Vegetarian Pinto Beans Recipe (Slow Cooker & Stovetop)
These vegetarian pinto beans simmer slowly with spices, onions, and peppers to create a rich, flavorful pot of beans perfect for tacos, bowls, nachos, or easy weeknight meals.
Servings 8
Calories 109kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound pinto beans soaked in salt water overnight
- ½ onion diced (about 1 cup)
- ½ bell pepper about ½ cup
- 1 chipotle meco optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounce-can tomato paste
- 3 - 4 cups water or broth
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- Place soaked pinto beans in the slow cooker with onions, bell pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chipotle meco, if you are using it, salt, and pepper. Add three cups of water or broth.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3.5-4 hours. Stir frequently and if needed add more water.
- When the beans are almost tender, stir the tomato paste into the beans and continue cooking. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
Stove
- Add the soaked pinto beans, onion, bell pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chipotle meco (if using), salt, and pepper to a large pot or Dutch oven. Pour in 3 cups of water or vegetable broth.
- Bring the beans to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 60–90 minutes, partially covered, stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed to keep the beans submerged.
- When the beans are almost tender, stir in the tomato paste and continue cooking until the beans are fully soft and the broth thickens slightly.
- Taste and adjust the salt and seasoning before serving.
Notes
- Soak the beans first. Dried beans benefit from soaking before slow cooking. Soaking helps them cook more evenly, shortens the cooking time, and makes them easier to digest.
- Salt the soaking water. Adding a little salt to the soaking liquid softens the bean skins. This helps the beans cook at the same rate inside and out and reduces the chance of the skins splitting.
- Add the tomato paste later. Tomatoes are acidic and can slow down the softening of beans. Stir in the tomato paste toward the end of cooking once the beans are nearly tender.
- Keep an eye on the liquid. The beans should remain fully covered with water or broth while they cook. Check the pot occasionally and add more liquid if needed so they don’t dry out.
Nutrition
Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 466mg | Potassium: 503mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 683IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
