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Bacon-Simmered Pinto Beans

Bacon Simmered Pinto Beans
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Bacon-Simmered Pinto Beans can be made vegetarian by omitting the bacon. A final flourish of sharp Cotija cheese, cilantro, and pickled onions adds color and texture. Combine the earthiness of beans with the salty, smoky flavor of bacon, and you’re going to have a winner. These make great leftovers – as they are even better the next day!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 1/2 lb. dried pinto beans (4 cups), rinsed
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, coarsely chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded, minced, divided
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
  • Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Pickled Onions

Instructions

  1. Place beans in a large pot. Add enough water to cover by 4″. Let soak overnight. Drain beans.
  2. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in same large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon to pot and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. drippings from pot. Add onion, garlic, and 1 minced jalapeño and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add drained beans to pot. Pour in enough water to cover beans by 2″ (about 8 cups). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding more water by 1/2-cupfuls if dry, until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Stir in remaining jalapeño and reserved bacon. Season to taste with salt.
  4. Transfer beans to a large bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro and serve with pickled onions.

Notes

DO AHEAD

  • Can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before serving, adding additional water as needed if dry.

NOTES

  • – If you like spicy, do NOT remove the seeds of the jalapeno as the recipe directs. In fact, consider using 3 jalapenos.
  • – I used 6 garlic cloves instead of the 4 the recipe calls for.
  • – I added a small palmful of cayenne pepper (probably 1 1/2 tsps) to the onion, garlic and jalapeno mixture after it had been cooking for a few minutes. Chili powder or ancho chile powder would work as well.
  • – The onions, cilantro and cheese are very important to this dish. Don’t skimp here.
  • – I did not find Cotija cheese, so I used Feta which is a great alternative.

Find it online: https://goingmywayz.com/bacon-simmered-pinto-beans/