Mexican Style Pinto Beans

I think everyone is always hoping to find new recipes for making beans. Here's one of my favorites that I've developed over time. You can enjoy it as a side dish or add extra garnishes to make it a meal.

Mexican Style Pinto Beans
Makes About 6 Servings


3 cups dried pinto beans (soaked, drained, rinsed, and cooked)
15 cups water
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (drained)
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
sea salt (to taste)
cumin or other mexican spices (to taste)
cilantro (must have in my dish, but really it's optional)
lime (optional garnish)
avocado, cubed or chopped (optional garnish)

cultured sour cream (optional garnish)


After your beans are cooked and starting to get soft, add some salt and the chopped onion and simmer until the onions are nearly tender. Next add the diced tomatoes, green chilies, and cumin (I usually start with a couple of teaspoons and then taste). Heat through and then serve with any garnishes. I just love the lime, cilantro, and avocado, but now that I've had the cultured sour cream I try to find more things to use it on because it's so good and good for you! 


Be sure to watch that your water doesn't evaporate completely out of the pot. More than once, I've gotten busy and wasn't paying attention only to find a burnt mess in the pot instead! If you cook these without the lid and your beans are fresh enough, the water should cook down to a nice bean broth by the time the beans are tender.


Tip: Make extra beans when soaking and use some for another meal later in the week. They make great fillers for soups, casseroles, and side dishes. Or you can make refried beans with the extras!

If you want to learn how to soak and cook beans properly, the GNOWFGLINS™ Fundamentals eCourse is a great place to learn. Another option is Katie Kimball's new eBook Everything Beans. Besides recipes, she teaches you how to store beans in bulk, how to reduce the gas they cause, getting past the texture (for picky eaters), and how to pressure can them. There's plenty more besides that! 




I would estimate this meal (with all the condiments) didn't cost more than $6 and we had a little bit of leftovers, too! Pretty kind to the budget, don't you think?

This post was added to Simple Lives Thursday at GNOWFGLINS™.