Category: camping meals

I discovered this recipe in a small rural town outside Puebla while learning to grow oyster mushrooms with a government agricultural program. The workshop owner, Doña Mari, quietly invited us to brunch and set down a bowl of deep purple beans swimming in a rich red chile sauce she called Mole Ayocote. I fell in love on the first spoonful. This authentic, little-known Mexican camp bean recipe is now one of my most requested at the campsite.

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Why This Is the Ultimate Camp Bean Recipe

Beans are always an easy camping food — high in protein and filling. But flavorless canned beans are a letdown. Mole Ayocote is different: it is a purple broad bean stew built on a chilli puree of ancho peppers, guajillo peppers, cumin, garlic, and oregano. Make the red chile puree at home, bring it to the campsite, and the rest comes together in one pot over the fire.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Great vegetarian option — no meat needed. The combination of spice, peppers, and beans is hearty and deeply satisfying.
• Authentic Mexican flavour — with these peppers and spices, you get the full Mexican experience from a single dish.
• Delicious — the flavour is layered and complex, and the colour of the purple ayocote beans in brilliant red sauce is stunning.
• Easy campsite cooking — minimal gear required. If the chile puree is made ahead, all you need is a pot and a fire.

Ingredients Deep-Dive

Ayocote Beans (Purple Broad Beans)

Ayocote is a type of Mexican purple runner bean — large, meaty, and with a savoury, nutty flavour that is almost meat-like. The creamy, starchy texture makes it an outstanding meat substitute for vegetarians. If you cannot find purple broad beans, any other broad beans work well. Avoid fava beans — they have a strong distinctive taste that clashes with the chile sauce.

• Why it matters: The density and earthiness of ayocote beans stand up to the bold chile puree in a way that smaller beans simply cannot. The colour turning deep purple-red in the sauce is part of what makes this dish so visually spectacular.

Ancho Peppers

Ancho pepper is the dried version of the poblano. It is not spicy — it is used almost entirely as a colouring and flavouring agent, giving Mexican dishes like pozole and red enchilada sauce their deep warm red colour. It brings a mild smoky sweetness to the stew.

• Why it matters: Without ancho, the stew turns pale and loses its rich visual appeal. A bag of dried mulato or ancho chiles lasts for months in your pantry.

Guajillo Peppers

Slightly spicy, but manageable. When using dried guajillo, always discard the seeds and stem — the flesh gives you the flavour and colour while removing most of the heat. Using both long and short guajillo (as Dona Mari taught) adds complexity without any extra effort.

• Why it matters: Guajillo is the backbone of the stew’s flavour. Toasting it lightly before soaking unlocks a smoky dimension that transforms the sauce.

Cumin

This recipe has a strong cumin presence. In Mexico it is called comino and it is foundational to Mexican cooking — earthy, warm, and slightly bitter.

• Why it matters: Cumin ties together all the other spice notes. Do not skip it or reduce the quantity.

Oregano

Use Mexican oregano if you can find it. It has a stronger, more earthy tone than Mediterranean oregano and a hint of citrus. The aroma is noticeably more complex.

• Why it matters: Mexican oregano completes the authentic small-town Puebla flavour profile that makes this recipe so special.

Manteca (Animal Lard)

In small towns across Mexico, manteca is cheaper than cooking oil and adds a richness and depth that vegetable oil cannot replicate. For a vegan version, substitute with canola or sunflower oil — the dish still works beautifully.

• Why it matters: Frying the onion and garlic in manteca before adding the chile sauce creates a flavour base (sofrito) that gives the stew its round, satisfying finish.

How to Cook Ayocote Beans

Instant Pot Method

Rinse the dried beans and fill the pot with 1/2 litre of water. Set to “Pressure Cook” for 40 minutes with the valve on. After the timer, let the valve release naturally. Reserve the bean water.

Stovetop Method

Rinse dried beans and fill a pot with 1 litre of water. Boil until tender — up to 80 minutes. Test after 80 minutes; if not soft, add 10 more minutes and more water. Reserve the bean water.

How to Cook Beans While Camping

A campfire Dutch oven is the best investment for camp cooking — heavy and bulky, but you can make anything in it, including these beans over an open fire. Fill with water, hang over the campfire or lay on a campfire grate, and cook for 45 minutes. Manage heat by adjusting the fuel and monitor water levels to prevent burning.

Professional Tips for No-Fail Mole Ayocote

Pro Tip 1: Soak the Beans Overnight

Soaked beans in the Instant Pot cook in 15–25 minutes instead of 40. Unsoaked dried beans need 37–42 minutes. If you know you are making this the next day, soak overnight every time.

Pro Tip 2: Use a Pressure Cooker

Beans cook perfectly in a pressure cooker and in a fraction of the time. Unsoaked: 37–42 minutes. Well-soaked: 15–25 minutes.

Pro Tip 3: Keep the Bean Water

After the beans finish cooking, reserve that starchy water. When the sauce and beans simmer together for 30 minutes, the bean water adds depth and enriches the final stew.

Pro Tip 4: Lightly Toast the Chile Peppers

Toast the guajillo and ancho peppers in a dry pan until slightly browned and fragrant — the smoky flavour really comes through. After toasting, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes to rehydrate before blending.

How to Serve Mole Ayocote

• Bread — dip bread into the sauce to soak it all up while eating the beans with a spoon.
• Rice — lay the purple camp beans over rice for the best and most simple supper.
• Mashed potato — serve with mashed potato and vegetables, drizzled with the red sauce.
• Vegetables — pair with rice and roasted vegetables for a complete vegetarian meal.

More Mexican Bean and Stew Recipes

If you love this Mole Ayocote, you will enjoy our green pozole (pozole verde) — another bold Mexican stew with equally deep flavour. For a warming bean-based soup with spice, check out instant pot Mexican menudo.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for ayocote beans?

Any large purple broad bean or runner bean works well. Black beans or pinto beans can work in a pinch for a different texture. Avoid fava beans — their distinctive strong flavour does not complement the chile sauce.

Is this recipe spicy?

No. Ancho peppers are mild and used mostly for colour. Guajillo adds a gentle warmth, but removing the seeds keeps the heat very low. This is suitable for children and those sensitive to spice.

Can I make this vegan?

Yes. Simply substitute the manteca (animal lard) with canola or sunflower oil. The rest of the recipe is fully plant-based.

Can I make the chile puree ahead of time?

Absolutely — this is the recommended approach for camping. Make the red chile puree at home, store it in a sealed container in the fridge or cooler, and at the campsite you only need to cook the beans and assemble.

Where can I find ayocote or guajillo peppers?

Mexican grocery stores carry both. Online, you can find dried mulato chiles that work similarly. For guajillo, most Latin food sections in larger supermarkets carry them dried.

How long does this stew keep?

Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, Mole Ayocote keeps well for up to 4 days. The flavours actually deepen overnight. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.

Mole Ayocote – Purple Camp Bean Recipe

Delicious Mexican camp bean recipe to make on your next camping trip! Packed with the delicious flavour of ancho and guajillo peppers, cumin, thyme, oregano, and garlic This surely will be your favourite camping bean recipe! Print Recipe Pin RecipeServings: 6 people

Equipment

• blender

Ingredients

• 300 g ayocote beans or purple broad beans
• 2 guajillo pepper
• 1 ancho pepper
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp clove powder
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp oregano dried
• 1 tsp thyme dried
• 3 bay leaf
• ¼ cup manteca or cooking oil
• ½ white onion
• 3 clove of garlic
• ½ L water
• sea salt to taste

Instructions

Cooking ayocote beans with an Instant Pot

• Rinse the dried beans in tap water and refill it with ½ litre of water.
• Set the mode to “Pressure Cook” and set the timer to 40 minutes. Close the lid with the valve on.
• After the timer sets off, let the beans sit until the valve naturally unlocks itself.
• Take the beans out, but reserve the bean water. Set aside.

Cooking ayocote beans with a pot on the stove

• Rinse the dried beans in tap water and refill with ½L of water.
• Boil the beans until tender. It can take up to 80 minutes depending on size.
• After 80 minutes test the bean to see if the inside is soft. If needed, give it an extra 10 minutes and add more water.
• Take the beans out once soft and tender, but reserve the bean water. Set aside.

Cooking the Mole Ayocote

• In a dry pan, place the guajillo and ancho peppers. Heat on high. Toast until browned and fragrant on the outside. Let cool.
• Discard the seeds and stem. Pour hot water over the peppers until completely submerged. Soak for 10 minutes.
• Place the soaked peppers in a blender with 1 cup of water. Add cumin, clove, oregano, thyme, and black pepper. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
• In a large pot, place the manteca or cooking oil. Heat on medium-high.
• Add onion and garlic. Fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the red chilli puree, beans, bay leaf, and reserved bean water. Cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve.