Healthy Pinto Bean Recipes

Find healthy, delicious pinto bean recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

 Spicy Weight-Loss Cabbage Soup

Rating: Unrated
25
Based on a popular weight-loss plan, this healthy cabbage soup recipe gets tons of flavor and a metabolism-boosting kick from spicy chiles.
By Breana Killeen

Veggistrone

Rating: Unrated
20
This vegetable-packed minestrone soup recipe is inspired by a popular Weight Watchers vegetable soup recipe. It makes a big pot of soup, so keep some in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freeze the rest in single-serve portions. That way you always have an easy, delicious vegetable soup to start your meal or to eat for lunch. Think of this vegetable minestrone recipe as a starting point for other healthy soup variations, too: toss in leftover chopped cooked chicken or whole-wheat pasta or brown rice to make it more satisfying.
By Joyce Hendley

Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

Rating: Unrated
25
This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl recipe is even better than takeout and just as fast. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthy dinner.
By Breana Killeen

Two-Bean Enchilada Casserole

Rating: Unrated
2
This classic and comforting Mexican dish is easy to make on a busy weeknight.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Slow-Cooker Pork Posole

Mexican pork posole is the perfect dish to serve to a crowd. It's hearty, comforting and full of well-loved ingredients. Mashing some of the beans and hominy thickens the slow-cooker posole and releases more of their earthy flavor. For a twist, substitute thinly sliced jalapeño chiles, finely shredded green cabbage and fresh thyme or cilantro leaves for the radishes, scallions, and oregano.
By Cooking Light

Stuffed Potatoes with Salsa & Beans

Rating: Unrated
2
Taco night meets baked potato night with this simple recipe for loaded baked potatoes with salsa, beans and avocado. This easy, healthy family dinner comes together with just 10 minutes of active time, so you can make it on even the busiest of weeknights. This recipe is just as delicious with sweet potatoes in place of russets.
By Devon O'Brien

Slow-Cooker Pinto Bean Stew with Jalapeno-Corn Dumplings

Rating: Unrated
8
This healthy slow-cooker pinto bean stew recipe is bursting with veggies--onion, bell pepper, celery and corn--and topped with crunchy bits of radish and chile- and lime-flecked cornbread dumplings. If you're pressed for time, skip the dumplings and serve this pinto bean stew straight out of the crock pot, topped with crushed tortilla chips and a sprinkling of Monterey Jack cheese. Make sure to soak your dried beans before using them in the slow cooker to ensure even cooking.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Rating: Unrated
23
Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled at mealtime. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Smoky Chicken Stew with Kale & Pinto Beans

Chipotle chile powder is made from smoked jalapeño peppers that are dried and ground, giving this stew a hint of smoky flavor.
By Joy Howard

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Tostadas

Rating: Unrated
10
The butternut squash-and-black bean base in these healthy vegetarian tostadas has a mild, sweet-spicy flavor thanks to ancho chile powder. If you can't find ancho chile powder, other mildly spicy chili powder can be used. Serve with your favorite hot sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

Rating: Unrated
7
Think of this vegetarian enchilada casserole as a veggie-packed Mexican lasagna with corn tortillas standing in for the noodles! If your peppers are mild and you like heat, opt for spicy pico de gallo. This easy vegetarian dinner recipe is sure to become a new family favorite.
By Robin Bashinsky

Chicken Chili Verde

Rating: Unrated
4
Prepared salsa verde adds tang to this fast weeknight chili recipe and pairs beautifully with the rich caramelized chicken and creamy beans. Don't shy away from the poblano peppers. They offer a mild heat but deliver a depth of flavor you can't find in regular green bell peppers.
By Robin Bashinsky

Inspiration and Ideas

11 Vegan Pinto Bean Recipes

11 Vegan Pinto Bean Recipes

It’s easy to eat a plant-based diet with these vegan pinto bean recipes. Pinto beans are a great source of protein and can be used in soups or on top of potatoes or tacos. Recipes like Slow Cooker Vegan Chili and Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole are so nutritious and filling you won’t even miss the meat!
Slow-Cooker Vegan Chili

Slow-Cooker Vegan Chili

Rating: Unrated
2
Grab your crock pot for this hearty and easy vegan chili, which is chock-full of great-tasting and good-for-you ingredients, including pinto and black beans, red pepper, tomatoes and butternut squash. Once a little chopping is done, all you have to do is dump the ingredients in the slow cooker, making this colorful veggie chili the perfect weeknight dinner. A garnish of fresh avocado and chopped cilantro is a nice touch.
Pressure-Cooker Chili

Pressure-Cooker Chili

Rating: Unrated
2
Cauliflower Nachos

Cauliflower Nachos

Rating: Unrated
2
Chipotle Cauliflower & Turkey Chili

Chipotle Cauliflower & Turkey Chili

Bean & Butternut Tacos with Green Salsa

Bean & Butternut Tacos with Green Salsa

Rating: Unrated
6

Soup Beans

Rating: Unrated
2

Like poor people everywhere, mountain people in the South thrived for centuries on food that was indigenous, inexpensive and healthful. These days “soup beans” speak instant comfort to anyone who had familial connections from Appalachia, where every garden produced shelling beans that could be eaten fresh or grown to maturity for dry beans. Serve this thick, stew-like soup with cornbread, pickle relish and diced sweet onion.

All Healthy Pinto Bean Recipes

Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl with Cauliflower Rice

Rating: Unrated
5
This easy-to-make and meal-prep burrito bowl is even better than takeout! You'll never miss the carbs in this protein-packed, super-flavorful meal that replaces the cilantro-lime rice with cauliflower rice. We love this with chicken but it would be just as delicious with shrimp.
By Carolyn Casner

Southwestern Pinto Bean Soup

Rating: Unrated
1
The flavor of this Mexican-style soup is kicked up a notch with a sprinkling of cilantro and a squirt of lime juice.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

8-Layer Taco Salad

Rating: Unrated
3
This gorgeous and colorful 8-layer taco salad recipe is made healthier by using ground turkey in place of beef, adding Greek yogurt and bumping up the amount of vegetables. Serve this salad in a clear glass bowl and you'll have an eye-catching party-worthy dinner or potluck side in just 30 minutes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pinto Bean Chilaquiles

Rating: Unrated
2
This Mexican chilaquiles recipe is a one-skillet dish made with corn tortillas and eggs. Making chilaquiles is a great way to use stale tortillas, as they are crisped in the oven before being simmered in a flavorful garlicky sauce. Unless you want a very spicy sauce, make sure to use regular (not hot) chili powder.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pinto Bean & Andouille Sausage Stew

Rating: Unrated
3
An adaptation of the Andalusian dish fabada, this pinto bean stew is seasoned with andouille sausage, bacon, tomatoes, onions, peppers and smoked paprika. Fans of spicy beans should use the full amount of minced chile pepper (or more). Serve with brown rice and sour cream.
By Perla Meyers

Tijuana Torta

Rating: Unrated
7
A Mexican-style torta is just like a burrito, except the “wrapper” is a hollowed-out roll instead of a tortilla. Here it's filled with mashed spiced black beans and a quick guacamole. Take this vegetarian version to another level (and add calcium) by melting Monterey Jack cheese onto the bean side of the sandwich. Serve with: Grilled corn on the cob or Spanish rice.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegetarian Gumbo

Rating: Unrated
2
This flavorful vegan dinner is a veggie version of the Louisiana classic. It's chock-full of butternut squash, tomatoes, poblano peppers and okra, to name just a few. This vegetarian gumbo is a quick dinner packed with flavor and spice that's done in only 30 minutes. To make it a meal, serve it with cornbread drizzled with olive oil.
By Robin Bashinsky

Amazon Bean Soup with Winter Squash & Greens

Rating: Unrated
6
Shaped like a flattened drum, buttercup squash most closely resembles the local squash used in this comforting hearty soup from northern Brazil. It has a dark green peel, a grayish turban-shaped top and dense orange flesh. Hubbard, butternut or delicata squashes could also be used. Instead of the lip-numbing Brazilian green jambu, we have used spinach. For a more festive look, serve in a roasted squash half (see Tip).
By Victoria Abbott Riccardi

Turkey & Bean Enchiladas

Rating: Unrated
2
A lively salsa made from fresh or canned tomatillos tops this simple casserole. You can substitute tomatoes for tomatillos, but they don't have the same tangy bite.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sweet Potato Fritters with Smoky Pinto Beans

Rating: Unrated
10
These easy sweet potato fritters have a crispy crust and a tender middle. The beans are flavored with smoked paprika, but sweet or hot would work well too. To give it a Mexican-inspired twist, use chili powder as the spice instead of the paprika.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Hot Chile Grilled Cheese

Rating: Unrated
9
This deconstructed version of a chile relleno turned sandwich packs some heat and an ooey-gooey filling. We like the flavor of sourdough, but any kind of bread will work well. Serve with: Coleslaw and sliced pineapple.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Texas Beef and Beans

A hearty beef and beans dish has Texas-sized flavor. Just put the ingredients in your slow cooker, press the button, and you're done until dinner time.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Super-Green Edamame Salad

Rating: Unrated
2
Avocado, fresh chives and spinach are blended right into the creamy, bright-green dressing in this healthy edamame salad recipe. Pink beans are popular in the Caribbean, but you can substitute pinto beans or light red kidney beans if you can't find them.
By Katie Webster

Instant-Pot Chicken Taco Soup

Rating: Unrated
1
If you love tacos, this Instant Pot chicken taco soup won't disappoint. Silky strained tomatoes add body, while shredded chicken, beans and spices add those rich and spicy familiar flavors. And don't forget the toppings! Melted cheese, creamy sour cream and crushed tortilla chips round out this new family favorite.
By Julia Levy

Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

Rating: Unrated
1
This Instant Pot vegetarian chili recipe is full of healthy veggies and two kinds of beans. Chipotle chiles give it a hint of smoke and a nice kick. Top this quick and easy chili with cheese and sour cream, or enjoy it as a vegan chili by garnishing with veggies such as avocado, sliced jalapeños, onions, radishes and scallions or cilantro.
By Robin Bashinsky

Homemade Chorizo Tortas

Rating: Unrated
2
A torta is the Mexican version of a panini--a pressed sandwich made with crusty bread that can have an endless array of fillings. For this one, we make our own chorizo-inspired filling by spicing up ground pork or turkey. Use a panini maker if you have one (and skip Step 4) or use our technique for making pressed sandwiches without any special equipment. Serve with a mixed green salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Taco Soup

Rating: Unrated
1
We gave the plain old taco an easy, one-bowl makeover by turning it into soup! We garnish this zippy dish with pickled jalapeños, Cheddar cheese and tortilla chips, but feel free to mix it up with any of your favorite taco toppers.
By Hilary Meyer

Sopa Tarasca

This famous soup from the state of Michoacán in Western Mexico is often made with a base of pureed beans along with tomatoes and dried chiles, which bring a lot of the character to the dish. Here we use ancho chiles, which are sweet, earthy and relatively mild. You could also use pasillas, which have a heat level similar to anchos--or, if you like it hot, gaujillos, which also bring some smoky notes to the pot.
By Lisa Holderness Brown

Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

Rating: Unrated
16
Intense, earthy and absolutely addictive, New Mexico's cheese enchiladas showcase red chile sauce at its most elemental, thickly blanketing tortillas and melted Cheddar. We've added some extra creaminess and body with locally popular pinto beans, to cut down on the classic's load of saturated fat. Top with shredded lettuce and minced onion.
By Cheryl & Bill Jamison

Slow-Cooked Beans

Rating: Unrated
4
By cooking your own dried beans, you save money, reduce sodium and get better flavor along with, surprisingly, more vitamins and minerals. If you can't use the whole batch, freeze surplus cooked beans for later use in soups, salads and dips. The range of time for cooking beans is wide and varies with the age and the type of beans selected.
By Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole

Rating: Unrated
4
These bean burgers will even please carnivores. The cornmeal coating gives a pleasant crunch and smoked paprika, cumin, cilantro and guacamole add Southwestern flavor.
By Vanessa Barrington

Huevos Rancheros Tacos

When you combine these two Tex-Mex favorites, the delicious question becomes whether to enjoy them at breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Huevos Rancheros Verdes

Rating: Unrated
10
Huevos rancheros or “ranch eggs” is a classic Mexican dish that is great for a quick dinner. Traditionally, it's made with a red tomato-based sauce. Here we use tart and tangy green salsa instead. Serve with: brown rice and slices of avocado.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Rice & Bean Freezer Burritos

Save money and sodium when you make a batch of homemade frozen burritos. Mashing the beans and mixing them with tomatoes, cheese and jalapeños before filling the healthy burritos means you get all the ingredients in each bite. Serve with your favorite toppings--we like sour cream, salsa and hot sauce.
By Breana Killeen
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