A traditional Honduran dish — anafres is the bubbling bean dip of Honduran get-togethers, named for the little clay brazier it simmers over at the table. Smooth refried red beans are blanketed with melted cheese and topped with chismol, then scooped up with crisp tortilla chips straight from the pot.
Anafres
A traditional Honduran dish — anafres is the bubbling bean dip of Honduran get-togethers, named for the little clay brazier it simmers over at the table.

Step by stepInstructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet and cook the onion and garlic until soft, about five minutes
- Add the tomatoes and cumin, and cook until the tomatoes break down into a sauce
- Stir in the beans with a splash of their broth and mash them until smooth and thick, seasoning with salt and pepper
- Spread the beans into a small ovenproof clay pot or casserole, cover with the grated cheese, and bake at three hundred seventy-five degrees F until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling, about fifteen minutes
- Spoon the crema and a handful of fresh chismol or diced tomato over the top and serve immediately, keeping the pot warm over a candle or small burner if you have an anafre
- Serve with tortilla chips for dipping
💡 Chef tips & storage
Real anafres are served in a clay pot kept hot over charcoal — a small warming candle under a cazuela works beautifully at home. Add crumbled cooked chorizo into the beans for a richer, saltier version.

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