29 Easy Recipes with Pinto Beans

March 17, 2020
Randy Mayor
Inexpensive, shelf-stable, and filling, pinto beans make the perfect start to a number of easy weeknight means. The mild flavor can take on heat, smoke, or other seasonings, while the creamy texture lends itself to bean dips, spreads, and chilis. Whether you prefer dried beans or canned, pinto beans should always be a staple in your pantry.
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Cheesy, Smoky Pinto Beans

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Claire Spollen
Cheesy, Smoky Pinto Beans Recipe

Mashing half the beans retains just a bit of texture while keeping them creamy and cheesy.

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Cheesy Chicken and Pinto Bean Taco Skillet

Jen Causey; Prop Styling: Kay Clark; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners 
Cheesy Chicken and Pinto Bean Taco Skillet Recipe

If you’re in need of a simple, tasty dish that works for a weeknight meal, consider that need fulfilled. This skillet dish is effortless to throw together and super customizable—you can use black beans or kidney beans instead of pinto. If you’re not in the mood for chicken, try shredded pulled pork from your favorite BBQ place. You can tailor the toppings as you see fit, so keep an open imagination. Serving is simple: just put everything on the table and let everyone make their own tacos. 

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Skillet Chicken Breast with Beans and Greens

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christina Lane; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos
Skillet Chicken Breast with Beans and Greens Recipe

Our Skillet Chicken Breast with Beans and Greens is truly a one pan wonder. Our Test Kitchen came up with this tasty, family friendly chicken dinner which comes together in a single skillet. Packed with protein, loaded with fiber, and just 390 calories per serving, Skillet Chicken with Beans and Greens makes a healthy dinner any night of the week. This recipe is oh-so-versatile too—swap out the turnip greens for collards or kale. Use pinto beans, black beans, or chickpeas instead of cannellini beans. You can make this meal even heartier by serving the chicken and vegetables over cooked rice, whole grains (like quinoa, brown rice, or farro) or orzo pasta. Whatever you do, don’t forget to add a dash or two of hot pepper vinegar at the end. The tang and heat of this Southern pantry staple makes the dish sing, and also adds tons of flavor while keeping the dish light and fresh.

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Smoky Slow-Cooked Chili

Photo: Oxmoor House
Smoky Slow-Cooked Chili Recipe

This hearty slow cooker pork chili with pinto beans gets its smoky flavor from the combination of chili powder, cumin, oregano. tomatillos, and Mexican-style hot tomato sauce.

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Pinto Bean Chili with Corn and Winter Squash

Photo: Oxmoor House
Pinto Bean Chili with Corn and Winter Squash Recipe
The spiciness of this light yet satisfying chili is complemented by the subtle sweetness of corn and winter squash. Queso fresco is a crumbly, slightly salty Mexican cheese that's available in many large supermarkets. If you can't find it, substitute crumbled feta or farmer cheese. For a heartier chili, add one cup thawed frozen meatless crumbles. For a vegan version, use shredded soy cheddar or mozzarella cheese.

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Steak Fajita Chili

Ryan Liebe
Steak Fajita Chili Recipe

Make this staff-favorite one of your go-to dutch-oven dinners this fall. Tougher cuts of meat, like chuck-eye turn meltingly soft, root vegetables make the stew rich and hearty, and a dollop of greek yogurt adds just the right amount of tang, to cut through the rich sauce and brighten the meal. 

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Skillet Nacho Dip

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Skillet Nacho Dip Recipe

We combined our favorite elements of cheesy queso dip and loaded beef nachos into one epic skillet dish.

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Air-Fried Chile Chicken Chimichanga

Meredith Food Studios 
Air-Fried Chile Chicken Chimichanga Recipe

This lightened take on chimichangas only tastes indulgent. Perfect for lunch or dinner, the golden, toasted tortilla gives way to a creamy, rich, and chewy interior. For an even crispier exterior, feel free to rotate the burrito more than once. We used Ole Extreme High Fiber, Low Carb wheat wraps—you can find similar wraps at the grocery store. These can easily be prepared in bulk ahead of time. All you have to do when you want to eat them is brush them with butter, air-fry, and serve. 

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Cauliflower Chili

Meredith Food Studios
Cauliflower Chili Recipe

Oscar Wilde famously espoused “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” That is the spirit of this recipe. It isn’t attempting to make chili super low-calorie. It is attempting to mitigate the calories while retaining full pleasure. And it takes advantage of the texture and mild flavor of the current darling of the pantry, riced cauliflower. Readily available in pretty much any produce section of your local grocery store, or easily made by pulsing cauliflower florets in your food processor, this vegetable adds bulk to a chili while cutting the calories from meat literally in half.

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Sofrito Pinto Beans

Photo: Alison Miksch  
Sofrito Pinto Beans Recipe

We take a shortcut to the rich, deep flavor of slow-simmered beans by starting with a quick sofrito--aromatics sautéed until tender with tomato and vinegar--and adding canned pinto beans. The result is better than any seasoned bean you'll find in a can.

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Braised Collard Greens and Bacon-Pepper Pinto Beans

Photo: Greg DuPree; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Braised Collard Greens and Bacon-Pepper Pinto Beans Recipe

We skip the meat main and make sides the focus of the meal--easy to do with garlicky braised greens and pinto beans topped with bacon. Serve with skillet cornbread: Heat a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop while the oven preheats, and swirl in a couple of teaspoons oil before adding the batter. If you can't find collards, substitute stemmed curly kale or turnip greens, checking for doneness at around 20 minutes.

[MAIN_RECIPE_LINK {Sautéed Snapper with Curried Greens} {150078}], [SUB_RECIPE_LINK {Smoky Potato and Greens Tacos} {150079}]

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Sausage, Bean, and Spinach Dip

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell
Sausage, Bean, and Spinach Dip Recipe

Make the ultimate spinach dip by adding ground sausage, pinto beans, cream cheese,and  Parmesan. It's almost hearty enough to be a main dish.

 

 

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Chili-Chorizo Nachos

Greg DuPree
Chili-Chorizo Nachos Recipe

Our version of this bar food favorite has half the sat fat, 450mg less sodium, and double the fiber compared to the classic. Notorious for being a calorie-and-sodium bomb, I gave these nachos a virtuous spin, slashing both calories and sodium by 40% without sacrificing their indulgent nature. Mexican chorizo packs a big flavor punch, helping a little meat go a long way here. Look for it in the butcher’s case next to the other fresh sausage. In place of sodium-laden canned refried beans, a homemade mixture of blended pinto beans, lime juice, adobo, and spices form the glue that adheres the other healthy toppers to homemade chips. And because no tray of nachos is complete without cheese, a bit of shredded sharp cheddar adds just enough cheesy, salty kick. Pico de gallo and avocado-tomatillo sauce add a finishing layer of freshness—key for reaching nacho nirvana.

14 of 29

Steak Fajita Chili

Ryan Liebe
Steak Fajita Chili Recipe

Make this staff-favorite one of your go-to dutch-oven dinners this fall. Tougher cuts of meat, like chuck-eye turn meltingly soft, root vegetables make the stew rich and hearty, and a dollop of greek yogurt adds just the right amount of tang, to cut through the rich sauce and brighten the meal. 

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Make a Burrito Omelet and Never Want Carbs Again

Video and Photo by Alex Tepper
Make a Burrito Omelet and Never Want Carbs Again
Think outside of the tortilla
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Southwestern Falafel with Avocado Spread

Photo: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Jan Gautro
Southwestern Falafel with Avocado Spread Recipe
Inspired by the traditional Middle Eastern sandwich of chickpea patties in pita bread, this Southwestern-accented version features cumin-flavored pinto bean patties and a spread that is much like guacamole.

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Mexican Pinto Beans

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro
Mexican Pinto Beans Recipe
Instead of soaking pinto beans overnight, use the quick soak method to make this Mexican side dish. Use a smokey thick-cut bacon for additional flavor. For more heat, add minced jalapeno.

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Simmered Pinto Beans with Chipotle Sour Cream

Photo: Squire Fox; Styling: Carla Gonzales-Hart
Simmered Pinto Beans with Chipotle Sour Cream Recipe
Refried beans can be high in fat; instead serve these pinto beans simmered with earthy cumin. Like the slaw, this topping can be served as a side dish, too.
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Pinto Bean Nachos

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke
Pinto Bean Nachos Recipe
Garlic and cumin-infused refried beans top freshly baked tortilla chips, which are sturdy and hold up well under the assortment of toppings. You can use black beans in place of pinto beans, if you prefer. If the bean mixture is too thick, stir in a little hot water.

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Pinto Bean Chili with Corn and Winter Squash

Photo: Oxmoor House
Pinto Bean Chili with Corn and Winter Squash Recipe
The spiciness of this light yet satisfying chili is complemented by the subtle sweetness of corn and winter squash. Queso fresco is a crumbly, slightly salty Mexican cheese that's available in many large supermarkets. If you can't find it, substitute crumbled feta or farmer cheese. For a heartier chili, add one cup thawed frozen meatless crumbles. For a vegan version, use shredded soy cheddar or mozzarella cheese.

21 of 29

Beef and Pinto Bean Chili

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro
Beef and Pinto Bean Chili Recipe
For a three-alarm chili, leave the seeds and membranes in the jalapeños. The sour cream has a cooling effect, but you can seed the peppers or use less for a milder result.
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Smoky Seitan, Pinto Bean, and Hominy Stew

Randy Mayor; Katie Stoddard
Smoky Seitan, Pinto Bean, and Hominy Stew Recipe
Brown serves this satisfying vegetarian stew in roasted, seeded acorn squash halves. This dish provides nearly a day's allowance of protein, most of it from seitan, also known as wheat gluten. Chipotle chile powder lends wonderful smoky flavor. Hominy is a traditional Native American ingredient.

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Pinto, Black, and Red Bean Salad with Grilled Corn and Avocado

Oxmoor House
Pinto, Black, and Red Bean Salad with Grilled Corn and Avocado Recipe
Liven up your south-of-the-border dinners with a colorful bean salad featuring grilled corn. This Latin-accented three-bean and corn salad is studded with guacamole components: jalapeño, cilantro, white onion, lime, and avocado.

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Refried Beans

Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke
Refried Beans Recipe
"These beans can be made ahead and frozen either whole or refried. They taste great as a side dish or in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos. They're best when they've sat overnight, which makes them softer and better for mashing." —Theresa Marquez
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Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers

Randy Mayor
Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers Recipe

Featuring fresh cilantro, jalapenos, and corn kernels, these hearty, quick-cooking pinto bean burgers are made even more memorable with a tongue-tingling chipotle mayo.

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Jalapeño and Lime Refried Beans

Photo: Andrew McCaul; Styling: Lynn Miller
Jalapeño and Lime Refried Beans Recipe
We like this zesty, south-of-the-border side dish for picnics and outdoor get-togethers. Top with queso fresco and fresh cilantro for something truly special.

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Charro Beans

Photo: Romulo Yanes
Charro Beans Recipe
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Quinoa and Roasted Pepper Chili

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Quinoa and Roasted Pepper Chili Recipe

A bowl of spicy Quinoa and Roasted Pepper Chili guarantees to take the chill off a cold winter's day. This vegetarian chili is loaded with fresh vegetables, pinto beans, and quinoa and gets its zing from poblano chiles.

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Tex-Mex Pinto Bean Spread

Randy Mayor
Tex-Mex Pinto Bean Spread Recipe
Fiber-rich, low-fat pinto beans are the base of this tasty dip, made zesty with lime, cilantro, and jalapeño. Serve with baked tortilla chips. You can also perk up quesadillas or vegetarian tacos with this spread.
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