Mexican Pinto Beans [Easy Instant Pot Recipe]

Mexican pinto beans in a white bowl garnished with cilantro

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Mexican Pinto Beans [Easy Instant Pot Recipe]

This is a variation of our instant pot dried beans base recipe. Made with aromatic vegetables and smoky spices, this Mexican pinto bean recipe is a delicious weeknight recipe that takes just minutes to prepare!

Prep Time10

Cook Time55

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Dish, Side

Cuisine: Mexican, Vegetarian

Servings: cups

Calories: 210kcal

Ingredients

1 pound dried pinto beans (~2 cups)
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced (~1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced (~1 ½ teaspoons)
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 cups water or low-sodium broth or stock (~1 inch above top of beans)
14 ounce can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt to taste (after cooking)

Instructions

Place beans in a colander and rinse under cold water. Pick out any rocks or beans that are broken or shriveled.
Set Instant Pot to sauté setting. Add oil. Once oil is simmering, add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
Add the beans, bay leaf, salt, water, and tomatoes. Set Instant Pot to Bean/Chili setting and turn valve to seal. Pressure cook for 45 minutes.
Once cooked, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then turn to release pressure valve. Add vinegar and any additional salt to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe calls for 45 minutes of cooking time plus 10 minutes of natural release time. This will create tender beans. However, if you prefer firmer beans, decrease the cooking time by 5 minutes.

If you soak your beans before cooking, cooking time will decrease significantly.

Nutrition