Perfect Pinto Pot Beans
A big pot of simmering beans is often found on my stove. I learned to make these simple, flavorful beans from my maid when I lived in Mexico. The flavor is uncluttered and the softness of perfectly cooked beans are melt in your mouth. The trick is to make a Sofrito that goes into the beans in the last stages of cooking. Adding salt after everything is cooked keeps the beans firm, but tender. I use a Pressure Cooker and can go from dry beans to plating them up in 30 minutes.
Soak Your Beans
Making the Sofrito
Elena's Mexican Pinto Pot Beans
Prep
Cook
Total
Ingredients
- 1 pound Dried Pinto Beans, soaked (overnight or all day) or quick soaked in the pressure cooker
- 3 heaping Tablespoons dried veggie broth
- Water to cover beans by 1/2 inch
Sofrito
- 1 cup chopped bell peppers, red, green, yellow, orange or a combination
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 teaspoons cumin, ground or seeds or a mixture of both
- 1 hottish pepper, scotch bonnet to jalapeño, depending on your spice preference, chopped
- 3 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
- 1-2 Tablespoons Sea Salt or Smoked Sea Salt
Instructions
- Drain soaked beans, cover with water and bring to a boil.
- Add the Broth Powder.
- Bring to pressure in the pressure cooker and cook 10 min.
- Let the pressure come down naturally. Alternatively, simmer 2-4 hours until beans are soft but still hold their shape. Time will vary depending on the freshness of the beans
- Meanwhile make the sofrito.
- Saute the onion and pepper in olive oil until soft.
- Add the cumin and sauté 2 minutes.
- Add the sherry vinegar and simmer 5 more minutes
- Add to the Beans and simmer until the beans are very soft but hold their shape. You may have to bring the pressure back up in the pressure cooker for another 3 minutes or so. You may also have to add a bit more water.
- Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Salting after the beans cook keeps them soft and plump.
Instant Pot Directions: Use the Saute function to make the sofrito as directed above. Remove the Sofrito and set aside. Add soaked beans to the Instant Pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Add broth powder and turn on manual setting. Lock the pressure valve and set time for 9 minutes. Let pressure come down naturally for 5 minutes, then release the rest. Check the beans and add the Sofrito and season generously with Salt. If the beans are not done you can either simmer until they are or bring back to pressure for 1-2 more minutes
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