Mexican · Authentic-ish Mexican
Frijoles de Olla
288 kcal a serving, against 351 for the traditional version. That is 63 kcal off, or 18%, with 19.3g of protein. Serves 6. 2 hours 30 minutes plus soaking.
What the traditional version is
Dried black beans soaked overnight and simmered slowly for hours with white onion, garlic and dried chillies until the broth turns incredibly thick and dark. Served in deep bowls with a generous spoonful of full-fat soured cream melting directly into the hot liquid.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of full-fat soured cream swapped for 150g of fat-free Greek yoghurt
The beans are already incredibly lean, so the only real place to make a meaningful saving is the garnish. Soured cream adds a huge hit of dairy fat. Fat-free Greek yoghurt mimics the necessary acidity perfectly, dropping the fat while sneaking in extra protein.
What it costs you. Greek yoghurt completely lacks the heavy mouthfeel of full-fat soured cream. When you stir it into the hot beans, it won't melt in quite the same luxurious way. It leaves a sharper, slightly chalkier finish on the palate.
500g of dried black beans reduced to 450g
Trimming a small amount of the starch drops the overall energy of the dish just enough to improve the balance without leaving you hungry. The beans are filling, so you won't miss 10g per portion.
What it costs you. You get a slightly smaller pile of beans in your bowl. It is the first compromise you'll notice if you are used to massive portions. You'll need to rely on the thick broth to fill you up.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 351 | 288 |
| Protein | 19.2g | 19.3g |
| Fat | 6.1g | 1.3g |
| Saturated fat | 2.9g | 0.3g |
| Carbohydrate | 57g | 51.5g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 5.5g | 6.7g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk.
The method is in the book
This is a brilliant everyday staple. This is a simple, sharp bowl of comfort food that you can eat in massive quantities. Nobody is going to mistake it for a rich, heavy restaurant side dish. The beans have that perfect, earthy depth you want, and the yoghurt brings the necessary sharp contrast. You lose the rich slick of fat from the traditional crema, but you gain a bowl of food that actually fits into a normal Tuesday night without weighing you down.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback