Best Belize Stewed Beans Recipe | Make a Delicious Caribbean Meal at Home

I absolutely fell in love with the food in Belize when I visited a friend who was living in Punta Gorda back in 2015. Since then, the one dish that I’ve recreated at home from that trip is Belize stewed beans or Belize stew beans.

After trying several different recipes over the years, I have come up with my own version that I think tastes the most like the Belize stewed beans that I ate at least once a day while I was there. I believe this preparation method is considered Belizean Kriol, as opposed to traditional Mayan.

I don’t typically talk about food here. Well, except that one time I raved about the best restaurants in Punta Gorda. I do love cooking, though, and it’s a part of my everyday life, so I figured I’d start sharing more food posts.

However, remember that I’m not a food blogger and I don’t even consider myself a great cook (I don’t like following directions). I just like the process of cooking, trying new recipes, and learning new flavor combinations. The photos are probably horrible, definitely not Insta-worthy, but believe me, it tastes delicious! Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sharing!

Easy Belize Stewed Beans Recipe

Adapted from recipes I found on Taste Belize.

• Prep Time: 8-12 hours (overnight)
• Cook Time: A few hours
• Servings: A lot! If you’re cooking for one, make sure to have containers to freeze several portions.

Ingredients

• 1 lb bag dry kidney beans
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 bayleaf
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 Tbs coconut oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp salt (optional)
• pigtail (optional)

Note on optional ingredients | Adding a pigtail is tradition, but not a requirement. After trying it both ways, I like to cook these beans with no meat. If you do include it, just remember to omit the salt. Pigtail substitutes include a ham hock, some cooked bacon, or the bone from a leftover spiral ham.

Instructions

Cooking stewed beans is a little time-consuming. Preparation starts the night before and cooking lasts a few hours. So, make sure to plan ahead and set aside the time. It will be worth it!

Stage 1 | Soaking

Step 1: Place beans in a large bowl and pick out any rogue pebbles. Then cover with water and remove all floating beans (if they float that means they are not fresh) and any beans you just don’t like. Drain and replace gross water with some fresh stuff.

Step 2: Make sure to add an extra 2-3 inches of water over the beans – they will soak up a lot of it. Leave the bowl on the counter letting the beans soak for at least 8 hours. Soaking them overnight is the easiest.

Stage 2 | Cooking

Step 3: The next day, drain the water and transfer beans to a deep pot. Then cover them again with water plus an extra 1-2 inches.

Step 4: Roughly chop the garlic and add it to the pot with the beans and water. Also add the bay leaf, oregano, cumin seeds, ground cumin, and coconut oil. DO NOT ADD ANY SALT OR PORK YET.

Step 5: Bring to a boil over high heat with no lid. Then reduce heat to medium and hard simmer with a lid on the pot. If it boils over, just crack the lid a smidge. Keep an eye on the pot and stir occasionally to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom. As the beans absorb the water (and some evaporates) add hot water to the pot to keep the beans covered.

Step 6: After a while (like an hour?), scoop out a spoonful of beans and lightly blow on them like you’re cooling them off. When the skin on the beans lifts or peels back that means they are ready to season with the salt (or pork) and chopped onions.

Step 7: Continue to simmer until the liquid turns into a gravy. Taste the beans and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Ways to Eat Belize Stewed Beans

Now you’re probably thinking, “what am I going to do with this giant pot of beans?” A traditional Belizean meal would pair the beans with coconut rice, some stewed chicken, coleslaw (or potato salad), and fried plantains. SO DELICIOUS!

I also eat Belize stewed beans just like any other kind of beans:

• On top of some coconut rice
• In a rice and veggie bowl with whatever vegetables I have around
• On top of nachos
• In a burrito
• Refried and added to any of the dishes above
• With eggs for breakfast
• Blended into a bean dip

How do you like to eat Belize stew beans? Share in the comments.

FAQs about Belize Stewed Beans

Do I have to use kidney beans? No, black beans are a great substitute. I ate both types of beans cooked similarly while I was in Belize.

Do I have to soak the beans for so long? There are ways to cook them without soaking, but I don’t think they will taste as good. Plus, beans that are cooked to quickly tend to bust open at the seams.

Can I freeze Belizean Stewed beans? I sure do! I typically only prepare food for me, myself, and I. So, when I make a big batch like this, I eat some right away, keep a container with 2-3 servings in the fridge for the week, and freeze the rest in containers of 3-4 portions for later. I just defrost one container at a time and use the beans throughout the week. I make sure to use them up within 2-3 months.

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