Pinto Beans (Sprouted)

Pinto Beans: Nutrition, History and Complete Guide

Pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) take their name from the Spanish word for "painted" — referring to their distinctive mottled beige-and-brown speckled appearance before cooking, which disappears entirely to produce a uniform pinkish-tan colour once cooked. They are one of the most important food beans in the United States and northern Mexico, particularly in the cooking of the American Southwest and Northern Mexico, where they are the primary bean for refried beans (frijoles refritos), cowboy-style pinto bean pots, and border-region Tex-Mex cooking. Pinto beans are also significant in Brazilian cooking (alongside black beans) and across parts of Central America. This entry represents sprouted pinto beans, which have very different nutritional values from the cooked dried bean.

Nutritional Value

Sprouted pinto beans provide 62 kcal and 5.3 g of protein per 100 g. Dried pinto beans provide approximately 347 kcal and 21.4 g of protein per 100 g raw, with 15.5 g of fibre when cooked. Pinto beans are excellent for folate, thiamine, iron, manganese, phosphorus, and potassium — the same comprehensive micronutrient profile as other common Phaseolus beans. They have a particularly creamy texture when cooked, ideal for refried beans.

How to Cook Pinto Beans

Soak overnight and boil for sixty to ninety minutes until very tender. For refried beans: cook pinto beans until very soft, then fry in lard or oil with onion and garlic, mashing as they fry to produce a thick, fragrant paste — one of the most satisfying preparations in Mexican cooking. For a simple pot of beans: simmer with onion, garlic, dried chilli, and a ham hock for several hours for a classic Southwest preparation. Serve alongside rice and topped with sour cream, jalapeño, and grated cheese.