It’s the start of a new year. 2026. Perhaps you built some resolutions – perhaps your resolution, like mine, was to not bind oneself to resolutions but to wander into the new year with curiosity. Whatever the path you chose, I am glad we are here, yet again, together, supporting women in the Global South.

This month, we feature Adelante Foundation and the incredible work they are engaged in supporting entrepreneurial women in Honduras. The recipe I picked to share may not officially be the “national dish,” but if ubiquitousness and versatility was a measure of a dish’s qualifications to be considered “the” dish of the country then baleadas might be it. Baleadas are incredibly versatile and customizable. They can be had for any main meal – breakfast, lunch, or diner – or even as a snack. Baleadas are, at their most basic, a tortilla filled with Honduran refried bean, crema (mantequilla rala), and cheese. While corn tortillas are common at most Honduran meals, the Baleada is made of a thick flour tortilla. The refried beans are made with red beans, not to be confused with kidney beans. Though related and similar, the former is smaller, round, red and cooks down faster and is what is used to make Honduran refried beans. While red beans can be sourced in the international aisles in grocery stores, kidney beans are a reasonable substitute. Traditionally dry beans would be cooked with aromatics and water, and the broth resulting from cooking the dried beans would then be used in the making of the refried beans. In the interest of efficiency, I’m using canned beans and vegetable broth.

Once you have the refried beans and the crema, the possibilities are many. The simple Baleada (Baleada Sencilla) can be dressed up to become the Baleada Especiales by adding scrambled eggs, avocado slices, and hot sauce. A Beleada Super Especial contains – in addition to everything a Baleada Especiales has – beef, sausage, or chicken! The Pan Con Frijoles is bread rolls with the refried beans, hot sauce, and a generous amount of the crema. With pantry ingredients, quick prep and cooking time, and the ability to build different versions of the dish, the baleada is an excellent start to this year’s roster of the Proven Platter.

Baleadas

Ingredients:

For refried beans
2 (15 ounce) cans of red beans
½ yellow onion, diced
½ green bell pepper, cubed
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons oil
Salt, to taste

For mantequilla rala
1 cup sour cream
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt

For pan con frijoles
Soft bread roll such as Hawaiian rolls

Garnishes
Handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Avocado, diced
Hot sauce
Cojita
Egg

Equipment
Sauté pan
Blender
Frypan

Directions:

Add oil to the pan set at medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the finely diced onion and sauté until it turns golden brown. To the browned onions, add garlic and sauté for a few minutes – but take care to not allow to brown/burn as that would impart a bitter taste.

Add the cubed green pepper to the onions and sauté. Mix in the cumin powder and salt and stir to combine. Add the red beans and stir to combine. Add the broth and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Taste test and add more salt if desired. Allow it to cool and then add to the blender and blend until smooth.

Clean the pan and return to the stove. Add oil and when the oil is hot add the blended bean mix. Stir and simmer until the consistency thickens and is paste-like. The refried beans are now ready.

To make the Mantequilla Rala, combine sour cream, heavy cream, and salt and blend. Set aside.

Heat the tortilla on a pan and spread the refried beans.

To make a Baleada Sencilla, the simplest version of the dish, to the refried beans base, drizzle the mantequilla rala, crumble some cotija, hot sauce (if preferred), and add some cilantro.

To make a Baleada Especiales, scramble some eggs. Assemble as you would a Baleada Sencilla and then add the scrambled egg and avocado.

To make Pan con frijoles, toast the bread roll, spread the refried beans, add hot sauce and then big dollops of the mantequilla rala.

Recipe and photo credit: Vinola V. Munyon