Peruvian Beans

This post may contain affiliate links, see my Privacy Policy and Disclosure Statement

Peruvian Beans (aka Peruano beans, mayocoba beans, canary or canario beans) are indigenous to Peru. This Peruvian beans recipe actually features Peruvian flavors unlike most recipes I've come across. With simple ingredients like ají panca, bacon, onion, and tomato paste, and served with salsa criolla, avocado, and rice, this healthy beans recipe evokes memories of chilly nights in the Peruvian Andes. I think you're going to love them!

Jump to:

• 👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks - Recipe Inspiration
• 🥔 What are Peruvian/Peruano/Mayocoba/Canary Beans?
• 🥘 What I Love About This Peruvian Beans Recipe
• 📋 Ingredients You'll Need
• 🔪 Instructions
• 💭 Tips
• ❓ FAQ
• 🧂 Useful Stuff
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks - Recipe Inspiration

I often shop at a local Latino foods market. It was at Ruben's that I discover Mayocoba beans. I knew nothing about them, but I loved their tender, buttery texture and flavor. I had to know more.

After 3 trips to the Peruvian Andes in 2017, 2018, and 2019, I had experienced these Peruvian beans a few times. It was then that I decided I needed to include them in the recipes on Beyond Mere Sustenance. It's been awhile, but here we are finally.

In researching "Peruvian beans," I discovered most available recipes are Mexican rather than Peruvian. Obviously, I love Mexican recipes, but I wanted to represent the Peruvian flavors I've come to love. As I've often said, I am not attempting to recreate abuelita's recipes, rather I want to bring Peruvian flavors to non-native home cooks!

While this recipe for Peruvian beans is simple, it does require ají panca paste. If you have a Latino foods market, or a grocery with a large international foods section, you may find it locally. I can get it locally in McAllen, Texas. When we lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico, we could get it in El Paso. If not, order ají panca paste online.

The other somewhat obscure ingredient is harina de camote (sweet potato flour). Again, you can often find it locally in the international foods section or at a Latino foods market. You can substitute potato flour, masa de harina, or even cornstarch. I use it to make a slurry to thicken the broth in the beans.

🥔 What are Peruvian/Peruano/Mayocoba/Canary Beans?

Peruvian beans are smooth yellow beans indigenous to Peru. These lovely beans are also know as mayocoba, canary, and Peruano beans. At some point, the Peruvian beans were cross-pollinated by Mexican agronomists, and the mayocoba beans were named for Mayocoba in Sinaloa state.

Rice and beans are an important part of the Central and South American diet. You'll find a version of rice and beans in almost every region. El Salvador has Casamiento, Nicaragua has Gallopinto, Brazil has Feijoada, Peru has tacu tacu, I've done shrimp, black beans, and rice...

More than just an inexpensive and nutritious food source, these rice and beans dishes often provide the flavor that helps define a cuisine like Creole red beans and rice. It is my aim to put Peruvian beans and rice "on the map!"

Peruvian Beans Nutrition

1 cup of cooked Peruvian beans provides:

• 180 calories
• 11 grams of protein
• 31 grams of carbohydrates
• 1.5 grams of fat
• 13 grams of fiber
• 530 mg potassium
• 85 mg calcium

🥘 What I Love About This Peruvian Beans Recipe

• The Peruvian-flavored beans taste delicious!
• I can make a large batch and freeze for future meals.
• Beans and rice are easy on the budget.
• Beans and rice are nutritious!

📋 Ingredients You'll Need

Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.

• mayocoba beans - Also known as Peruvian beans, Peruano beans, canary beans, they are a smooth creamy bean that is probably most like a pinto or cannelini bean. Either would work as a substitute.
• bacon - Omit the bacon for a delicious plant-based meal with rice.
• onion
• bell pepper
• garlic
• ground cumin
• ají panca paste - Ají panca is a dark red, mild chile pepper with a nice smoky but fruity flavor. I keep them in my pantry in dried form, but I love the paste for quick meals. A paste made from pasilla peppers would probably be the best substitute. You could also use ají amarillo paste. It will be a slightly different flavor, but will be delicious!
• tomato paste
• chicken broth
• oregano - I have ridiculous amounts of fresh oregano in my garden, so I always use a couple of healthy sprigs. Substitute 2 teaspoon of dried Mediterranean oregano leaves if necessary.
• harina de camote - Harina de camote or sweet potato flour is a typical Peruvian thickener. You can substitute sweet potato starch, rice flour, potato flour, or cornstarch. Remember to add a little slurry at a time to achieve desired thickness.
• vinegar - Red wine vinegar would probably be the Peruvian choice, and that is what I use. White wine vinegar and sherry vinegar are fine as well.
• honey
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• sides and garnishes - I serve these rice and beans with salsa criolla, avocado, lime wedges, cilantro, and a bit of crumbled cotija or queso fresco. Delicioso!

🔪 Instructions

Cook the Beans

1. If you're lucky enough to have cooked beans, you get to skip this step! Otherwise, you have a couple of options. Don't forget to add about 1 tablespoon of salt to the bean water!
2. Soak the beans. This step is optional. It removes some of the undigestible sugars and the gastric distress that accompanies them. You can either soak them overnight, or you can bring them to a boil in a large pot of water, then soak them for an hour (quick soak).
3. Instant Pot - While this process doesn't really save time, it does save trouble. Cook the beans under pressure for 30 minutes, then allow them to naturally de-pressurize (about 20 minutes). With the time it takes to bring the IP to pressure, this method requires about an hour.
4. Stove top - Bring the beans to a boil in a pot with plenty of water. Reduce heat, and then simmer until tender but not mushy. The beans will cook further when the Peruvian Beans are finished.
5. Drain the beans, reserving 1 cup of the bean liquid if possible, and measure out 4 cups of cooked beans before proceeding.

Make Peruvian-Style Peruvian Beans

• Finish the pot of beans - Stir the slurry (a little at a time) into the pot of beans over fairly high heat. Allow the beans to boil before adding more. Continue adding until thickened to your preference. Lower the heat to a low simmer, and cover until ready to serve.

💭 Tips

Cook the beans in quantity. Freeze in zip bags for future meals. 1 cup of dried beans yields about 4 cups of cooked beans. I cook the entire bag. Be sure to check out my Peruvian tacu tacu recipe for a healthy, flavorful, and frugal way to use leftover beans!

Season your beans when you cook them. A trusted source - Serious Eats answers Should I Salt My Bean-Cooking Water?. Your beans will be more consistently seasoned, and more beans will be intact.

❓ FAQ

🧂 Useful Stuff

Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This helps to offset the costs of maintaining my blog and creating awesome content! 😊

• Peruvian Mayocoba Beans
• Goya Canned Canary Beans
• Inca's Food Ají Panca Paste
• Harina de Camote (sweet potato flour)

We stayed in the fifties in McAllen on November 4. I must admit I've loved the cool, grey weather (and the break from the heat). Cheers to soups, stews, and healthy, hearty beans and rice!

📖 Recipe