Instant Pot Mexican Pinto Beans (GF, Vegan, Pantry Meal, No Soak)

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If you’re looking for the best filling, flavorful homemade Instant Pot Pinto Beans Recipe, then look no further. With no need to pre-soak the beans and full of healthier every pantry staples, you can have dinner on the table in about an hour! 

Suitable for vegan and gluten free diets. Weight Watchers points included.

completed instant pot pinto beans recipe

We all need a go-to pantry meal that is filling, tasty, easy and cheap and these smoky creamy Instant Pot Pinto Beans definitely hit the mark.

Bonus is the beans require no pre-soaking. So, even if you forget to plan ahead and walk into a house full of hungry people, you can go from dried beans to a steaming hot bowl of creamy pintos in under an hour. #ourkindafood

Related Link : Instant Pot Black Beans.

This simple and tasty Instant Pot Mexican Pinto Bean Stew is the perfect easy pantry meal made with affordable canned, frozen and dried goods that you already have on hand.

Instant pot quick start guide image

This recipe is a complete nutritious meal all in itself, but it’s also a perfect side dish. You can also do what I do and serve up these savory pintos for breakfast. Yeap! This dish is great for Tex Mex nights, potlucks, weeknight dinners, lunch boxes and more.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Dried beans are SUPER cheap and there’s no need to pre-soak beans.
  • Uses only everyday store cupboard and freezer ingredients.
  • Filling, nutritious, and loved by the whole family.
  • Easy to prep ahead for a freezer-friendly meal.
a bowl of dried pinto beans to use to make instant pot pinto beans

What Are Pinto Beans?

Pinto beans or frijoles pinto “speckled beans” are super popular, especially in the southern United States and Mexico. Inexpensive, nutrient-dense, high in fiber, protein and fat-free, pintos are a staple in many kitchens. 

Eat them whole, in soups, mashed (as refried beans) or use as fillings in burritos, tamales and other Mexican dishes. A dinner of beans, rice, and cornbread is tasty, filling, and loaded with protein, making it a great choice when meat is scarce. 

KITCHEN TOOLS, UTENSILS & APPLIANCES  NEEDED

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, check out my disclosure.

Here are some of the items you will need to make this recipe.

Ready to make Instant Pot Pinto Beans? Gather your ingredients and I’ll show you how….

How to Cook Pinto Beans in Instant Pot

  • Step 1. Set the Instant Pot to sauté; add oil and sauté onion for about 5 minutes till soft.
  • Step 2. Switch off sauté mode and quickly stir in the garlic. Then layer in the rest of the ingredients, ending with diced tomatoes on top and DO NOT mix.
  • Step 3. Close pot, set valve to sealing, select the pressure cook / manual (dependent upon IP model), select high pressure and set the timer to 40 minutes.
  • Step 4. Allow a natural pressure release (NPR) for 20 minutes and then a quick pressure release for the rest.
  • Step 5. Open the Instant Pot and stir in tamari soy sauce and serve.
image collage showing the steps for making instant pot pinto beans

Chefs tip: For softer beans increase the cooking time under pressure to 45 minutes. For firmer beans reduce the cooking time to 37 minutes.

Recipe Tips

  • Add more veggies. Mix and match the veggies with what you have on hand. You can even use fresh veggies instead of frozen.
  • Vary the spices. Use what you have available. I have made this with creole seasoning and fajita seasoning and both were great.
  • Add meat. This recipe is purely vegan and made with pantry staples. You can certainly add bacon, chorizo or a ham hock in if you want meaty beans.
  • Bulk it out. Add bulk to the meal by serving the beans over another starch such as rice.
  • Important to layer. The layering of ingredients is important. You want to make sure you add the tomatoes last and do not mix them in.
  • It gets thicker. This pinto bean soup//stew thickens as it stands. If you plan to reheat you may want to add more broth to thin as desired.
  • Change up the beans. Use other beans like navy beans, but be aware that cook time will vary.
  • Cook time listed does not include the time it takes the IP to come up to pressure, or for pressure to release.
cooked instant pot pinto beans inside the instant pot

Meal Prep and Prep Ahead

Instant Pot Pinto Beans is an ideal meal prep recipe because it can be easily stored in the fridge or freezer until you need it. I love to make batches and batches of it, freeze it and whip it out when I need beans for other meals.

Prep Ahead – Make ahead and refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Freeze – Follow the handy tips below on how to freeze this.

  • Let cool down then transfer into these very handy Ziploc freezer bags.
  • Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags.
  • Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer.
  • Store in the freezer for 3 months.
glass meal prep container filled with instant pot pinto beans

Meal Prep – This recipe makes a fair amount of beans so you can make a few adjustments and get several meals out of one pot of beans. Here are some suggestions:

  • Add additional broth to cover the cooked bean by one inch. Bring the pot to a boil and serve.
  • You can also pour some of the brothy beans over rice or potatoes and top with a runny fried egg.
  • Add leftover beans to tacos, burritos, tamales, taco salad or just about any Mexican dish.
  • Mash the leftover beans and serve refried beans as a side dish.

Serving Suggestions

Weight Watchers Points

If you replace the oil with no-calorie cooking spray, there are 0 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of these.

Thank you for reading my Instant Pot Pinto Beans recipe post. And please visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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completed instant pot pinto beans recipe
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Instant Pot Pinto Beans

A hearty and satisfying pantry staples recipe with no pre-soaking needed!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Western
Servings: 8
Calories: 240kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 3/4 cup diced frozen onion or one large fresh onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 4.5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 lb (450g) pinto beans rinsed and picked through
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika gives it a great smoky flavor!
  • 3/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 3/4 tsp ground coriander
  • 29 oz (2 x 14.5 oz cans) canned diced tomatoes
  • Tamari soy sauce to taste (at the end of cooking), or regular soy sauce if not GF

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to sauté; add oil and sauté onion for about 5 minutes till soft.
  • Switch off sauté mode and quickly stir in the garlic. Then layer in the rest of the ingredients, ending with diced tomatoes on top and DO NOT mix.
  • Close pot, set valve to sealing, select the pressure cook / manual (dependent upon IP model), select high pressure and set the timer to 40 minutes.
  • Allow a natural pressure release (NPR) for 20 minutes and then a quick pressure release for the rest.
  • Open the Instant Pot, stir in Tamari soy sauce, and serve.
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Notes

  • Add more veggies. Mix and match the veggies with what you have on hand. You can even use fresh veggies instead of frozen.
  • Vary the spices. Use what you have available. I have made this with creole seasoning and fajita seasoning and both were great.
  • Add meat. This recipe is purely vegan and made with pantry staples. You can certainly add bacon, chorizo or a ham hock in if you want meaty beans.
  • Bulk it out. Add bulk to the meal by serving the beans over another starch such as rice.
  • Important to layer. The layering of ingredients is important. You want to make sure you add the tomatoes last and do not mix them in.
  • It gets thicker. This pinto bean soup//stew thickens as it stands. If you plan to reheat you may want to add more broth to thin as desired.
  • Change up the beans. Use other beans like navy beans, but be aware that cook time will vary.
  • Cook time listed does not include the time it takes the IP to come up to pressure, or for pressure to release.
If you replace the oil with a no-calorie cooking spreay, there are 0 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 684mg | Potassium: 1011mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 525IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 4mg

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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  1. I never tried Pinto Beans but this looks absolutely delicious. It is healthy, high protein and fiber. I definitely need to make this in my kitchen.

  2. 5 stars
    YUMM, I’ve been using my Instant Pot more recently, and I cant wait to try out this recipe for my family!

  3. 5 stars
    This recipe is so timely and iis just perfect for what I have been looking for. Looking absolutely delicious!