Frijoles charros are a classic Mexican side dish traditionally made with pinto beans simmered in a flavorful broth. This vegan version focuses on aromatic vegetables and spices to create a comforting, hearty bean stew commonly served at family gatherings or casual dinners.
Vegan Vegetarian Pescetarian Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Nut-Free Egg-Free Soy-Free
Nutrient score: Excellent
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a recipe gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every recipe gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the recipe gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the recipe’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the recipe’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein (50 g), fibre (28 g), vitamin A (900 mcg), vitamin C (90 mg), vitamin E (15 mg), calcium (1,300 mg), iron (18 mg), potassium (4,700 mg), magnesium (420 mg), folate (400 mcg) and zinc (11 mg). For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat (20 g), added sugar (50 g) and sodium (2,300 mg). For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible recipe gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A recipe’s values are worked out from its ingredients, whose values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a recipe bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar recipes. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
Units:
Ingredients
- 2 cups Pinto beans (uncooked) (379 g)
- 8 cups Water (1.89 kg)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil (27 g)
- 1 medium Onion (150 g)
- 3 cloves Garlic (15 g)
- 1 piece Jalapeno (15 g)
- 2 medium Tomato (300 g)
- 1 tsp Cumin powder (2.2 g)
- Salt, to taste
- 0.5 handful Fresh Coriander (14 g)
- Ingredients in total: 2.79 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 995 g (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 1.8 kg · 6 servings of about 300 g
Method
- Rinse the pinto beans and soak them in cold water for at least 8 hours, then drain.
- Place the beans in a large 4-litre pot with 8 cups of fresh water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1.5 hours until the beans are tender.
- Heat the olive oil in a separate frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the finely diced onion to the pan and sauté until it becomes soft and translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and chopped jalapeno to the pan, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cumin powder, cooking until the tomatoes soften and release their juices.
- Pour the tomato and onion mixture into the pot with the cooked pinto beans.
- Season the pot with salt to taste and let everything simmer together for 15 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Remove from the heat and garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves before serving.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 284 kcal | 94.8 kcal |
| Protein | 14.5 g | 4.84 g |
| Water | 233 mL | 77.6 mL |
| Sodium | 13.3 mg | 4.42 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 45 g | 15 g |
| Total Fat | 5.53 g | 1.84 g |
| Sugar | 3.83 g | 1.28 g |
62 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 3.78 mg | 1.26 mg |
| Calcium | 92 mg | 30.7 mg |
| Magnesium | 122 mg | 40.7 mg |
| Potassium | 1,067 mg | 356 mg |
| Iodine | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 304 mg | 101 mg |
| Zinc | 2.39 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Chloride | 22.6 mg | 7.52 mg |
| Selenium | 7.6 mcg | 2.53 mcg |
| Copper | 0.66 mg | 0.22 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.029 mg | 0.01 mg |
| Manganese | 1.15 mg | 0.38 mg |
| Molybdenum | 129 mcg | 42.9 mcg |
| Chromium | 11.1 mcg | 3.69 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.78 g | 0.26 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3.51 g | 1.17 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.14 g | 0.046 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.92 g | 0.31 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 0.79 g | 0.26 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.19 g | 0.063 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 3.48 g | 1.16 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 11 g | 3.68 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 1.84 g | 0.61 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 9.68 g | 3.23 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 13.1 mg | 4.37 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 346 mcg | 115 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.8 mg | 0.6 mg |
| Vitamin A | 30.7 mcg RAE | 10.2 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.54 mg | 0.18 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.37 mg | 0.12 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.15 mg | 0.051 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.61 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Vitamin E | 1.13 mg | 0.38 mg |
| Vitamin K | 19.9 mcg | 6.65 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 9.96 mcg | 3.32 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 340 mcg | 113 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 62.8 mg | 20.9 mg |
| Leucine | 1,183 mg | 394 mg |
| Lysine | 974 mg | 325 mg |
| Polyphenols | 395 mg | 132 mg |
| Methionine | 176 mg | 58.6 mg |
| Oxalates | 60 mg | 20 mg |
| Threonine | 572 mg | 191 mg |
| Tryptophan | 163 mg | 54.2 mg |
| Valine | 772 mg | 257 mg |
| Flavonoids | 161 mg | 53.7 mg |
| Histidine | 476 mg | 159 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.36 mg | 0.12 mg |
| Lycopene | 1.29 mg | 0.43 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 797 mg | 266 mg |
| Purines | 113 mg | 37.6 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 701 mg | 234 mg |
Additives
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) | 123 mg | 41 mg |
Worked out from the ingredients with the GapPlate food library, per 100 g of the cooked dish. Estimates, not medical advice.
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