Barbacoa de Res con Arroz y Frijoles de la Olla (Beef Barbacoa Plate)
Tender shredded chilli beef with red rice, brothy pot beans, radish and lime, a generous Mexican comida plate.
Made with Frijoles de la olla (pot beans) and Mexican red rice (arroz rojo) and Barbacoa beef. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.94 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put your ready made barbacoa beef (see the base recipe) in a pan with 4 tbsp of its juices or water. Cover and heat over a medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until steaming hot all the way through.
9 min - 2
Warm your ready made frijoles de la olla (see the base recipe) in another pan with a little of their broth until hot, about 6 minutes.
6 min - 3
Warm your ready made arroz rojo (see the base recipe) in a covered pan with 3 tbsp water until steaming hot. Reheat chilled rice only once.
6 min - 4
Warm the tortillas one at a time in a dry frying pan for 20 seconds each side, and keep them wrapped in a clean cloth.
0 min 40 s - 5
Mix the onion with the coriander and a pinch of salt.
- 6
Serve the barbacoa, rice and beans on plates with the onion mix, radishes, tortillas and lime wedges.
Tips
- Moisten the meat with some of its own cooking juices when reheating. Barbacoa dries out quickly.
- Beans in their broth are served as a small soupy side. Spoon a little of the broth over the rice too.
- Serve with salsa roja or salsa verde on the side.
Storing and freezing
Cool and refrigerate the components separately within 1 hour. Keep for up to 3 days (rice 1 day). Reheat once only until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Is barbacoa spicy?
It is richly chilli-flavoured with guajillo and cumin, but usually mild to medium. The heat comes mostly from the salsa you add.
Can I make tacos with this?
Yes. Pile the barbacoa into warm corn tortillas with onion, coriander and salsa. Leave the rice and beans on the side.
Is the plate gluten free?
Yes, with gluten free corn tortillas and gluten free versions of the bases. The meat, rice and beans are naturally free of gluten, dairy, egg and nuts.
More made with frijoles de la olla (pot beans)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.