Southern Pinto Beans Recipe – Immaculate Bites

What Are Pinto Beans?

A celebrated bean in the Southern U.S. and Northern Mexico gets its name from the Spanish word pinto (meaning painted). And this soul food staple is comfort at its finest, whether dried, fresh, or canned. Besides, can a meal be authentic Southern fare if it’s missing pinto beans and cornbread?

Recipe Ingredients

1. Dried Pinto Beans – The star of this show is an excellent source of protein and dietary fiber and is low in fat. And though I’m no nutritionist, I’ve heard they’re easier on your stomach than some beans.
2. Ham Hock – The rich meaty flavor completes the overall smokey flavor profile. But leftover ham, chicken, or bacon are just as good.
3. Seasonings – Onion, garlic, bay leaves, and oregano are responsible for this dish’s exceptional savory flavors. Creole seasoning, chili powder, and smoked paprika enhance the flavor with mouth-tingling heat. According to your tastes, of course.😉
4. Chicken Broth – For the best flavor, real chicken essence from the broth is a winner. But you can always use water if you have to. 

How to Make Southern Pinto Beans

Prep the Ingredients

• Soak – Rinse dry pinto beans, pick through, and discard any foreign objects. Add beans to a large pot and cover with 3-4 inches of cold water. Cover and let sit for eight hours or overnight. (Photos 1-2)
• Cook the Ham – Start by covering the ham hocks with water in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1½-2 hours (until the meat falls off the bone). If you have a pressure cooker, it takes only 12 minutes or less once it starts cooking. Let it cool, then cut the meat into bite-size pieces. (Photos 3-4)
• Saute – In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, sauté cooked chopped ham hock for 4-5 minutes. (Photo 5)
• Saute the Seasonings – Add the onions, garlic, oregano, Creole seasoning, chili spice, smoked paprika, and bay leaf. Then sauté for 3-5 minutes, until onions are wilted and aromatic. (Photo 6-7)

Cook the Beans

• Add the Beans – Drain the soaked beans, rinse, and place them in the pot. Stir for a minute or two. (Photo 8)
• Heat – Add about 5 cups water or chicken broth (enough to cover the beans), and bring to a boil. (Photo 9)
• Simmer – Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, occasionally stirring, for 55 minutes or more.
• Adjust Consistency – Add more stock or water to reach the desired thickness. The beans’ texture should be thick and somewhat creamy but not watery.
• Final Seasoning – Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust for seasonings with salt and pepper if needed. (Photo 10)
• Serve with cornbread or overcooked rice and garnish with green onion or cilantro.

Recipe Variations

1. More Veggies – Tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, celery, the options are endless! Not only will they add colors and texture, but also nutrients. 
2. Spicy – Hold on to your water bottle as we level up the spiciness with habanero, jalapeno, Scotch bonnet, or serrano peppers.
3. Cooking Variations – Slow cooker pinto beans take 6-8 hours on low if they’ve been soaked and 8-10 hours on low unsoaked. Southern pinto beans take 25-30 minutes in a pressure cooker, even if you forget to soak them.

Tips and Tricks

1. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to the soaking water for traditional cooking methods. While soaking them overnight is the norm, 24 hours is even better.
2. The longer you cook the beans, the tenderer they get and the thicker the gravy. It all depends on your preferences.
3. Forgot to soak the beans? No worries because you can do the quick soak or cook them as is. Add the beans to a large pot of boiling water (8 cups water for every pound of dry beans) and let them boil for 2 minutes. Then turn off the heat and leave it covered for an hour. Drain and rinse the beans, then cook according to the recipe. 
4. The jury is out on whether to add salt before or after the beans are tender. But if you add salt early on, it might prevent the starches in the beans from breaking down, keeping them from getting soft.
5. Smashing a clove of garlic and half an onion and throwing them into the water before soaking them makes the beans even tastier.

Pro Tip: Kidney beans are the only edible beans I know that absolutely need to be soaked before cooking. Throwing out the soaking water is also a must because it contains water-soluble toxins pulled from the beans.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Pinto beans are an excellent make-ahead recipe. So soak up a double batch and freeze half of it in serving-size portions. They should last five months frozen. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or stove.

Transfer the cooked beans to an airtight container or freezer-safe resealable bag. They will last refrigerated for four days if stored properly.

FAQs

What to Serve With Southern Pinto Beans 

This Southern-style pinto beans recipe has that spicy, earthy, and nutty flavor that complements well with any of these equally exquisite dishes below.

1. Skillet Cornbread
2. Collard Greens
3. Fried Okra
4. Smoked Pork Loin
5. Grilled Corn on the Cob

More Hearty Bean Recipes to Try

1. Caribbean Rice and Beans
2. Beef Tripe and Beans
3. Refried Beans
4. Ham and Bean Soup
5. Black Bean Soup

Conclusion

This Southern pinto beans recipe is hearty and tasty to comfort your soul. Would you like more super easy soul food recipes? Please subscribe to my newsletter to get the latest. 😉

Watch How to Make It

This blog post was originally published in September 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.