Pinto Beans With Mexican-Style Seasonings

4.8
(217)

Pinto beans are simmered with onion, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and garlic in this easy one-pot recipe. I love making these beans just because they make the whole house smell so good, and the longer they simmer the better they taste. You could add 1/2 can of beer to make "borracho" beans. I personally taste-test throughout the entire cooking process and add extra seasoning as I feel it needs it. These beans could simmer all day long; just make sure they have plenty of water to keep the beans covered.

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Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
4 hrs
Additional Time:
8 hrs
Total Time:
12 hrs 15 mins
Servings:
8

Take dried pinto beans up a notch with Mexican-inspired ingredients such as chile peppers, chili powder, and cumin. You'll want to bookmark this recipe for pinto beans with Mexican-style seasonings — you'll come back to it again and again.

Pinto Beans Seasoning

These Mexican-style pinto beans are cooked with canned tomatoes with green chile peppers, bacon, and an onion. This infuses them with tons of spicy, meaty, and deep flavor.

But that's not all! This dish is even more mouthwatering thanks to hearty doses of spices and seasonings you likely already have on hand: chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, and salt.

a bowl of pinto beans with tomatoes and bacon, garnished with a cilantro sprig
bd.weld

How to Cook Pinto Beans With Mexican-Style Seasonings

Pinto Beans With Mexican-Style Seasonings

This recipe was developed for the stovetop, but it's easy to make in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. Let's quickly explore each of these three cooking methods:

On the Stove

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe for stovetop pinto beans below — but here's a brief preview:

  1. Soak the dried beans overnight. Drain the beans, return them to the pot, and cover with fresh water (some reviewers say they've had success with chicken broth instead of water).
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about three hours, adding water or broth as needed. Add cilantro and salt, then continue simmering for about another hour to achieve the perfect flavor.

In the Instant Pot

Wondering how to save time by learning how to cook Instant Pot pinto beans? Culinary producer Nicole McLaughlin (a.k.a. NicoleMcMom) has you covered. Just follow her simple method:

  1. Cover one pound of dried beans with five cups of water. Add the tomatoes, bacon, onion, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
  2. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the steam naturally release for about 10 minutes before releasing the pressure.
  3. Stir in salt and cilantro.

Nicole likes to ladle the Instant Pot pinto beans into a bowl with a scoop of rice (red beans and rice-style) for a simple side dish. To serve these Mexican pinto beans as an entree, Nicole suggests spooning them over tostadas and finishing with your favorite taco toppings (such as lettuce, shredded cheese, tomatoes, and onions).

In the Slow Cooker

To cook these beans in a Crock-Pot:

  1. Place the (pre-soaked) beans in your slow cooker and cover with water or broth. Add the tomatoes, bacon, onion, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
  2. Set the slow cooker to Low and cook, covered, for 10-12 hours. Add the cilantro and salt toward the end of cooking.

How to Store Cooked Pinto Beans

Store leftover cooked pinto beans in a shallow, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until heated through.

How to Serve Pinto Beans With Mexican-Style Seasonings

These pinto beans pair well with tons of Mexican or Mexican-inspired entrees, from tacos and burritos to barbacoa and posole. Need a little inspiration? Explore these carefully curated recipe collections:

Plus, peruse our entire library of Mexican Recipes.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"Excellent recipe," according to Rita KobeLove Ocasio. "I used a fresh jalapeno in addition to the spices because I like them spicy."

"Eliminated bacon and salt — the flavor was still great," says Katey. "Served it over Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread and added a dollop of sour cream on top. Absolutely yummy!"

"These turned out even better than I was expecting them to," raves PeggySue. "Perfect blend of spices. I fried the bacon first as other people suggested, used homemade chicken broth instead of water to cook them in, and left out the cilantro."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried pinto beans, rinsed

  • 4 cups water, or as needed

  • 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chile peppers (such as RO*TEL®)

  • ½ pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 1 yellow onion, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin, or to taste

  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder, or to taste

  • ½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

  • salt to taste

Directions

  1. Place pinto beans into a large pot and pour in enough water to cover by 2 to 3 inches. Let beans soak overnight.

  2. Drain beans, return to pot, and pour in fresh water to cover; add tomatoes, bacon, onion, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 3 hours. Check the beans occasionally and add more water if needed.

  3. Stir cilantro and salt into beans simmer until beans are soft, about 1 more hour.

    close up view of Pinto Beans With Mexican-Style Seasonings in a pot
    Janice

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

267 Calories
5g Fat
41g Carbs
16g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 267
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 510mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 14g 48%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 16g 33%
Vitamin C 9mg 10%
Calcium 94mg 7%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 794mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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