20 Easy Recipes with Pinto Beans

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. 

Cheesy, Smoky Pinto Beans Recipe

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

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise Recipe

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

Charro Beans Recipe

One reviewer says, "We made this for our Cinco de Mayo dinner with friends and everyone loved it! The cilantro and tomato add freshness to the bacon-y goodness of the pintos. These are not spicy, so they are a good compliment to other dishes in a Mexican themed meal."

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.

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.