Mexican Pinto Beans
These Mexican Pinto Beans are hearty, flavorful, and just the right mix of smoky, spicy, and fresh. Slow-simmered with bacon, onion, and warm spices, then finished with fresh cilantro, they make the perfect side dish for any Tex-Mex spread — or a meal all on their own with warm tortillas.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 345kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans, rinsed
- 4 cups water, or more
- 2 cans (10 oz each) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles
- ½ pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 ½ Tbsp chili powder, or to taste
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin, or to taste
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder, or to taste
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped, optional
- 1 ½ Tbsp salt to taste
Directions
- Place the dried pinto beans in a large pot and cover with water by 2–3 inches. Let them soak overnight (8–12 hours).
- The next day, drain the beans. Return them to the pot and cover with 4 cups of fresh water, adding more as needed to fully submerge the beans.
- Stir in the Rotel, bacon, chopped onion, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
- Heat the pot over medium-high until it reaches a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for about 3 hours, adding water as needed to keep the beans submerged.
- Add the salt and stir well. If using cilantro, stir it in now.
- Continue simmering for about 1 more hour, or until the beans are tender and the broth is thickened and flavorful.
- Enjoy warm as a side dish, with rice, or with warm tortillas for scooping.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 345 kcal | Carbohydrates: 42 g | Protein: 17 g | Fat: 12 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g | Trans Fat: 0.04 g | Cholesterol: 19 mg | Sodium: 229 mg | Potassium: 1099 mg | Fiber: 11 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 437 IU | Vitamin C: 14 mg | Calcium: 115 mg | Iron: 5 mg
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