Spicy Pinto Beans
1 cup dried pinto beans
3 cups water, divided
4 oz salt pork
1 small onion, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
½ green bell pepper, chopped
½ jalapeno pepper, minced
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp pepper
Salt to taste
Place pinto beans in a bowl and cover with 2 cups of cool water. Cover the bowl and soak at room temperature for a minimum of 6 hours and a maximum of 12 hours.
Remove rind from salt pork and chop into small pieces. Place in a deep saucepan with beans, onion, peppers and spices. Cover with 1 cup water.
Bring beans to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until beans are tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours. Stir occasionally and add water as necessary to keep the mixture covered. Increase water levels if a more soup-like consistency is desired.
Allow to set for 30 minutes before serving. Reheat if necessary.
4 servings, 395 calories per serving
Hack: Serve with Spanish rice for a great lunch/dinner or eggs for a hearty breakfast!
Hack: Freeze leftovers sealed in serving-sized packages for later use.
Hello there, I like this article because I know about this before, let me share my own idea Pinto beans are cooked with onion, tomatoes, pepper cumin and garlic. I love making these beans just because they make the whole house smell so great and the longer they cook the better they taste. I personally taste-test throughout the entire cooking process and add extra seasoning as I feel it needs it. These beans could simmer all day long; just make sure they have plenty of water to keep the beans covered. This is my own idea, I love beans so well.
I’ve had several people suggest tomatoes or tomato sauce. I’m going to have to try that and perhaps adjust the recipe. I think anything is made better with a long simmer but not long enough to turn it into bean mush! 😉 Enjoy and please let me know what adjustments you made and how it turned out.
I was advised to eat beans because of the fiber{ not these particular beans though }during my intermittent fasting period for weight loss and simply because I hardly use the convenience. Sometimes I like my bean fried with tomato sauce because of the aroma and I will be to making this week.
Beans are a healthy addition to anyone’s diet! I often put ketchup in my beans and I’m sure these would also be good with ketchup or tomato sauce!
I ate those beans a lot in my country, from rice and peas to making soup, Your recipe is easy to make, and have the right ingredients, I like it.
I would love to try this, but since I don’t cook any more, my son take that task over, however, he does make many dishes with variety of beans since he is a vegan eater now.
Healthy recipe, thanks for sharing.
It’s nice that your son has taken over the cooking for you! If you want to try this, have him make it without the pork and it would be vegan!
Hi and thanks for sharing this. I’m sure you get this question from time to time, but would it be possible to substitute say chicken or turkey for the salt pork? Or is there something about the way that the pork blends with the beans that poultry doesn’t? I do like bean dishes but I am not a big pork eater. Actually, I don’t eat pork at all. I guess I could just try it and see. On reflection I think just from the perspective of texture and flavor I could see this working well with turkey. Let me know what you think. thanks, Andy
The beauty of cooking from home is that you can make any substitutions that you want! I use chicken in this bean recipe and it’s delicious! Sometimes I don’t add any meat at all. Please let me know what you decided to use and how it turned out.
I know Spanish rice goes best with Mexican-themed dishes including crockpot chicken tacos, fajitas, or carnitas. I would’ve to try it with these spicy pinto beans! I can imagine, so yummy!
However, this rice should not be limited to just Mexican dishes! I also enjoy it as a side with everything from pizza to pulled chicken sandwiches!
I love Spanish rice with all kinds of food as well! I had a friend tell me that she loves it in stuffed peppers. I’m going to try that as well as with pulled pork! Thank you for the idea!