Chipotle Pinto Beans Recipe (Old-School Copycat)
This Chipotle pinto beans recipe makes the old-school version, cooked from dried with onion, bay leaves, adobo paste made from dried Morita chiles and a slice of bacon, the way Chipotle's beans used to have it. It serves 4 and takes about 30 minutes of hands-on work in a pressure cooker, plus 8 to 12 hours of soaking.
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Chipotle's Pinto Beans Used to Have Bacon
If you remember Chipotle's pinto beans tasting smokier than they do now, you're not imagining it. Chipotle's own ingredient list from 2013 had bacon in the pinto beans, and they went completely vegan in 2013.
The other thing in the pot is a couple of tablespoons of adobo paste, the same thick paste of dried Morita chiles, charred garlic and a few spices that seasons the chicken and the steak. Then the beans are finished with the lemon and lime juice blend Chipotle uses in its rice.
To figure this out, I went through the ingredient list on Chipotle's website, old copies of it included, and read what a lot of people who've worked at Chipotle have said about it online. These are the beans in my Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl.
How Mine Compares to the Restaurant's
The bacon is optional. Leave it out if you want the beans Chipotle serves today, and put a slice in if you want the old-school flavor.
The salt is Morton's coarse kosher salt, because people who've worked there have said it's what Chipotle uses, so the amounts on the card are written for it.
Why These Chipotle Pinto Beans Work
- A slice of bacon in the pot. It's where the smoky flavor of the old pinto beans came from before Chipotle made them vegan.
- Adobo paste made from dried Morita chiles. Two tablespoons go in the pot, the same paste that seasons the chicken.
- Salt in the soaking water. The beans take in water evenly, so they don't burst when they cook.
Chipotle Pinto Beans Ingredients
Dried pinto beans. A 1-pound bag makes enough for 4 big servings.
Bacon. One slice. Leave it out for Chipotle's current vegan beans.
Adobo paste. The 2 tablespoons come from my Chipotle adobo paste recipe. It keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge or up to a year in the freezer, so it's worth making the whole batch.
Limes and a lemon. Two small limes to one large lemon, juiced and strained. You'll have extra, and it keeps about a week in the fridge, or you can freeze it.
Morton kosher salt. If you only have Morton table salt, use about a fifth less by the spoon.
How to Make Chipotle Pinto Beans
1. Soak the beans
Pick through the dried beans for any broken ones or small stones. Dissolve the salt in a cup or two of water, pour it over the beans, then add more water until they're covered by about 2 inches. They don't need to go in the fridge, just somewhere out of the way for 8 to 12 hours.
2. Sweat the onion
Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Sweat the onion in a little oil in a small pan over medium heat until it's translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Cook the beans
Put the beans in a pressure cooker or a large pot with the onion, adobo paste, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the water and the slice of bacon if you're using it.
They take about 15 minutes on high in a pressure cooker, or about 1 to 2 hours at a simmer on the stovetop, with more water.
4. Season them
When they're tender, take out the bay leaves and season the beans with the citrus juice and the rest of the salt. Five teaspoons of salt for a pound of beans sounds like a lot, but they need it, so taste them and add more salt or citrus juice until they taste right to you.
Storage
Get the beans into the fridge within 2 hours, spread out in shallow containers so they cool quickly. They keep 3 to 4 days in a covered container, which is the USDA's guidance for cooked leftovers, and reheat them until they reach 165°F.
Chipotle Pinto Beans Questions
Do I have to use the bacon?
No. It's optional, and without it you get Chipotle's current vegan beans. With it, you get the smokier old-school version.
Can I use canned chipotles in adobo instead of the paste?
You can, but it won't taste the same. Canned chipotles are packed in a sauce with tomatoes and vinegar, and the paste made from dried chiles has neither.
Can I make black beans the same way?
Yes. Black beans work with the same recipe. As far as I know, Chipotle's black beans are made basically the same way, just without the bacon.
If you make this, leave a star rating in the card below; it helps other people find the recipe.
More Mexican-Style Recipes
- Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Chipotle Steak Burrito
- Chipotle Adobo Paste
- Chipotle Black Beans
- Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
Recipe
Chipotle Pinto Beans
Equipment
- 1 Small saucepan
Ingredients
Citrus Juice
- 2 small limes this is a ratio; scale up as needed
- 1 large lemon
Adobo Pinto Beans
- 1 lb dried pinto beans
- 1 tablespoon Morton kosher salt final seasoning; adjust to taste
- neutral oil
- ½ cup yellow onion finely diced
- 2 tablespoon chipotle adobo paste see my Chipotle adobo paste recipe
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt final seasoning; adjust to taste
- 1 slice bacon optional; Chipotle's beans had it until 2013
- 6 cups water for pressure cooker; add more for stovetop
- 2 tablespoon citrus juice lemon/lime blend
- 5 teaspoon Morton kosher salt final seasoning; adjust to taste
Instructions
Make the Citrus Juice
- Juice 2 small limes and 1 large lemon. Strain out all pulp and seeds. This is a ratio, not a fixed quantity. Scale up as needed. Store in the fridge for about a week, or freeze it.
Cook the Pinto Beans
- Pick through the dried beans, removing any broken beans or small stones. Dissolve 1 to 2 tablespoons of kosher salt in water and pour it over the beans. Add more water until the beans are covered by about 2 inches. Soak for 8 to 12 hours. No need to refrigerate.
- Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat and sweat the diced yellow onion until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the soaked beans to a pressure cooker or large pot with the sweated onion, adobo sauce, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the bacon strip if using. Add 6 cups of water (more for stovetop). Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes, or simmer on the stovetop for 1 to 2 hours until tender.
- Test the beans for tenderness. Remove the bay leaves. Season with 2 tablespoons of citrus juice and 5 teaspoons of kosher salt, or to taste.
