Mexican Pinto Beans From Scratch

For starters, a lot of canned products are heavy in salt and often contain preservatives and
other additives  that aren’t so great for you in large quantities.

This recipe is simple to make requiring just 10 ingredients and 1 pot to prepare.

Many traditional Mexican pinto bean recipes require bacon or ham hocks to prepare, but to keep mine plant-based, I relied on vegetable broth, garlic, onion, and diced tomatoes and green chilies. And for even more flavor, I added chili powder, cumin, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. 

Hands-on prep time is really only 15-20 minutes, since the soaking and cooking take place while you do other things.

The brilliant thing is this recipe yields about 5 cups cooked pinto beans, which you can enjoy throughout the week for super easy, quick meals. Or you can store leftovers in freezer-safe bags or jars to save for future meals.

Prep time

6 hours 15 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

7 hours 15 mins

 

How to make Mexican Pinto Beans from scratch in 1 pot! Flavorful, smoky, so easy, and perfect for every Mexican dish you can think of!

Author: Minimalist Baker

Recipe type: Side, Entrèe

Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan, Gluten Free

Serves: 5 cups (10 1/2 cup servings)

Ingredients

• 1 pound (453 g) pinto beans*, soaked overnight in cool water (or for at least 6 hours)
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced (55 g)
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 Tbsp or 9 g)
• 1 pinch each sea salt + black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 quality vegetable bullion (or 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth)
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1 tsp adobo sauce, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup (90 g) diced tomatoes and green chilies (I used Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies)
• 1 Tbsp (8 g) ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp (8 g) chili powder*
• optional: 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Add pinto beans to a large pot and cover with cool water (at least a few inches above the beans as they will expand). Soak for at least 6 hours or overnight* uncovered at room temperature.
2. Once beans are soaked, drain and set aside.
3. Heat your large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, diced onion and garlic, and season with a healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper. Stir to coat and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until onion is soft and translucent.
4. Next add drained beans and bouillon cube and cover with water about 2 inches over the top, as the beans will expand while cooking. If using vegetable broth in place of a bouillon cube, add vegetable broth first, and then water so you don't add too much liquid.
5. Add chipotle pepper and diced tomatoes, stir and bring to a low boil. Then reduce heat to low or medium-low and simmer for 40-50 minutes, or until beans are tender.
6. Once the beans are tender and cooked through add remaining seasonings: adobo sauce, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon (optional). Stir to coat and cook on low for 10 more minutes to let the flavors meld.
7. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt to taste, cumin for smokiness, chili for depth of flavor, cinnamon for warmth, or adobo sauce (and minced adobo peppers) for heat. You want them very well seasoned, so don't be shy!
8. Your beans are now ready to enjoy! These make a delicious addition to burrito bowls, burritos, tacos,nachos, taco salads, veggie burgers, and more. You could also add them to chili!
9. Store beans well covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Will keep in the freezer for 1 month (oftentimes longer).

Notes

*1 pound dried beans typically equals 2 cups dried or 4-5 cups cooked.
*The chili powder I used was from Whole Foods and contains a blend of chili peppers, cumin, garlic, oregano, coriander, cloves and allspice.
*6-8 hours is the optimal amount of time for soaking your beans. The longer you soak them, the more tender they will become, and the more likely they will split and separate during cooking. So if you can't get to them right away, simply drain, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.