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Chilean ‘Porotos con Riendas’

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  • Prep 20 min
  • Total 60 min
  • Ingredients 9
  • Servings 6
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This very traditional dish is typically served during winter in Chile. Made with a base of spaghetti and beans, its name- porotos con riendas or “beans with reins”-comes from the resemblance of the pasta to the ‘reins’ of a horse. For this recipe you can use pinto beans, which makes this a true comfort-food dish.
Pilar Hernandez
Updated Sep 23, 2015
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups pinto beans
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika or ground merquén (Chilean smoked chili pepper)
  • 1 whole onion, diced
  • 2 Spanish-style chorizo sausages, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 1/2 package of spaghetti pasta
  • 1 cup pumpkin, cut into cubes

Directions

  •  
    1
    First soak the pinto beans in cold water overnight. Then drain the beans and place in a medium-sized pot. Cover completely with fresh cold water. Add the salt and cumin powder.
  •  
    2
    Cook over medium-high heat until the water begins to boil. Lower the heat and let the beans simmer for 10 more minutes or until soft.
  •  
    3
    In a separate medium-sized skillet, heat the shortening until melted. Add the ground paprika or merquén and sauté for one minute. Then incorporate the diced onion and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the sliced chorizo and garlic. Let cook for three minutes more.
  •  
    4
    When the onion and chorizo are golden-brown, transfer them to the pot where the beans are cooking. Add the spaghetti and pumpkin.
  •  
    5
    Simmer for 8-10 minutes without covering, until all the ingredients are well cooked.
  •  
    6
    Serve immediately.

Expert Tips

  • tip 1
    If you’re short on time, you can use frozen pumpkin and canned beans in this recipe.
  • tip 2
    Try using beans dried this year: they’ll take less time to cook.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

  • This very traditional dish is typically served during winter in Chile. Made with a base of spaghetti and beans, its name- porotos con riendas or “beans with reins”-comes from the resemblance of the pasta to the ‘reins’ of a horse. For this recipe you can use pinto beans, which makes this a true comfort-food dish.
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