Crock Pot Mexican Pinto Beans

This recipe for Mexican Pinto Beans is not only easy to make…. delicious and healthy too!  Seasoned pinto beans taste so good…. they won’t even realize it’s good for them!.. I use them for so many things. 

The make an excellent side to just about any meal.. a great addition to a menu for a backyard BBQ…. They’re also a great ingredient to include in Burritos or Burrito bowls.

TIPS

I use dried pinto beans… they’re inexpensive and you can be sure of no unwanted added ingredients…. You can find them usually near the rice in grocery stores.

Dry pinto beans need to be looked over for any unwanted debris such as tiny stones. 

They will also need to be soaked in water overnight.  Just put them in a large bowl and cover them with cold water …water should be a couple of inches over the top of the beans.  Don’t be shocked in the morning when they have soaked up almost all the water… I then drain and rinse them.. and they’re good to go into your crock pot.

If you forget to soak them overnight… look over the beans… rinse them (they can be dusty)… and them to a pot.. cover with water (about 2-3 inches over the top of them)… bring to a boil.. remove from the heat and cover them.. let them sit for about an hour… drain and use them in your recipe.

If you use canned beans.. be sure to rinse and drain them before adding them to your crock pot.

I used seasoned canned tomatoes…. I usually have all kinds of canned tomatoes in my pantry…. You can use either plan ones or the ones I used…. Just adjust your seasonings and ingredients if you use the plain variety. 

Adjusting ingredients and/or seasoning is certainly easy and suggested… add to your own tastes… that’s the beauty of cooking … make things that you and your family prefer.

The seasoning quantities listed are what I would call “average”…. always remember… potency varies by brand and also by time spent in your pantry.. older spices will lose some of their potency.. so if yours have been hanging around for a while… just be aware that you may have to do a “taste test” and add more.

That brings me to the next tip… heat…. again everyone is different… the quantities listed on this recipe will make a flavorful dish… not too hot.. but definitely full of flavor… if you like heat… adjust it… and add that pinch of cayenne listed as optional.

I add broth in my recipe… you can use chicken, beef or vegetable depending on what you have available at your home or your preferences.  If you don’t have a container already opened in the fridge… you could also use water and a bouillon cube instead… I wouldn’t recommend using plain water but in a pinch you could do that as well.

I like to throw my onion and garlic in my mini chopper together for a few quick pulses to chop them… a great time saver and gets them perfectly finely chopped.

Lastly, every crock pot is different… some run hotter than others even on the low setting.. adjust the time to your crock pot… you don’t want mushy beans…

Try this super easy recipe for a fabulous addition to your meal!

Recipe:  Crock Pot Mexican Pinto Beans

All you need:

1 lb. pkg of dried pinto beans

1 can diced tomatoes with zesty mild green chilies

1 can diced tomatoes with zesty jalapenos

1 onion, finely diced

2 large garlic cloves, finely minced

½ cup broth *See TIPS (can use beef, chicken or vegetable)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne (optional)

All you need to do:

Look over your beans … removing any stones or other unwanted debris. Place them in a large bowl and cover with water (about 2 inches above top of your beans).  Soak your beans overnight.  In the morning, drain and rinse them.  Place them in the crock pot.

Add the remaining ingredients.  (Do not drain the tomatoes).  Give it a quick stir.  Set the crock pot on low and cook for about 6 hours or until beans are cooked but not mushy.

Taste about an hour before the end of your cooking time, if possible and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Remember chili powder and cayenne will get hotter with more cooking… so be careful not to add to much if you do add any more in.

They are ready to serve!