Turn dried organic pinto beans into perfectly spiced whole pinto beans or refried beans in under an hour. No soaking required. Best of all you can control the spices, flavor, and sodium content of these beans. Let your creativity in the kitchen flow and try making these Perfectly Spiced Organic Pinto Beans tonight.
Dried Organic Pinto Beans are a real whole food and a “Back to the Basics” pantry staple full of fiber, protein, and even folate. Eating beans is not only a great way to add fiber and protein (which most of us are lacking) to your diet, it’s also a great plant-based way to get essential nutrients like iron, magnesium, zinc, and calcium. Not to mention dry pinto beans are cholesterol and sodium free.
For this Perfectly Spiced Pinto Bean Recipe you need dried organic pinto beans, spices, garlic, bay leaves, and water. Don’t skip the bay leaves when it comes to making beans. They help to soften the beans while cooking and make them easier for the body to digest. Who knew??? Bay leaves help with digestion! They are used only for cooking and are actually not edible. So discard the bay leaves once the beans are done cooking.
Using an Instant Pot dried pinto beans are fully cooked in under an hour with no soaking required. These Perfectly Spiced Organic Pinto Beans are seasoned with spices, fresh garlic, and onion. You can even add diced jalapeno peppers for more heat. Cooked whole beans are a great addition to rice bowls and soups. Or mash them to make refried beans for burritos, enchiladas, or a 7 layer bean dip. You can even freeze any left overs beans…if you have any!
Start by adding 1 cup of dried organic pinto beans to your Instant Pot. The 6 quart Instant Pot works perfect for this recipe.
Next, add the following spices: 1 tsp Chili Powder, 1 tsp Onion Powder, 1 tsp Garlic Powder, 1 tsp Cumin, 2 Tbsp Dried Onion Flakes, 2 cloves of fresh sliced Garlic, 2 Bay Leaves, and cover with 3 cups of spring or filtered water. Give the beans a quick stir before securing the lid.
Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Once finished cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally.
Tip: Never add salt or any seasoning that contains salt to the beans prior to cooking. Beans will not soften if cooked with sodium.
For Spicier Beans: If you like your beans on the spicier side, add 1/4+ tsp of cayenne pepper and 1 diced jalapeno with seeds before cooking. Jalapeno peppers not hot enough??? Try a diced serrano pepper instead. This is how home cooking sparks creativity and is so inspiring. You get to decide what is in your food and can flavor it to your liking!
I personally love to make this recipe and divide the beans in half when they have finished cooking. This way I end up with both Whole Pinto Beans and Organic Refried Beans and I only had to cook them once. By dividing the beans you end up with both types of beans ready for burrito’s, enchilada’s, 7 layer bean dip, rice and bean bowls, and even minestrone soup. It is such a bonus when you can cook something once and end up with so much inspiration for other meals. Oh, and don’t waste the liquid. It makes the perfect base for bean soup!
For Whole Pinto Beans: Remove the bay leaves and discard them because they are not edible. Taste the beans for flavor. Additional spices can be added and you can also add a small amount of sea salt or season with 1/2 tsp of Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base.
Keep in mind that you will rarely eat these beans without other flavors so additional salt is really not necessary. Once you make your burrito, rice bowl, or soup with these beans you mostly like won’t miss the salt at all!
When you are happy with the flavor of the beans, remove them with a slotted spoon. Make sure to save the cooking liquid for other recipes or for making some of the beans into refried beans. The cooking liquid can also be used to make bean soup or my recipe for Hearty Homemade Minestrone Soup.
For Refried Beans: Remove the bay leaves and save the liquid for blending the beans. Using a large metal spoon place the pinto beans in a food processor. Next add 1/2 cup of the bean liquid including the garlic slices and spices to the pinto beans and begin to pulse. Add additional liquid if needed and blend until smooth or until they have reached the desired consistency.
Don’t have a food processor??? A potato masher works to make these refried beans too! Just place the beans in a large glass bowl and begin mashing with a 1/2 cup of the bean liquid to start. Add more liquid as needed. Mash until desired consistency is reached.
Also, be sure to check out my Organic Black Bean Recipe that can be used to make BBQ Black Bean Salad, Black Bean Burgers, and more. Looking for a great Organic Source for Dried Beans??? You can find a great selection of organic beans grown right here in Idaho at 1000 Springs Mill. FYI: I am not being paid to say this…I just love their products!
Below you will find my favorite way to cook Pinto Beans in the Instant Pot. It’s super simple and I encourage you to use this recipe as inspiration to create your own! Just make sure that none of the spices you add for cooking contain salt (as your beans won’t soften).
Perfectly Spiced Pinto Beans – Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dried Organic Pinto Beans
- 3 cups Spring Water
- 2 cloves Organic Sliced Garlic
- 1 tsp Organic Cumin
- 1 tsp Organic Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Organic Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Organic Garlic Powder
- 2 Tbsp Dried Organic Onion Flakes
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 tsp Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base (Optional)
Instructions
- Add Beans, Water, Garlic, Spices, & Bay Leaves to Instant Pot and stir.
- Set to high pressure for 40 minutes
- Let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure at the end of the cook time.
- Once safe to open, remove the bay leaves.
- Optional: After cooking add 1/2 tsp of Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base for Seasoning instead of Salt.
- Whole Pinto Beans: Use a slotted spoon to remove whole pinto beans (save the liquid for making bean soup or minestrone). You can add additional spices and a pinch of salt if needed.
- Refried Beans: with a large spoon remove beans from the instant pot and place in a food processor. Start by adding 1/2 cup of liquid at a time, while pulsing until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and add any additional seasonings. Instead of salt, try seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon of Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base. A potato masher also works! Place beans and liquid in a large glass bowl and mash until desired consistency is reached.
Notes
Remember to be creative with your food. It doesn’t have to be complicated and there is inspiration all around you. If you haven’t tried making beans in your Instant Pot, what are you waiting for?
About the Author
I love animals, gardening, and being creative in the kitchen. I can’t waste food and rarely follow the recipe! As a IIN Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach I can help you get from where you are to where you want to be. Join me on my journey!
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