Argentinian Locro-Style Bean and Corn Stew with Lemon Pepper

About This Recipe

Locro is Argentina's iconic winter stew, a thick, slow-cooked pot of dried corn, white beans, squash and various cuts of meat, traditionally eaten on national holidays like May 25th and July 9th. This version simplifies the ingredient list toward white beans and corn as the anchor, keeping the essential low, slow simmer that lets everything break down into a thick, cohesive stew, and finishes with a squeeze of lemon and cracked black pepper for brightness against the stew's deep, rich base. The defining technique of locro is time and patience — the pot needs a long, gentle simmer, often two hours or more, so the beans and corn soften completely and some of the starch releases into the broth, thickening it naturally without any added flour. A quick chile-paprika oil, called salsa criolla or 'refrito,' is often stirred in near the end or spooned on top to punch up the color and flavor right before serving. Served in deep bowls with extra refrito on the side for anyone who wants more heat, this is genuinely warming, communal food, meant for cold weather and a full table.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupsdried white beans(soaked overnight)
• 1 cupdried hominy corn(soaked overnight)
• 500 gbeef short rib or stew beef
• 200 gpork belly or bacon(cubed)
• 2 cupscalabaza squash(cubed)
• 1onion(diced)
• 8 cupswater or stock
• 2 tspsalt
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1 tbspsweet paprika
• 0.5 tspchile flakes
• 1lemon(juiced)
• 1 tspblack pepper(freshly cracked)
• 0.25 cupgreen onion(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the pot

   Combine soaked beans, hominy corn, beef, pork belly, onion and water in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce heat to a low simmer.

2. 2

   Simmer slowly

   Cover partially and simmer 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans and corn are completely soft and the broth has thickened.

3. 3

   Add the squash

   Add squash and salt in the last 30 minutes of cooking, stirring occasionally so it breaks down slightly and helps thicken the stew further.

4. 4

   Make the refrito

   In a small pan, warm olive oil over low heat with paprika and chile flakes for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the paprika.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Stir most of the refrito into the pot, reserving some for the table. Squeeze in lemon juice, crack black pepper generously, and scatter green onion on top before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add chorizo alongside the beef and pork for the more traditional, meat-forward locro.

• •

  Use canned hominy and canned white beans for a much faster version, reducing simmer time to about 40 minutes.

• •

  Skip the lemon for the more classic, traditional locro finish.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days; the stew thickens further and the flavor deepens. Freezes well up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of water or stock.

Frequently Asked Questions