These smoky pinto beans are made with canned pinto beans for the perfect dip or sauce to go with your favourite Mexican dishes!
These smoky pinto beans have wonderful depth of flavour and take just half an hour to prepare.
We love it as a dip with tortilla chips, and in our house no Mexican meal is complete without it!
This recipe uses canned pinto beans making it extremely quick and easy to prepare.
It can even be made ahead of time making it ideal for BBQs, picnics, tailgating, game/movie night, etc.
For a vegetarian or vegan diet serve these pinto beans (using a vegan cheese) with our Mexican rice for a complete protein healthy meal and a serving of our tasty guacamole.
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Ingredients
Select a good quality brand of pinto beans, one that does not contain preservatives, extra salt or sugar. I use the Biona brand as the beans have good texture and flavour and the BPA-free can only contains beans with their starchy water.
If you do not have pinto beans, black beans will also work for this recipe.
Helpful tips
- Do not discard the bean liquid as it adds a wonderful rich creaminess to the sauce.
- Smoked paprika adds a little heat, or use chipotle chilli powder for a spicier kick.
- Use a potato masher to mash half the beans for an extra creamy consistency.
Your questions answered
Pinto beans are also known as painted or mottled beans in English.
Cooked pinto beans have a wonderful creamy, mild earthy flavour.
If you have run out of pinto beans or you are cooking for someone who does not care for the taste, use borlotti, cannellini, red kidney or black beans.
Bring cooked pinto beans to room temperature and transfer to a sealed container or freezer bag trapping as little air as possible, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in a saucepan with a tiny amount of water or serve at room temperature.
Serve with
Serve these pinto beans as a dip with tortilla chips, or spread over warm tortillas with diced tomatoes, onions and some crumbled cheese.
It’s also great for tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tostadas, taquitos and enchiladas.
Storing leftovers
Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stove with a little water to your desired consistency.
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📋 Recipe
Canned Pinto Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion red or white, diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced/grated
- 1 jalapeño cored, seeded and sliced
- ½ teaspoon cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon oregano dried
- 225 g Italian tomato sauce 1 cup, or passata
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder or smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 can pinto beans 15 oz/400g
- 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Optional garnishes
- 1 medium tomato diced
- ½ small red onion diced
- 20 g cheese ¼ cup, grated
- 1 tablespoon cilantro (fresh coriander) chopped
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium heat and add 1 small onion (diced). Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes till onions have softened.
- Add 1 jalapeño, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon oregano and mix well.
- Pour in 225 g Italian tomato sauce and mix well, bringing to a boil, then simmer on medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 can pinto beans with their liquid, ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon honey and 1 tablespoon lime juice.
- Using a potato masher, mash approximately half the beans. Garnish with 1 medium tomato, ½ small red onion, 20 g cheese and 1 tablespoon cilantro and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically and accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The information above is an estimate per serving.
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Philip Bentley
Enjoyed it. Easy to make. Had pretty much everything lying around the house. Threw in some kale and leftover kids sweet corn from their dinner into it at the end as well. Had it with naan bread and yogurt. Thanks!
Nicole Shroff
Happy to hear you enjoyed these pinto beans Philip!