Easy Mexican-Style Pinto Beans from Scratch

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These Mexican-style pinto beans are slow-simmered until tender, then finished with crispy bacon, tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeños, and savory Mexican seasonings. The reserved bean water helps create a flavorful, rich broth that brings everything together.

WHAT MAKES THESE MEXICAN-STYLE PINTO BEANS SO GOOD

Bacon Builds the Flavor

These aren’t plain boiled pinto beans. Cooking the bacon first creates a flavorful rendered fat that becomes the base for the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeños. The bacon stays in the skillet, so you get smoky, savory flavor throughout the beans rather than just on top.

The Vegetables Add Layers of Flavor

The combination of Roma tomatoes, white onion, garlic, and jalapeños gives these beans much more depth than simply adding seasoning to cooked beans. Sautéing everything in the bacon grease allows the vegetables to soften and become fragrant while developing a richer, more savory flavor.

Reserved Bean Water Creates a Richer Finish

Saving some of the water from cooking the pinto beans is an important step. The starchy bean liquid helps create a flavorful broth while allowing the seasonings to coat the beans. Combined with the additional reserved water and a short simmer, it gives the finished beans a hearty, cohesive texture instead of leaving them dry.

STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEXICAN-STYLE PINTO BEANS

Sort and wash the beans

Begin by sorting through 1 lb of dried pinto beans. Remove any beans that are damaged, discolored, shriveled, or have any debris mixed in. Thoroughly rinse the good beans under cold running water.

Boil the pinto beans

Add the washed pinto beans to a large pot along with 10 cups of water. Bring everything to a boil over high heat. Once the water reaches a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the beans to cook for approximately 1 hour, or until they begin to soften and become tender.

Reserve the cooking liquid

Before draining the beans, reserve ½ cup of the water they cooked in. You’ll use this later to add flavor and starch to the finished beans. Also set aside 2 additional cups of water to use when the beans are finished in the skillet.

Drain the beans

Once the beans have started to soften, drain them thoroughly and set them aside while you prepare the bacon and vegetables.

Cook the bacon

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2–3 strips of bacon. Cook until the bacon is browned and crispy. Keep the bacon in the skillet along with the rendered bacon grease. That grease will serve as the flavorful base for the vegetables.

Sauté the vegetables

Add 2 diced Roma tomatoes, ¼ diced white onion, 2 diced jalapeños, and minced garlic to the skillet with the bacon and rendered grease. Sauté over medium heat until the vegetables have softened and become fragrant, scraping the bottom of the skillet occasionally to incorporate the flavorful browned bits.

Add the pinto beans

Once the vegetables are softened, add the drained pinto beans back into the skillet. Stir everything together so the beans become coated in the bacon grease and vegetable mixture.

Season the beans

Add 2 teaspoons Badia Pinto Seasoning, 1 teaspoon Chef Piñeiro Sazonador y Más con Achiote, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir thoroughly so the seasonings are distributed throughout the beans.

Add the reserved liquid

Pour in the 2 cups of reserved water along with the ½ cup reserved pinto bean cooking water. Stir everything together. The bean water adds extra flavor and starch while the additional water gives the beans enough liquid to simmer without drying out.

Simmer and develop the flavor

Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the beans for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. During this time, the beans will absorb the bacon, vegetable, and seasoning flavors while the liquid develops into a rich, savory broth.

Check the consistency

After simmering, check the consistency. If the beans are too loose, simmer uncovered for a few additional minutes to allow some of the liquid to evaporate. If they become too thick, add a small splash of water and stir.

Taste and adjust

Taste the beans before serving and adjust the salt or seasoning if needed. The finished beans should be tender, flavorful, and surrounded by a savory, seasoned broth.

Serve

Serve the beans hot as a side dish with Mexican rice, rotisserie chicken, tacos, enchiladas, or any of your favorite Mexican-inspired meals.

• Easy Mexican-Style Pinto Beans from Scratch
• Lemon Pepper and Herb Rotisserie Chicken
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos
• Skillet Caramelized Peaches
• Watermelon Cucumber Refresher

The Perfect Mexican-Inspired Dinner

These Mexican-style pinto beans are even better when served as part of a full meal. I paired mine with fluffy Mexican rice and my lemon pepper and herb rotisserie chicken, and the combination was so good. You get the savory, smoky flavor from the bacon and seasoned beans, fluffy rice to soak up all those delicious juices, and juicy, citrusy chicken that brings a bright, herby contrast to the plate.

The best part about this meal is how well all three components complement each other without tasting repetitive. The beans bring a little heat and richness, the rice adds a comforting, seasoned base, and the lemon pepper and herb chicken adds fresh citrus and herb flavors. Together, it makes a filling, flavorful dinner that feels like something you’d order at a restaurant but can easily make at home.

Lemon Pepper & Herb Rotisserie Chicken

The bright citrus and fresh herbs in this chicken are the perfect contrast to the rich, savory beans. The chicken is spatchcocked, marinated with lemon, lime, orange, dill, and spices, then baked and basted every 15 minutes for juicy, flavorful meat.

Full Recipe: LEMON PEPPER & HERB ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

Mexican Rice

Pair the beans with fluffy, seasoned Mexican rice to complete the plate. The rice is perfect for soaking up the flavorful juices from the beans and adds another layer of savory flavor.

Full Recipe: COMING SOON

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