Fresh cranberry beans, pumpkin, sweetcorn, onion, ají color, cumin, and basil in a thick Chilean summer stew
Porotos granados is a Chilean country stew associated with the summer harvest, when fresh beans, sweetcorn, pumpkin, and basil are abundant. In the mazamorra style, part of the corn is grated or blended so its starch thickens the broth around the tender beans and squash. Onion, garlic, ají color, cumin, and basil give the dish its warm, recognizable aroma without needing meat or dairy. Fresh shelled cranberry beans are ideal; dried beans can be used when fresh beans are unavailable, provided they are soaked and cooked before the final stew.
- Prep
- 30 mins
- Cook
- 1 hour 10 mins
- Total
- 1 hour 40 mins
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Cuisine
- Chilean
The recipe
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Before you start
Shell and rinse the fresh beans. Cut pumpkin into even cubes. Reserve 300 g corn kernels whole, then blend the remaining corn with 250 ml water to a coarse milky purée. Chop most of the basil, keeping small leaves for finishing. Prepare the onion sofrito in the same pot used for the stew.
Ingredients
For the stew
For finishing
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Equipment
- Large heavy pot paid link
- Blender paid link
- Wooden spoon paid link
- Ladle paid link
- Chef’s knife paid link
- Cutting board paid link
- Digital kitchen scale paid link
Method
Make the sofrito. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot and cook onion with a pinch of salt for 8 minutes until soft but not browned.
Bloom the seasoning. Add garlic, ají color, cumin, black pepper, chopped oregano, and half the basil; cook for 1 minute without scorching.
Add the beans. Stir in fresh cranberry beans and 1800 ml water, bring to a boil, skim the surface, and reduce to a steady simmer.
Part-cook the beans. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes, depending on freshness, until the beans are nearly tender.
Add the pumpkin. Stir in pumpkin cubes and whole corn kernels, then simmer for 15 minutes until the pumpkin begins to soften.
Thicken with corn. Add the coarse corn purée gradually while stirring the bottom of the pot so its natural starch does not catch.
Finish the stew. Simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the broth is creamy, the beans are tender, and some pumpkin has melted into the liquid.
Season and rest. Add the remaining chopped basil and salt, adjust with hot water if too thick, then rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
Serve. Ladle into warm bowls and finish with torn basil, ají-infused oil, and black pepper.
Chef’s notes
Fresh beans cook faster than dried beans and should be tasted early so their skins do not split excessively.
Blend the corn coarsely rather than completely smooth; the tiny pieces give the mazamorra style its body.
After adding corn purée, stir frequently because its starch settles and can scorch.
Pumpkin should partly dissolve while some cubes remain visible.
Add most fresh basil late enough to preserve its aroma, while a smaller amount in the sofrito gives depth.
Tips and variations
If using 500 g dried beans, soak them for 12 hours and cook until nearly tender before beginning the final stew.
Frozen cranberry beans and frozen sweetcorn are practical substitutes outside the Chilean summer.
Use sweet paprika when ají color is unavailable; avoid smoked paprika, which changes the traditional profile.
For a looser version, add hot water gradually instead of thinning the whole pot at once.
A small spoon of ají chileno may be served separately for diners who prefer more heat.
Serve with
Choose deep earthenware bowls that retain heat. Leave the fresh beans, yellow corn, and pumpkin pieces visible and finish with a few bright basil leaves.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. The corn continues to thicken the stew, so add water while reheating gently to at least 74°C. Freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight and stir carefully so the beans remain intact.
Nutrition per serving (estimated)
- 520 kcal
- Calories
- 22 g
- Protein
- 88 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
Allergens
No major allergen is intentionally included. Check dried spices, canned or frozen vegetables, and any bread or pebre served alongside for cross-contact and declared allergens.
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Questions
Which beans are used in porotos granados?
Fresh shelled cranberry or borlotti-type beans are traditional during the Chilean summer.
What is the mazamorra style?
Part of the sweetcorn is grated or blended so it naturally thickens the bean and pumpkin broth.
Can dried beans replace fresh?
Yes, but soak and cook them almost completely before combining them with pumpkin and corn.
Should the stew be spicy?
It is generally warm and aromatic rather than hot; stronger chili can be offered separately.
Why add basil near the end?
Late addition protects the fresh perfume that makes the dish immediately recognizable.
