watery, nor should they resemble refried Mexican beans.
How do you make Dominican beans from scratch?
These Dominican beans can be made in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. I have included directions for both.
What makes these Dominican beans different from Colombian beans and Brazilian beans is that they are creamy and almost like a gravy that sticks to the rice. The trick to getting them creamy is keeping the water that you soak the beans in overnight and cooking the beans in the same water.
While the beans cook in the pressure cooker, sauté the garlic, cubanelle pepper, red onion, cilantro, and seasonings. There’s no need to dice the pepper, onion, or cilantro into fine pieces because you will remove them at the end of cooking. If you can’t find a cubanelle, use an Anaheim pepper instead.
Once the beans are cooked, take about 25% of the beans and liquid and puree them in the blender. Then add them back to the pot with the aromatics and simmer the beans until they are thick. Remove the cilantro, onion, and pepper and enjoy. I can’t wait for you to try them!
What to Serve with Dominican Beans
Serve the red beans over rice and enjoy as a meatless main entrée or a side dish. Tostones, sliced avocado or salad make a great side dish if you’re making these as a main course. Since my cousin is Colombian and his wife is Dominican, they cook with a fusion of flavors. My cousin grilled some steaks to go along with the beans and rice and topped everything with Colombian Aji, a spicy green hot sauce, which you can see pictured here. It adds flavor and brightness to the whole dish, but you can also use a few dashes of hot sauce instead.
Stove Top Method
To cook on the stove, use a large pot to soak the beans overnight. Cook them in the same water, covered on low. Once they come to a boil. Cook until the beans are tender, at least 1 hour then follow the rest of the directions. Since there is some evaporation in a pot compared to a pressure cooker, you may have to add a little more water. Follow the other steps as directed steps 4 to 9.
Variations
If you wish to chop all the veggies and leave them in the beans instead of removing them, they will still be wonderful.
More Bean Recipes You’ll Love:
- White Northern Beans with Aji Verde Sauce
- Brazilian Black Beans
- Instant Pot Black Beans
- Arroz Congri (Cuban Rice and Black Beans)
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
Dominican Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried red kidney beans
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 bunch cilantro sprigs
- 1 red onion, cut into 8 pieces
- 1 cubanelle pepper, cut in 4 pieces
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes, I use Maggi (or veggie for vegetarian)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons adobo seasoning
- kosher salt, or to taste
- white rice, for serving (not counted in macros)
Instructions
- Put beans in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot and cover them with water so there’s 2 inches over them (10 cups).
- Soak overnight, but don’t drain.
- Next day, cover and seal the pressure cooker (or Instant Pot) over medium heat, when the pot comes to pressure cook high pressure 20 minutes. Natural release.
- While the pressure releases, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat and add garlic, tomato paste, cilantro, red onion, pepper, bouillon cube and saute about 10 minutes, stirring.
- Open the pressure cooker when the steam releases, take 25% of the beans and liquid and transfer to the blender. Puree well then return to the pot.
- Add adobo seasoning and salt (about 1 teaspoon), or to taste.
- Add the sauteed vegetables to the beans and bring to a boil over medium heat. (In the Instant Pot use the saute button.)
- Boil uncovered over medium-low heat until the texture becomes creamy and the liquid reduces, about 30 minutes stirring often.
- Remove cilantro, pepper and onion and serve over rice. Makes 9 cups.
Last Step:
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turned out great. a keeper
This was an instant hit in my home after my boyfriend begged me to try and cook him beans like he had on vacation in Domincan Republic. Like many other commenters, I decided to dice the veggies and keep them in the finished recipe instead of discarding them. This recipe is full of flavour, very filling, and very easy to make. Highly recommend, I make these almost weekly! Thanks!
I just made this recipe, and I don’t even have the words for the flavor!! I used my instant pot. I didn’t soak the beans so I extended the time to 40 minutes like I do for my Cajun red beans. I chopped my veggies fine and left them in. Love love love. Will make this over and over again!
Why do you discard the saute vegatables and cilantro. It seems that it is a shame and a waste not to eat them. I would very much like to try this recipe as suggested by my Dominican friends
This is how my dominican family does it, but you can just dice them small instead
I don’t discard mine, I blend it with the little beans and return to pot. I add diced fried salt pork and 1 bay leaf.
Wow, I’m impressed. I’m Mexican and have been cooking beans since I left home and these were so flavorful. Like a thicker frijoles charros, but with that distinct Caribbean sazon. Loved this recipe!
5 star perfection! I’ve made these twice and I’m always floored by the texture and amount of flavor. Thank you for this recipe!
I’ve made this recipe a few times. It is the bomb. My only variation, and I suggest this with all respect to the author, is to add the sauted vegetables to the removed beans, puree it all, and returned it to the pot to reduce the broth. It is my go-to bean recipe now.
Absolutely delicious and so creamy the way you make it. The kids had theirs with white rice, a sunny side up egg, hot sauce and feta on top. I had mine with brown rice, extra cilantro and a little vinegary red cabbage, carrots and jalapeño salad on the side.
I used dried beans soaked overnight first. And when I blended the quarter of beans after pressure cooking, I also blended the onion, garlic, cubanelle sauté. We loved the soupy-sauciness of it! Definitely making again.
These beans are soooooo flavorful and 1 Blue Point? So good. My boyfriend said I needed to keep that recipe and make it again. I used canned beans and blended 1 can to make the beans creamy. I cut up the inions, cubanelle (used a large one) and chopped the cilantro so I could keep them in the beans. Delicious!
Delicious. And easy to make. I added Mexican oregano but stuck to everything else in the recipe. Love the saucy-soupy-ness of it.
White rice is great with this dish + I also love it with a crispy fried egg too. My son had it with carnitas (fall off the bone country style pork ribs cooked just in adobo seasoning). Awesome recipe.
These are amazing! However, I think when I make them again, I’ll cut the vegetables smaller and leave in the beans.
I made this recipe with canned beans. I figured four cans would equal about a pound. I blended one of the cans with its liquid. I thought they were so so good! Seriously, amazing! It was kind of a pain pulling out the large chunks. Next time I think I would prefer these with small red beans.
I should have clarified, on the stove top.
Best beans I have ever made! Thank you! I left all the onions/peppers in and it tasted great. Would highly recommend others to try this recipe!
These were excellent, especially with the fresh salsa on top. I think I added too much water though, as there was more sauce than beans. Left the onions and peppers in too. Will definitely make them again.
Hi Christine, just let boil a bit more, but as a dominican I can tell you our beans do tend to be more saucy then other nations.
How long does this take to naturally release? Going on 30 mins now!
Most instant pot recipes will say that a “natural release” is 5 minutes after the cook time is complete. I usually just wait till my vegetables are ready to add to the pot to simmer.
It is so satisfying to make beans from “scratch” I did leave the onion and veggies in the beans. I think I took cooking down till creamy a bit too far, at 1/2 hour of bubbling away I thought ” maybe a bit more” – went about 15 more minutes–and of course as they cool and we are now having them the next day they are virtually “re -fried bean consistency” , but nevertheless are very good, I did them as a “bowl’ with riced cauliflower and some shredded steamed carrots, mushrooms sliced and grape tomato and a bit of nonfat feta I had on hand. I want to get some more fresh cilantro to sprinkle on top–out of that at present. Fun to do, plan to freeze some as only two of us, and will see how that works out. Next time won’t cook down so long as according to picture should be a bit more saucy I think? I can always add a bit of broth to them too.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!! It was sooo good. Reminded me of all the yummy Dominican food I used to eat in Inwood. This recipe is a keeper!
Delicious!
Just made this. As usual an incredible recipe. Now I can’t wait for lunch time so I can eat them!!!
I have made a LOT of beans in my day (we used to live in South America) and these are the best beans EVER. I accidentally left the veg in (and wondered why they were chopped so large- oops). I made this in the crock pot. I subbed Anaheim pepper for cubanelle. I will be making these again and again!
We made these on the stove top – they were amazing. We did not have to add additional water. We will definitely make again. I did have them covered, if we would have done uncovered we likely would have had to add water as noted.
Thank you! I have made all your bean recipes. My family loves bean/rice nights for dinner. My instant pot has permanent bean smell 🙃😒
I can’t find dried kidney beans. Can I use canned ones, or should I use dried pinto beans?
i would not used canned as they are already cooked. Maybe use black beans instead (dry)?
Amazon has them
I used canned beans and the stove top method. I thought it came out excellent!!!
I have a ton of your sofrito frozen. Would I be able to use this in it rather than buying another cubanelle, cilantro, etc?
Sure it just won’t be the same but I am sure delicious anyway.
These are so good! They pair great with the cilantro lime rice recipe!!
Delicious! Served over brown rice with lamb chops and roasted brussels sprouts. Another of your recipes to add to the rotation!
I didn’t realize that I was supposed to rinse off the beans prior to soaking. Is it still safe to eat? It smells amazing!
Wow! These are SOOOO delicious!!! Thank you for sharing the recipe. The whole family loved them.
Great!
Making these tomorrow; can’t find the chicken bouillon and can’t go back out! Internet says sub 1 cup of chicken broth per cube. Would this work?
no, this will throw the liquid ratio off. Add more adobo and salt to taste if you omit.
These were the BEST pot of beans I have ever made. Absolutely delicious!
Gina, I do not understand the following: 3. Next day, cover and seal the pressure cooker (or Instant Pot) over medium heat. Normally, after you close the pressure cooker you press the pressure high or low. What do you mean, ” cover and seal the pressure cooker over medium heat?”
Yes thats if cooking on the stove with a regular pressure cooker.
So good! I ended up removing the cilantro after cooking but pureed all the peppers and onions along with the beans and sauce. We both really enjoyed this as a meatless meal and found it filling.
Hi Gina! When do we use the second bouillon cube?
Use them both together at the same time in the skillet.
I loved this recipe! Super simply but oh so flavorful. I served it with the Cauliflower Cilantro Lime rice. Delish!
I made these beans last night with your Pollo Sabroso recipe and it was the most delicious meal I have made all summer! My husband kept raving about the chicken, and the beans (I served with rice) just tasted so comforting and good. I woke up this morning and decided to mix those beans in with my breakfast burrito! Thank you for always having the most flavorful recipes from all cultures – it’s amazing to find out the “secrets” to everyone’s delicious cuisine and be able to replicate it at home!
Thanks Liz!
This were so rich and flavorful from just a few simple ingredients! My only problem was fishing out the onions and cilantro at the end since it all kind of fell apart.
Yes you can always leave them in! Glad you liked it!
Dominicans traditionally take out the greens in habichuelas so the recipe is correct but anybody can leave them in if they want to. 😋 My grandma also adds chunks of Kobucha squash. It helps with the creaminess without having to use a blender.
Thanks Gina for the recipe. Asking Dominicans for recipes is a nightmare and I’ve been wanting to learn how to make proper Dominican beans since I started to learning to cook about a year ago.
This recipe has changed my relationship with beans. @beans, where you been my whole life?? Wow, these are 5 stars all around. I can’t wait to make them again!!
So creamy, so full of flavor!
Gracias mil gracias por publicar no de nuestro pan diario nuestra deliciosa habichuelas rojas guisadas, si deseas no la licues si dejas que se ablanden bien ellas solas hacen su cremas espero las disfruten 😘😘😘
This is amazing!!! I left the onions in and tasted great. Love your recipes!!!
I thought the word habichuelas only meant string beans, and frijoles, or fríjoles as my Colombian wife says, was used for the kidney beans. Am I wrong?
Okay these are amazing. I made them for dinner but ate two helpings before dinner. The flavor is spot on. I struggled to get the peppers and onion out so I just ended up eating them. Thanks Gina!
Would the beans freeze well?
yes!
What could a use as a substitute for a cubanelle pepper? Any suggestions?
bell pepper would work
I used Anaheim pepper for the cubanelle It worked fine.
Thank you Gina!! Just made this today and the smell and taste is amazing!!! Can’t wait to have them later for dinner with Grilled chicken, white rice and tostones!!!
Can I use canned beans for this recipe?
The method would be different.
Quick question: if I don’t want to buy adobo, would I use the recipe for your Mexican Adobo seasoning or do you recommend another recipe for it? There were a million versions that came up on google. Thanks!
It’s basically garlic powder, salt, black pepper and dried oregano
I probably will not be able to find a cubanelle pepper in my area. What can I substitute?
Thank You.
bell pepper is fine.
I love my Colombian beans but I crave Dominican beans too!!!
Love using my instant pot for beans 🙂
I’m curious why you remove the onion, pepper and cilantro ag the end. Wouldn’t those be delicious kept in?
I’m just following her method since it’s her recipe, she said the beans are always smooth with no chunks or specks but I am with you, chop them up and leave them in!
If you left them in, would you blend them when you blend the 25% of beans?
Also… Would these be freezer friendly?
Sure and yes they are freezer friendly
I would just blend the veggies with some of the beans in that step, I would not remove them and throw it away, Definitely going to try these beans
Growing up my mom also took out all of the verduras ( all of the green stuff 🙂 ) from the beans before serving. I do it to — just tradition.
What kind of adobo do you use, Goya? With pepper or without?Thanks
Any brand you prefer. If you like pepper, use it! I personally don’t so I never use it.
For stove top, it says cook the beans for an hour until tender… Covered or uncovered? And still on low the whole hour?
Covered on low until the beans are tender, so about an hour give or take.
Use Low pressure setting on the Instant Pot, correct?
It looks great!
Sorry high pressure
Can I make this in a crock pot??
I have not tried I wonder if they would thicken as much as they should?
Kidney beans should never been made in the crockpot due to toxicity. I didn’t know about this until 2 years ago but kidney beans need to be boiled or pressure cooked! They are the only beans that need to be.
Can you cook these on the stovetop if you dont have a pressure cooker or instapot?
She has the instructions for stove top above in the directions.
This looks wonderful is it possible to do this in a slow cooker?
I have not tested them in the slow cooker, I will try down the road.
This was a miss for me. There were hardly any beans left at the end. I ended up adding a can of rinsed/drained beans to save it, but there was certainly not the yield noted in the recipe. Messing around with the vegetables was a waste and not necessary. I would have puréed them and included them in the dish.
My family do not like kidney beans so I use small red beans. I am from Puerto Rico so rice and beans are a staple in our home.
That’s the way we do the beans at home! Las habichuelas are so good! That is almost the same way we do the beans in Puerto Rico! I guess is Caribbean thing! ☺😋
yes! In PR they add potatoes and tomato sauce.
Potatoes and tomato sauce would be amazing.
Is it same timing for 8qt instant pot?
yes
Has anyone cut the onion and cilantro smaller and left in the beans? How did it turn out?
It would be fine!
Just did this tonight. I didn’t want to toss the beautiful pepper and onion, so left all the veggies in. It was wonderful!