These creamy Homestyle Mexican Pinto Beans are slow-cooked with flavorful spices and aromatics! Healthy, gluten-free, and full of fiber and protein, they’re the perfect side dish and are great in stews and soups! An easy to follow one pot recipe.
all about the bean!
This is a recipe adapted from an old family recipe as well as homestyle Mexican style cooking tips that my sister in law shared with me. As in the real deal, soaked, slow cooked, flavorful, make in bulk kind of pinto beans!
I have a love hate with pinto beans. I LOVE THEM. They are a bit higher in raffinose (a difficult to digest sugar) than other beans so harder to digest (for me at least). But there’s a solution for ya. When you soak pinto beans longer, then slow cook them, the phytates will begin to break down, making them easier to digest. Easier to digest means the less magical fruit you’ll produce. Actually it means more nutrients you are able to absorb.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is an overview of the ingredients and recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition information.
- Dried pinto beans – Soaked in water overnight or 6-9 hours.
- Minced garlic – Using fresh garlic produces the best flavor.
- White onion – About ½ an onion, roughly chopped. You can substitute for yellow or Hawaiian sweet onion.
- Spices – Cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.
- Jalapeño – Feel free to add more peppers to make spicier.
- Cilantro – Make sure to choose crisp, bright green cilantro, and discard any wilted or browning leaves.
- Optional diced tomatoes – ⅔ to ¾ cup fire roasted diced tomatoes work great.
How To Make Vegetarian Pinto Beans
- Rinse your beans, remove any shriveled or discolored beans, place in large stock pot or Dutch oven and cover with water so they are covered by about 3 inches, and allow to soak for 6 to 9 hours overnight. Don’t soak longer than 12 or your beans might split.
- After you’ve soaked your beans, drain the water, rinse the beans a few times, return beans to the pot, and cover with 2 to 3 inches fresh water or vegetable stock.
Note: Beans expand so much when cooking, you want to check liquid level half way and add a tad more water/broth if needed.
- Mix in your garlic, onion, cumin, chili, and black pepper. If you want to add tomato, do so here. I opted not to for this recipe because I didn’t want to add salt to the beans yet.
- Bring to a boil then simmer uncovered for 90 minutes or until beans are tender.
- Once beans are tender, add in your salt, chopped jalapeños, and cilantro.
- Stir and cook on low for an additional 25-30 minutes until jalapeño is softened and pinto beans are seasoned enough to your liking. You can cook longer if you want softer beans.
Serving Suggestions
Serve them alongside crock pot shrimp tacos, vegetarian taco meat, in white chicken chili, or replace the black beans in my polenta casserole.
More of Our Favorite
Mexican-Inspired Gluten-Free Recipes
Mexican Style One Pot Beans
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
How to make one pot beans. This Mexican Pinto Beans recipe is slow cooked with Mexican spices and vegetables! Vegetarian option, healthy, and gluten free! An easy to follow one pot recipe.
Ingredients
- 16 oz pintos (soaked in water overnight or 6-9 hours)
- Purified water
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ½ c chopped white onion
- 3 –4 teaspoon cumin
- 3–4 teaspoon chili powder
- Water or gluten free vegetarian broth, just enough to cover the beans
- 1 or 2 chopped/sliced jalapeño (Feel free to add more peppers to make spicier)
- ½ tsp sea salt/pepper each
- Finely Chopped Cilantro (2 tbsp)
- Optional Pork or ham bones to place in pot while stewing (Disregard if you want vegetarian option)
- Optional diced tomatoes ( ⅔ to ¾ cup fire roasted diced tomatoes work great).
Instructions
- Rinse your beans, remove any shriveled or discolored beans, place in large stock pot or Dutch oven and cover with water so they are covered by about 3 inches, and allow to soak for 6 to 9 hours overnight. Don’t soak longer than 12 or your beans might split.
- After you’ve soaked your beans, drain the water, rinse the beans a couple times, return beans to the pot, and cover with 2 to 3 inches fresh water or vegetable stock.
- Mix in your garlic, ham bones (if you using them), onion, cumin, chili, and black pepper. If you want to add tomato, do so here. I opted not to for this recipe because I didn’t want to add salt to the beans yet.
- Bring to a boil them simmer uncovered for 90 minutes or until beans are tender. NOTE: Beans expand so much when cooking, you want to check liquid level half way and add a tad more water/broth if needed.
- Once beans are tender, take out your ham bones (if using) and add in your salt, chopped jalapeños, and cilantro.
- Stir and cook on low for 25 -30 more minutes until jalapeños softened and pinto beans are seasoned enough to your liking. You can cook longer if you want softer beans.
- Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro and a pinch or two more chili pepper before serving. (If desired)
Notes
- If you soak your beans, but can’t cook them right away, simply drain them then place covered in the fridge until you are ready to use.
- Salting beans: Do not add salt to beans until they are tender in cooking.
- NUTRITION shown without tomatoes
- Prep Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American, Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 1.7 g
- Sodium: 133.6 mg
- Fat: 0.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.8 g
- Fiber: 7.8 g
- Protein: 10.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Hi Lindsay.
I was excited to find you and the recipe for 1 pot Mexican beans. My question is, Will there be a cooking difference if I use a crockpot? Thank you for your help.
But you could saute the onion and vegetables first, then place them in the crockpot to with the soaked beans. Cover with 4 cups broth or enough to cover beans with 1 inch liquid sitting on top. Try cooking on HIGH for 8 to 10 hours, until the beans are tender. All slow cookers are different and can heat things differently, so might be best to check around 5-6 hours. Also, Check out our how to cook beans post too!
I always do my beans from scratch. And I LOVE Pintos. Must try this. I’m a Mexican junkie… and Vegas really loves it when I toot on her in bed. HAHAHA!
OH that sounds so so good especially as a spread. Loving all your tips here.
Yum!!
Thanks Asha
I like when you slow things down. I also like the magical fruit, or beans. It’s one of Ave’s favorite foods too. This recipe is a winner.
Ave has superb taste! just like her mama!
These sound amazing Lindsay. I’ve only just bought a crop pot this winter and keep forgetting that I have it. So, I’d probably do the stove top version too.
Let me know what you think Debs!
I didn’t grow up with brothers, though I do appreciate your humor. Lol. These beans are awesome. Can’t wait for the toast recipe too!
I don’t think I could live without beans! There is nothing better than a pot of beans simmering on the stove. Such a great side! I’m loving the idea of the beans on toast too – I think you have a winner there!!
There’s just something about that slow simmer on the stove, right?! Definitely try your beans on toast next time Debra! Another delicious way to enjoy!
Anything that can be done in one pot is good with me. We love beans on toast, especially with a runny egg.
Most definitely!
Thanks for the reminder that it’s best to soak the beans and cook them slowly. This recipe is lovely.
You’re welcome Lucy! And thank you!
So interesting about the pinto beans but I love your tips! I love this spread on toast…such a healthy and wholesome dish! xo, Catherine
Yes so good on toast! Thanks Catherine xo
These beans look fantastic! I can already think of a hundred uses for them 🙂
Thanks! That’s great! Would love to hear what you do!
I sure love beans, but they make me gassy- hah! I’ve never soaked my own.. I usually go for the canned version because it’s easy, but would be fun to do the whole soaking thing one day and start from scratch like this recipe!
Soaking them will help with easing digestion for sure!! It reduces the phytates. And slow cooking. Let me know if try them Carrie!
I eat beans almost every day. I was using Beano, but it’s a little price-y. Now I buy a big jar of essential enzymes and take three or four before I eat the beans. Now I rarely have gas, so the enzymes must be doing their thing. I would be afraid to eat beans without taking them!
Soak them twice if you have to or just overnight and discard the soaking water. This helps to cut down on the gas. Phytic acid in vegetables and legumes are actually good for diabetics because it causes the food to digest more slowly. But, it is important to remember that vital minerals bind to phytic acid and are therefore not absorbed into the body. So to avoid this, long soaking and long cooking help prevent this.
Thank you for those tips!
Okay, I made pinto beans this weekend, hubby loves them. Normally I crock pot them in water overnight and season in the morning, they turn out perfect. But this time, I soaked in water (which I NEVER do) before the aforementioned crockpotting and they came out “mushy” as dean said. they did have a somewhat offputting too soft texture . . . . I guess presoak NOT for slow cooker (but that’s not what paula deen said 😉
ya I think certain beans just don’t do well in crock pot. Lentils, yes. Pintos no. White beans… if using for chili. Or just no soak. Haha, lesson learned for me as well.
I just gave my friend a can of pinto beans this weekend cuz I can’t eat them after working in Mexico and eating them everyday. HAHA!
Can you eat properly prepared beans now?