Chipotle Stewed Pinto Beans
Growing up, beans were always a staple. Meals didn’t seem complete without them. And you knew exactly when a fresh batch of stewed beans was coming. The magnificent smell of them would instantly hit you when you’d walk through the door. Coming from my mom, these beans were special and uniquely hers. No matter how many times she makes them, I’ll never make them exactly like hers, but I think that’s the special thing about latin cooking. Everyone has their specific way of making their beans, and I felt it necessary to tie together the flavors I love from both my Dominican and Mexican heritage to make these Chipotle Stewed Pinto Beans.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is how good it tastes. And seeing my hubby eat a plate in silent joy, solely paying attention to each bite…makes the meal 100% worth it. So I went ahead and made the quick, easy, vegan version that calls on a lot of my favorite aspects of my mom’s classic beans and doesn’t skimp on flavor at all.
Stewed Beans Necessities
Even if these beans aren’t exactly like hers, they are my spin on it, and I’m kind of obsessed with them. One thing I included that she often adds to her beans is kabocha squash (sometimes she’ll sub for sweet potato or regular potato). I love this addition, so much and had to include them. These beans are rich, smoky and manage to borrow more of the the things I love so much about my mom’s beans.
These beans are stewed with…
- Chipotle spices for some smokiness
- Sazon for the classic latin flavors
- Poblano peppers for extra peppery, smoky goodness
- Kabocha squash to add a balance to the heat and smokiness with a little sweet
I love pairing chipotle stewed pinto beans with some rice, greens and some fire roasted corn. All the flavors compliment so well, and I’m sure there won’t be much left on the plate once it’s in front of you. I packed a bit of this to go for my mom for the next time I’m over. Considering she’s always packing me food to take home with me, I hope she can appreciate the beans and sentiment.
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Chipotle Stewed Pinto Beans
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
A call back to those warm meals I used to enjoy at home with my family. Smoky, warming and loaded with a lot of latin flare.
Ingredients
- 2 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 medium red onion, diced
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp chipotle powder
- 1 tsp sazon
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup kabocha squash or sweet potato, diced
- 3 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a medium pot add onion and saute until softened, 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic, poblano pepper, tomato paste and remaining seasoning and saute until fragrant.
- Add in squash, beans and tomatoes and give a good stir to combine.
- Add in vegetable broth then stir again, add bay leaves and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 25-30 minutes.
- At the end of your cooking time, use the back of your cooking spoon lightly mash some of the pinto beans to help thicken your stewed beans. Stir well and serve.
Notes
- Sazon is one of the common seasonings you’ll find in latin cooking. Typically you can find this spice blend at your local markets in the international section. Company’s like Loisa, make a version that is organic and made with high quality ingredients. If you wish to make your own, use the following blend: 1 tbsp ground coriander, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp turmeric, 1 tbsp garlc powder, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp ground black pepper.Â
- Mashing some of the beans in this dish, helps to release some of the soluble fibers that help absorb liquid and naturally thicken the stew.Â
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★ Catherine
