Instant Pot Pinto Beans

5 from 1 vote

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

Bean burrito, no onions! That was my order at Taco Bell growing up every. single. time. With a side of nachos and cheese, ha!  Sometimes I even requested a side of beans for my nacho chips, yikes! My point here is that I love pinto beans, and I always have.  Lucky for me, they can be made very easily now and they’re very macro friendly! That’s all that really matters anymore right!?

Why You’ll Love These Pinto Beans

  1. They’re done in just over 1 hour!
  2. No soaking required.
  3. They are so flavorful you’ll never want canned beans again!
  4. You can make multiple meals with just one batch.
  5. They freeze well.
  6. They’re very inexpensive.
  7. They’re high in protein!
  8. They’re packed with fiber!

This post contains affiliate links.  If you purchase something from these links, we could earn a small commission.  This would be at no additional cost to you.

Ingredients:

  • Pinto Beans
  • Onion
  • Jalapeño 
  • Garlic
  • Salt

Equipment Used

  1. Instant Pot – Hands down my most used and loved appliance! I linked the 6 quart, which is plenty big for most families, but I upgraded to the 8 quart 3 years ago and love it! It takes up a good portion of pantry space but worth it to me. I like making big batches of food so we always have plenty of leftovers.
  2. Handheld Blender– I often use this to blend the beans, after cooking, so they resemble refried beans and we can easily spread them on tostados and use them in bean burritos.

Meals to Make with Pinto Beans

  1. Tacos
  2. Tostadas
  3. Crispy Bean & Cheese Burritos (Easy Macro Meals Cookbook)
  4. 7 Layer Dip
  5. Burrito Bowls (Meal Prep Cookbook 1)
  6. Taco Soup (Coming soon to the blog!)
  7. Breakfast Burritos
  8. Enchiladas

When to Add the Salt

Once the beans are done cooking, season them with salt to taste. Avoid adding salt earlier in the cooking process, as it can toughen the beans.

More Ways to Flavor Pinto Beans

  • Cumin
  • Chili Powder
  • Bay Leaves
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Oregano
  • Bell Peppers
  • Bacon
  • Ham Hock

Make Refried Beans

I often blend the beans to use as a dip for chips, spread on tostados, make crispy bean and cheese burritos, etc. They will closely resemble refried beans when you do so. We love them this way! Just strain most of the liquid (reserve about 1/2 cup) and blend with a handheld blender. Don’t forget to taste add the salt!

Freezing Instructions:

I often double this recipe and freeze half of it to pull out on the next taco night. Let the beans cool and scoop into a gallon size freezer bag. Lay flat and place in the freezer.

How Do I Make These Pinto Beans Over the Stove?

  1. Simply place the rinsed beans in a large bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. If you’re short on time, you can use the quick soak method: cover the beans with water in a pot, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let them soak for 1-2 hours.
  2. Drain the beans and rinse them. Place them in a large pot and cover them with about 2 inches of water. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer.
  3. Let the beans simmer uncovered for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until they are tender. Stir occasionally and check the water level periodically to ensure the beans remain submerged. Add more water if needed to keep the beans covered.
  4. Once the beans are tender, season them with salt to taste.

Can I Make These Pinto Beans in a Crockpot?

You can, and I see people do it, but according to my research most slow cookers don’t reach a high enough temperature to safely eliminate all the lectins in the beans. This can lead to extreme discomfort, nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, you get the idea. It’s not a risk I’m personally willing to take.


Get the Stay Fit Mom Cookbooks!

Macros included for all recipes and pre loaded in the apps for easy macro tracking!

Digital and hardcopies available!

5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Pinto Beans

Once you make your own pinto beans you'll never buy canned again!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound pinto beans
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, diced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • water, to fill line
  • salt, to taste

Instructions 

  • Put your rinsed pinto beans, chopped onion, chopped jalapeño pepper, and garlic in your Instant Pot bowl.
  • Fill bowl with water to just below the max fill line.
  • Set your Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 50 minutes.
  • Once the 50 minutes are up, quick release pressure or let your Instant Pot natural release.
  • Add salt to taste and enjoy your beans whole, or blended up like refried beans. If blending, strain all but about 1/2 cup of the liquid.

Notes

Search Myfitnesspal or the Macrosfrist app for, “Stay Fit Mom Pinto Beans” to log in your food diary.
Instructions for cooking over the stove in the post above.
Enjoy on tacos, tostados, nachos, enchiladas, or as a side. 

Nutrition

Serving: 120g, Calories: 100kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 0.5g, Fiber: 6g
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!


You Might Also Like

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




15 Comments

  1. I am fairly new to making things in my IP – and I waited until right before bed to make these…I tried quick releasing but it was spouting out so much bean water that I just left it to natural release through the night – I feel like they got a little too soggy maybe? Also I didn’t have a jalapeño and don’t usually use them because most of my family are spice wimps 🙂 but they turned out very bland and I wondered if the jalapeno helps give it more flavor without the spice or just need more salt at the end? …thx!

    1. Hi Erin! You might want to do a little less water so you don’t get so much water spitting out at the end. I fill mine to just below the fill line and don’t ever have this issue. Maybe it happens with smaller pots? And yes, add more salt! They will be bland if you don’t add enough. I will say that my family doesn’t like spicy stuff either and the jalapeño doesn’t make them spicy. I would try adding it next time and they’ll never know.

    1. I would measure by heart, but here’s what I do for my black bean recipe: 1 teaspoon chili powder
      1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano.

  2. Hey do you drain off the water before you blend them up? I didn’t and there wasn’t enough beans to water ratio :(( thanks for any tips!

  3. Can I do this without the peppers and onions? Would I need to add anything else? Also, will they be good not blended up?

    1. Yes you can! And you don’t have the blend them up. I would just dice them up well before cooking. And don’t forget to salt them after they cook. Enjoy!