Pinto Beans have never been easier! No soaking needed, just a smoky, savory flavor and creamy texture that’s perfect for any dish.
author’s note
The Secret to Easy, Flavor-Packed Meals!
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with making big batches of pinto beans (and black beans) to use throughout the week, along with some taco meat. It’s been such a game changer!
I always have something quick and flavorful in the fridge, ready for a dinner the whole family will love.
We usually enjoy the beans as a side dish the first night, then mix them into different meals later on. They’ve made dinner prep simple, and the flavor is off the charts—way better than opening a can of beans!
Ingredients In Pinto Beans
- Dried Pinto Beans: No soaking needed, just rinse them well before using.
- Bacon: Cook until crispy leaving some bacon grease behind for a flavor base.
- Veggies: Chop together in a blender for quicker prep.
- Fire-roasted Crushed Tomatoes: Fire-roasted adds a nice smoky flavor.
- Seasonings: Feel free to adjust seasonings to preference.
- Chicken Stock Or Broth: For a vegetarian option, use vegetable stock.
Slow Cooker versus Pressure Cooker
I love using the slow cooker for perfectly creamy, tender beans. I’ve also tested this recipe in the Instant Pot® with great results—though it does have a bit more liquid. It’s easy to adjust the liquid-to-bean ratio to your liking.
It might take some experimenting at first since all slow cookers and pressure cookers vary, but once you find the right time for your machine, it’s smooth sailing!
Slow Cooker Pinto Beans Preparation Tips
- Sautéing the veggies in bacon grease gives great flavor, so don’t skip it. Adjust salt to taste based on how salty the chicken stock is.
- To save time, chop the veggies in a food processor and use store-bought chicken stock. A 1:1 ratio of chicken stock to water is perfect for flavor.
- No need to soak the pinto beans—the liquid in this recipe makes them tender without the wait.
Adjusting To Your Personal Preference
- Pinto beans without liquid: Drain after cooking.
- Creamy pinto beans: Blend 3 cups of beans and liquid, then stir back in. They thicken after an hour at room temp or overnight in the fridge. We prefer 6 cups of liquid for a creamier texture.
- Refried beans: Drain all liquid, blend beans, and add back liquid until you reach the desired consistency. They thicken overnight, so you may need extra liquid.
The photos show the beans after sitting overnight—perfect for tacos, tostados, and burritos. See below for leftover ideas!
Repurposing Pinto Beans Into Meals
- Pinto Bean Tacos or these Bean Tostadas both are incredible with these pinto beans.
- Pinto Beans and rice: Spoon beans over steamed rice or cilantro-lime rice. For extra flavor, drizzle with cilantro-lime sauce.
- Add beans to bulk up a soup or chili. (They’d be amazing in this vegetarian chili.)
- In a taco salad: Replace the black beans in this Chicken Taco Salad.
- Add to a wrap, quesadilla, or tostada.
- Use in this 7 layer bean dip: Replace the refried beans with Pinto Beans.
- Add to bean and cheese burritos.
Storage
Leftovers?
- Freezing: Label airtight freezer bags, let beans cool completely, then scoop into bags, leaving space for expansion. Seal and freeze for up to 6 months.
- Thawing: Add frozen beans directly to dishes like chili or beans and rice. For thawed beans, place in the fridge overnight or put the sealed bag in cool water to thaw faster.
More Delicious Side Dish Recipes:
Salads
Caprese Quinoa Salad
Side Dishes
Roasted Green Beans (Two Ways!)
Salads
Israeli Salad
Side Dishes
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Pinto Beans
These from-scratch Pinto Beans are so easy—no soaking needed! Smoky, savory, and perfectly creamy!
Equipment
- 6-quart Crock-Pot or Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-sliced bacon 4 ounces, thinly sliced, see note 1
- 1-1/3 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 large diced red pepper 1 cup, optional
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 4 cloves
- 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño 1 jalapeño
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound dried pinto beans 2 and 1/2 cups; no need to soak!
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder see note 2
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups chicken stock I love Swanson
- 3 cups water
- 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro optional
- extra sharp Cheddar cheese see note 3
Instructions
- For a quicker prep, give the onion and pepper a quick coarse chop and add along with the jalapeños (be sure to remove the ribs and seeds before adding if concerned about heat) and garlic to a food processor; pulse to chop.
- Thinly slice the bacon into 1/2-inch pieces. Add to a large, cast-iron pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, until bacon begins to brown and the fat is rendered. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan to a paper-towel-lined plate. Leave the bacon grease in the pan. Keeping the heat at medium-high, add in the diced onion and pepper. (If you added all the veggies to the food processor, just add them all in here!) Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7–9 minutes.
- Add in minced garlic and jalapeños. Stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add all the seasonings and cook for 1 minute. Finally, add in crushed tomatoes (undrained), and cook for 1 more minute, scraping the pan to release any browned bits. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of this mixture into a slow cooker or Instant Pot.
- Rinse the beans in a strainer and pick through them, discarding any debris or pebbles. Add rinsed beans, chicken stock, and water to the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Add in cooked and reserved bacon. Season (to taste) with salt and pepper; I add 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, but add to preference. Stir everything together. Cover and cook on high for 7–9 hours in the slow cooker or until beans are very tender (this is 8 hours in my Crock-Pot). INSTANT POT: Seal the pot and cook on manual mode for 45 minutes (it takes about 15–20 minutes to get to pressure). Once finished, allow for a natural release for 25 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure manually.
- See note 4. Once beans are tender, remove 3 cups of the beans and liquid and add to a powerful blender. Blend until smooth, stirring as needed between blending (if needed, add more liquid from the slow cooker or Instant Pot to more easily blend). Pour blended beans back into the slow cooker and stir.
- Taste and adjust seasonings. (I typically add another 1/4 teaspoon up to a full teaspoon salt here—it depends on how salty the chicken stock is; add slowly until flavors sing.) Add optional cilantro and stir through. Serve as a side dish (see note 3) or use in another recipe. Beans will continue to thicken as they sit and become more flavorful as they’re stored in the fridge overnight.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: To make vegetarian: omit the bacon and sauté veggies in olive oil instead. Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock.
Note 2: Chili powders can vary greatly in heat; I use McCormick®, which is mild.
Note 3: If serving these as a side dish, I love adding a little sharp Cheddar cheese on top. Typically, I’ll enjoy these as a side dish the first night, then use the leftovers (that thicken quite a bit!) in other dishes throughout the next few nights. Read the post for lots of suggestions for using these beans. (Basically, cook once and enjoy delicious meals all week long!)
Note 4: You can finish these beans a few ways:
- Thickened beans: Blend 3 cups of beans and stir back in. They’ll thicken as they cool, perfect for next-day meals.
- Regular beans: Skip blending and drain most or all the liquid, depending on your preference. Keep some liquid if serving over rice.
- Refried beans: Drain all but 1 cup of liquid (or use water if needed). Blend or mash the beans to your desired consistency, adding liquid gradually. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 1566mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 551IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So worth the time! I’ve made this recipe several times, and I love to have frozen portions on hand to make easy bean and cheese burritos in the air fryer for lunch. The flavor really develops as the beans rest in the fridge or freezer. So much better than store bought refried beans!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Briana! 🙂
The BEST!
The flavours are fantastic, the texture is perfect and I can’t believe that there was no presoaking……this is a definite keeper and will be worked into my rotation 🙂
I am so thrilled to hear this! We LOVE not having to soak as well! Thanks! 🙂
I’ve made these a few times and I’m making them again tomorrow! They are delicious. Tomorrow we will eat them with white rice and cheese then later in the week, we will eat them with cilantro lime rice in burritos.
Thanks for the yummy recipe!
I am so happy to hear this! I love how much we can repurpose these beans as well! Thanks Cassie! 🙂
The flavor is amazing!! This recipe makes quite a lot (at least for two people). Do you think I can freeze it in freezer bags?
Thank you Mary! Here are freezing directions:
Freezing Leftover Pinto Beans
Begin by labeling air-tight freezer bags. Let beans cool completely and then scoop beans into prepared freezer bags. Leave plenty of space in the bags for expansion. Seal and transfer to the freezer until you need them. Beans keep in the freezer for about 6 months.
Thawing: You can add frozen beans directly to recipes like chili or beans and rice. (They thaw quickly in the pot.) For recipes where you need to start with thawed pinto beans, pull them out the night before and let them thaw in the fridge, or for a quicker thaw, add the sealed bag to a large bowl of cool water until thawed through.
I used my instapot to make these for some messy burritos. The flavour is fantastic and we’re a bit with the whole family. A little soupy when eaten right after cooking ( unused my immersion blender to purée a bit) but it thickened up as it cooled and will make a fantastic salad topping for much tomorrow.
I am so happy you enjoyed these Pinto Beans! Thanks so much Erika! 🙂
Do you think I can sub a different kind of bean? small red beans maybe? Thanks
I have a recipe for here 🙂
Would I be able to freeze these in half pint mason jars?
I don’t see why not! 🙂