How to cook flavorful, healthy, vegan Mexican-style Pinto Beans using dry beans! This simple recipe can be made on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. It’s a delicious addition to your Mexican Feast or weekly meal prep. Allow 6 hours of soaking time. Video!
Hi friends, It is the first of May. Time continues even though the world feels as if it has taken a long pause. I hope you are finding your rhythm in all of this. With Cinco De Mayo right around the corner, I thought I’d share a simple recipe for cooking dry pinto beans.
This version is vegan, yet smoky and full of flavor. I like making a big pot of these pinto beans on slow lazy days, letting them simmer gently on the stove. It’s perfect for gatherings and meal prep- serve it up during the week in burritos, tacos, and healthy bowls. The leftover pinto beans get more and more flavorful each day as the beans have a chance to soak up all the goodness.
Mexican Pinto Beans Recipe | video!
How to make Pinto Beans
Step one: Soak the beans overnight, or for a minimum of 6 hours. Add a teaspoon of salt to the soaking water.
Step two: Once the beans have soaked, drain and saute the onion and garlic and dried guajillo chili. You can also use canned chipotle peppers here if you’d rather.
For a milder version, leave out the dried guajillo chili.
Step three: Add the spices and toast for 1-2 minutes. Add a cinnamon stick if you like.
Step four: Add the beans, bay leaves, salt and water and bring to a simmer.
Step Five: Simmer uncovered for 45-55 minutes.
Step six: When the pinto beans are tender, stir in adobo sauce from the canned chipotles, which gives the beans a delicious smoky flavor. You can also use a ham hock ( see notes) to achieve this.
The leftover peppers can be frozen in tiny zip-lock bags for another use.
As the beans sit, the liquid will thicken up and the beans will get even more flavorful.
How to serve Pinto Beans
This can be part of a Mexican feast- or served simply on it’s own. I love a bowl of pinto beans topped with a dollop of sour cream, pickled onions and fresh cilantro or served with our Cilantro Lime rice to create a flavorful bowl.
Storing Mexican Pinto Beans
Leftover Pinto Beans can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Have a lovely weekend. Get outside, breathe, feel the sun on your skin.
xoxo
More Favorite bean recipes
- Instant Pot Pinto Bean Stew
- Refried Beans! | Instant Pot or Stove Top
- Pumpkin Soup with Leeks and White beans
- Cuban Black Bean Soup (Instant Pot w/ Dry Beans)
- Southwest Black Bean Quinoa Salad
- Mole Black Beans
Pinto Beans Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups
- Category: pinto beans
- Method: stove top, instant pot
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to cook flavorful healthy vegan Mexican Pinto Beans using dry beans! A Simple easy recipe that can be made on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. A delicious addition to your Mexican Feast, or weekly meal prep. It can be made ahead! Allow 6 hours of soaking time.
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry pinto beans (2 1/2 cups dry), soaked 6-12 hours, then drained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ——-
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- 1 dry Mexican Guajillo Chile (optional, see notes), seeds removed, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- 2 quarts water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- —
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from canned chipotles)
Instructions
- Place pinto beans in a med bowl, and cover with 2-3 inches of water. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and let soak overnight – or for a minimum of 8-12 hours. Drain.
- After soaking: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until tender and fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Add the dried chili, cinnamon stick and all the spices. Saute one minute to toast the spices. Add the water, tomato paste and DRAINED beans. Stir in the 1/2 salt and bring to a rapid boil.
- Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer (on low or medium-low) and simmer uncovered for 45-60 minutes until beans are tender.
- Stir in the tablespoon of Chipotle Adobo Sauce and the vinegar.
- Taste, adjusting salt if needed.
Notes
Feel free to substitute 1-2 canned chipotle peppers (chopped) instead of the dried Mexican chili. Or leave out both for a milder version. Or experiment with other dried Mexican chilies taking not of heat level. One Guajillo chili makes this MEDIUM SPICY.
Using the Adobo sauce from the Canned Chipotle Peppers really elevates and adds a lovely smokiness to the whole dish. Freeze the leftover chipotle chilies (individually) for later use!
You could also use a little smoked paprika for the smoky flavor without the spiciness.
INSTANT POT: Cook according to above, using the saute function for sauteeing. Reduce water to 3 cups. Pressure cook the soaked pinto beans on high for 20 minutes, naturally release. If you’d like to reduce liquid further, cook on saute function for a few minutes until it thickens up.
HAM HOCK: Feel free to add a smoked ham hock to the top of the simmering beans. After it’s tender, shred the meat and stir into the beans.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 129
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 461.1 mg
- Fat: 2.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.6 g
- Fiber: 6.9 g
- Protein: 6.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I have made these beans several times now and they always impress. Just the right kind of spice and warmth! They go great with tacos or burrito bowls. Definitely a regular dish at our house.
Wonderful to hear Kriss! Thanks for taking time to review!
Yum!!
Enjoyed the process of making beans starting with dry ones, rather satisfying. Followed as listed, other then less oil, and simmered just slightly longer to make less saucy, but probably didn’t need to do that because as you say, they do get thicker. Like as a side dish, and with eggs tortillas and am looking at possibly using them some other way too, suggestions always welcome. Thanks
So happy you enjoyed making these Frances! If you type “beans” in the search bar we have quite a few recipes listed on the blog to give you some inspiration!
My family loved these! They will definitely be worked in to our rotation! So much flavor!
Great!
Whether as a side for Mexican, barbeque or a vegetarian dish, this is now my go-to recipe for beans
Glad you are enjoying Lisa!
Just made the beans. Is there supposed to be a lot of liquid left after the beans are cooked? Is so do you drain it?
Hi David- you can cook it down or drain a bit if you want it less liquidy.
Would these be good in your chili recipe?
Yes, I think they would be tasty!
What would you think of black beans instead of pinto for this recipe?
I think they would be tasty!
I made this with the black beans and they are DELICIOUS!! My 15 month old cannot get enough. “More! More!” She devoured them! This recipe is definitely going into the regular rotation. So easy and so yummy! Thank you!
Awesome Amy- love it!
love it!
make it all the time with smoked ham shank. Wrap bean, rice, cheese burritos and freeze them for anytime use. Just a great recipe!
Sounds perfect John!
I made a few mods like I always do and also used Anasazi beans instead of Pinto. Best beans I have ever had. I grew up southern.
Sounds interesting and yummy!
Fabulous! The cinnamon is genius. My favorite pinto recipe. I make it whenever I can.
Thanks Kathy!
The only way i eat pinto beans. The cinnamon makes the beans extra especial.
Thanks Alma!
I soaked them for about 12 hours, then cooked them in the Instant Pot for 25 minutes, then let it naturally release and my beans turned out super liquidy and really really soft. What happened?
Oh Shoot. They sound overcooked. Sorry about that Rachel. You could turn them into refried beans- I bet they would be super tasty. I think the long soaking time with too long in the instant pot put them over the edge. 🙂
Wow these were insanely delicious!!! I forgot to add the adobo and vinegar but they were still so good. I soaked my beans for a couple hours, cooked in the instant pot for 10 minutes, which left them about 3/4 done, then finished them off on the stove. This will be my go to Pinto bean recipe now!!
Perfect Ashley!