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Home » From Scratch » Pinto Beans Recipe

Pinto Beans Recipe

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April 14, 2020 by Victoria Leave a Comment

If there is one side I can get everyone to happily eat in my family, it's beans.   This pinto bean recipe is the perfect side dish.  It's an extremely affordable and full of healthy benefits!

Cooking pinto beans can be easily made with just pinto beans, salt and water, or it can be made even better with some simple additions!

homemade southern pinto beans

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But why should I make this recipe, canned beans are affordable, right?  Sure, but not in comparison to dry beans!  They also take up less room in storage, and keep for a LONG time.

How to Cook Pinto Beans

It's also my opinion that canned beans never taste as good as those made homemade.  With can goods in high demand right now, and plenty of people stocking up on essentials at the grocery store, this is one way to ensure healthy food remains in your pantry.  This southern pinto beans' recipe is delicious!

STEP ONE

Sort and check your beans. Remove any split beans, as well as any rocks you find.

STEP TWO

Soak your beans.  You have two different options here:

Quick Soak: Rinse and sort beans in large pot. To 1 lb. of beans (about 2 cups) add 6-8 cups hot water. Bring to boil for 2 min. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain soak water and rinse beans.

Overnight Soak: Rinse and sort beans in large pot. To 1 lb. of beans (about 2 cups) add 6-8 cups hot water. Let stand overnight, or at least 6-8 hours. Drain soak water and rinse beans.

We prefer the overnight soak method to help break down the phytic acid in the beans as much as possible. But if you are in a hurry, then the quick soak method works well.

You'll also find a lot of "optional" ingredients on the list. If you want just a hearty, Southern style, sitting-around-the-campfire type pinto beans' recipe, then all you need are pinto beans, water, and salt.

WHAT IS PHYTIC ACID?

From a 2013 article published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology:

"Phytic acid is known as a food inhibitor which chelates micronutrient and prevents it to be bioavailabe for monogastric animals, including humans, because they lack enzyme phytase in their digestive tract. Several methods have been developed to reduce the phytic acid content in food and improve the nutritional value of cereal which becomes poor due to such antinutrient. These include genetic improvement as well as several pre-treatment methods such as fermentation, soaking, germination and enzymatic treatment of grains with phytase enzyme."

What does that mean? Well, the phytic acid content in some foods (mostly grains, nuts, seeds, and beans) can cause a lack of nutrient absorption and the inability for your body to break down your food properly.

Fortunately, soaking and/or fermenting the foods in question can greatly reduce the amount of phytic acid in a food, which makes it easier to digest!

So if you are on a gut healing diet, or are trying to ease the burden on your digestive system, then paying attention to phytic acid may be a good idea for you!

STEP THREE

Put soaked and rinsed beans in 3-4 quart pot with 10 cups hot water. Add salt and any optional items from the recipe, as desired.

STEP FOUR

Simmer gently with lid tilted until tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours OR until beans have reached the desired texture and water level. Do not add cold water to hot beans as it will cause splitting.

STEP FIVE

Serve alone or with a side of cornbread.  We usually make cornbread with ours! :-)

Pinto Beans' Nutrition

Pinto beans are quite nutritious for such an unassuming dish.

Packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, pinto beans make a great addition to most diets.

In fact, just one cup of cooked pinto beans (cooked in salted water) provides:

    Calories: 245
    Carbs: 45 grams (30 net carbs)
    Fiber: 15 grams
    Protein: 15 grams
    Fat: 1 gram
    Sodium: 407 mg
    Thiamine: 28% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI)
    Iron: 20% of the RDI
    Magnesium: 20% of the RDI
    Potassium: 20% of RDI
    Copper: 40% of the RDI

While they are packed with fiber and protein, they are also packed with carbs, so be aware. Carbs are fine for most people, but if you are on a low-carb or keto diet, then pinto beans would not be good for helping you maintain your low-carb regimen.

However, for the rest of us, pinto beans are a super affordable and easy to prepare dish!

MORE RECIPES TO TRY:  Try great recipes that use pantry staples and for another bean-friendly dish, try Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos.

homemade southern pinto beans in bowl with cornbread on top

Southern Pinto Beans Recipe

This simple and delicious southern pinto beans recipe is packed full of flavor and nutrition. Make it as simply as you want to, or make it more flavorful with additional optional ingredients.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to cook pinto beans, Pinto Beans Recipe, southern pinto beans recipe
Prep Time: 8 hours hours
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 9 hours hours
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 131kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dried pinto beans
  • 1 tbsp salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 tsp garlic (optional)
  • 1 tsp black pepper (optional)
  • 1/2 lb ham hock, or ham bone (optional)

Instructions

  • Sort your beans and get rid of any split beans and rocks.
  • Soak your beans overnight or using the quick soak method.
    Quick Soak: Rinse and sort beans in large pot. To 1 lb. of beans (about 2 cups) add 6-8 cups hot water. Bring to boil for 2 min. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain soak water and rinse beans.
    Overnight Soak: Rinse and sort beans in large pot. To 1 lb. of beans (about 2 cups) add 6-8 cups hot water. Let stand over- night, or at least 6-8 hours. Drain soak water and rinse beans.
  • Put the soaked and rinsed beans in 3-4 quart pot with 10 cups hot water. Add the salt and any optional items from the recipe, as desired.
  • Simmer gently with lid tilted until tender, about 1 to 1/2-2 hours OR until beans have reached the desired texture and water level.
    Do not add cold water to hot beans as it will cause splitting.
  • Serve alone or with a side of cornbread.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Southern Pinto Beans Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 131 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 5mg0%
Potassium 527mg15%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 43mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @AModHomestead or tag ##amodernhomestead!

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Filed Under: All Posts, Featured Recipes, From Scratch Tagged With: Cooking, dairy free, Dinner, From scratch, Frugal Living, Gluten Free, Homestead Pantry, How To, Main Course, Side Dish

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Hi there! I’m Victoria – a work at home mom to an active 4 year old, homesteader, from scratch chef, and full time blogger!
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