When BBQ season comes around, my mind goes straight to the beans.
I’ve loved BBQ baked beans for as long as I can remember. They’re equal parts savory and sweet with a little spice. My version includes instructions for both dry pinto beans and canned, depending on how much time you’ve got on your hands. Let us show you how easy it is!
Origin of Baked Beans
The exact origin of baked beans isn’t clear, but there are a few theories. One theory suggests that they may have originated from a Native American dish that involved cooking beans in fat and maple syrup. Another says that the dish is based on French bean stew cassoulet.
Then, in the late 1800s, an entrepreneur named Henry Heinz introduced his baked beans to the US and later the UK. Baked beans are now common in many areas of the world. Thank goodness because we love baked beans!
How to Make BBQ Baked Beans
This 1-pot recipe starts with pinto beans that are soaked overnight (or at least 6 hours). They’re then simmered with a little vegetable broth and water. That’s where the fun begins.
Mustard is added for a little tanginess, tomato paste for a hearty tomato flavor, coconut sugar for natural sweetness, and chili powder for heat. Next come salt and pepper to taste and an optional dash of hot sauce for a little heat to balance the sweetness.
The real secret of these beans comes from a dash of liquid smoke, which adds a smokiness that traditionally comes from bacon. This meat-free version is just as rich and satisfying as the “real deal.”
We hope you LOVE these beans! They’re:
Hearty
Smoky
Salty-sweet
Subtly spiced
Easy to make
Super versatile
& So delicious
These beans would make the perfect side to just about any grilled dish like our Grillable Veggie Burgers, BBQ Black Bean Burger, and Grilled Veggie Skewers. They would also pair especially well with our Garlicky Kale Salad and Simple French-Style Potato Salad!
For more bean recipes, check out our Hummus From Scratch, Actually Crispy Baked Chickpeas, 1-Pot Mexican Pinto Beans, and Easy 1-Pot Black Beans from Scratch!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
1-Pot BBQ Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 3 cups dry pinto beans* (soaked overnight in cool water, or at least 6 hours)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (if avoiding oil, sub water)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped white or yellow onion
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or store-bought // we prefer Imagine brand, not Trader Joe’s)
- Water (enough to cover beans by 1 inch)
- 2 Tbsp yellow or spicy brown mustard
- 1/2 cup tomato paste (plus more to taste)
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar (more or less to taste // or sub maple syrup or stevia)
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 1-2 Tbsp chili powder* (adjust to preferred spice level)
- 1-2 tsp liquid smoke (adds smoky flavor that typically comes from bacon)
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional // we like Tapatio)
Instructions
- Add pinto beans to a large pot and cover with cool water (at least a few inches above the beans as they will expand). Soak for at least 6 hours or overnight* uncovered at room temperature. Once beans are soaked, drain and set aside.
- Heat your large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil (or water), diced onion, and bell pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, or until onion is soft and translucent.
- Next, add drained beans and vegetable broth and cover with water about 1 inch over the top, as the beans will expand while cooking. Bring to a low boil. Then reduce heat to low or medium-low so it simmers but doesn’t boil. Cook uncovered for 1 hour or until beans are tender.
- Once the beans are tender and cooked through, add remaining seasonings: Mustard, tomato paste, coconut sugar, salt, pepper, chili powder, liquid smoke, and hot sauce (optional). Stir to coat and cook on low for 10-15 more minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt to taste, chili powder or hot sauce for heat, coconut sugar for sweetness, mustard for tanginess, or tomato paste for depth of flavor. You want them very well seasoned, so don’t be shy!
- Your beans are now ready to enjoy! Store leftovers well covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Will keep in the freezer for 1 month (oftentimes longer).
Video
Notes
*The chili powder I used was from Whole Foods and contains a blend of chili peppers, cumin, garlic, oregano, coriander, cloves and allspice.
*6-8 hours is the optimal amount of time for soaking your beans. The longer you soak them, the more tender they will become, and the more likely they will split and separate during cooking. So if you can’t get to them right away, simply drain, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
*I recently discovered that Trader Joe’s beans are BPA-free, which is great news if you forget to prep ahead of time. In a pinch, buying cans that are BPA-free is still a good option. Just use about 5 cups well-drained beans (measured after draining) in place of the dry beans. Cook the onion and pepper as instructed. Then add beans but omit the vegetable broth and water, skip the 1-hour simmering time, and go straight for the tomato paste, mustard, and spices, etc. Cook as instructed from there.
*Recipe method adapted from Ree Drummond.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 half-cup serving (of 10) servings. The recipe as written yields roughly 5 cups cooked beans.
Eileen says
Delicious! Used canned pinto beans, maple syrup, liquid smoke, omitted onions (dietary restriction) and added 1/4 cup water. Great weeknight burrito filling.
Yum, love that idea to serve it in a burrito! Thank you for sharing, Eileen! xo
Carissa says
Overall, this turned out well and the flavor was good. I didn’t quite cook the beans long enough, but still edible. Will consider slow cooker next time. Made half the recipe with a couple substitutions: white beans and maple syrup.
Thank you for sharing your experience and modifications, Carissa! xo
Stacey says
These look/sound delicious! I am wondering, do you have any suggestions for adapting it for a crockpot version?
Hi Stacey, A couple other readers have mentioned using a crockpot with success and shared their methods in the comments! If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words (such as “crockpot”) in the post and comments. Hope that helps!
Lynne says
I made this and the flavor is good but they didn’t look anything like your photos. I was careful about the amount of liquid but it came out like soup. Had to drain the beans again after adding all the other ingredients which felt like such a waste of tomato paste etc.
Sorry to hear this, Lynne! Did you happen to make any modifications to the recipe? In step 3 we recommend cooking the beans uncovered, which is intended to help the liquid cook off before adding the other ingredients, is it possible you covered your pot? Let us know if we can help troubleshoot any further!
Lynne says
Yes, I did cook them uncovered
Hm, we wonder if maybe the heat was too low?
Hillary says
This was really delicious, but I found it lacked a little acid, so I added some apple cider vinegar and it was perfect!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Hillary!
Janelle says
Flavor, on par with the rest of amazing Minimalist Baker recipes! Cook time…not even close for dried beans! And, no, I dont have hard water. I had to double the cook time, thankfully I had time!
Hi Jenelle, we’re so glad you enjoyed the flavor, but sorry to hear it took longer to cook! We’ve noticed older beans take longer to cook and wonder if that could be the issue you had?
Sydney says
Very wonderful recipe! Ended up adding half a jalapeno and some mini sweet peppers with the onions because I had them on hand. I added about 1/4 cup more of tomato paste at the end and that did the trick. I wanted to be cheap and not buy liquid smoke for this recipe, but it really added a wonderful mesquite flavor that smoked paprika can’t quite achieve. I justified buying it by making your tempeh bacon (also a great recipe) for vegan BLTs, and I’m glad I did. It turned out wonderfully! I love your recipes and the flavors are always spot on!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sydney! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review! xo
AJ says
Do you have any suggestions for instant pot or slow cooker?
Hi AJ, For the Instant Pot, we’d suggest using this recipe as a guide for cook time and amount of liquid. We’d recommend sautéing the onion and bell pepper on normal before adding the remaining ingredients. At the end, you can remove the lid and sauté, stirring frequently, to evaporate excess liquid. Let us know how it goes!
Christina says
Can this recipe be adapted to using the instant pot? What would that look like?
Hi Christina, That should work well! We’d suggest using this recipe as a guide for cook time and amount of liquid. We’d recommend sautéing the onion and bell pepper on normal before adding the remaining ingredients. Let us know how it goes!
Emily says
These are so easy and delicious. I forgot to soak my beans, so I used canned this time. I’m taking this winning dish to a cookout where I’m the only plant-based eater. Thanks for another great recipe!
Love it! Thanks for the sweet review, Emily. xo
Devon says
Taste great but both times I made it they came out a little soupy. Maybe I added too much water when boiling? I compensated by adding a little more tomato paste but I wanted to ask if anyone else has a tip to make it a little thicker. I would rather not use water/flour to thicken if I don’t have to.
Hi Devon, are you cooking it covered or uncovered? You can turn up the heat at the end to evaporate excess moisture. Hope that helps!
Julie says
Where’s the baking part?
Hi Julie! Our baked bean recipe doesn’t require baking in an oven! You can read about the origin of baked beans here to learn more.
Julie says
Oh, dear, someone mentioned the oven, and I thought I missed something. FWIW, the co-chef in my house likes the crustiness and flavor concentration creating by baking the beans, so I will finish mine in the oven.
Thanks for sharing, Julie! We haven’t tried that, but it sounds like we should!
Kristina says
This was my first time attempting baked beans from scratch, and they were AMAZING! I’ve never been a huge fan of baked beans. Whenever they are present at a picnic or family function, I will add a small scoop to my plate ‘just because’, but then after one bite I’m done. To spice these up a bit I added 1/4 cup sofrito to the onion and bell pepper, and once boiling I also added 1/4 cup Adobo paste and 3-4 diced chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce. I also doubled the yellow mustard for more tang, and omitted the liquid smoke, chili powder, and hot sauce (the adobo and chipotles did all that work!). The results were a spicy Carolina-style BBQ baked bean that my entire family enjoyed alongside creamy scalloped potatoes and Ham at Easter dinner. I’m already planning my next event to make these for! Thank you!!!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kristina. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Allyson ON says
hello everybody!
I made this recipe and it was delicious. My oven runs hot. And I feel like my beans were close to overdone. I would love to know if anyone used their slowcooker. I would love the same effect with a slow cooker. Is this possible?
Please share!
A slow cooker should work, but we haven’t tried it! If you do, let us know how it goes!
Meredith says
DO NOT ADD THE TOMATO PASTE UNTIL YOUR BEANS ARE COMPLETELY SOFT. I followed the “one hour” suggestion in the instructions without actually checking, and the acid from the tomatoes stopped my beans from cooking all the way. After multiple hours of simmering, they were still hard. Ruined a huge pot of food. :(
I think the recipe would have been really tasty if not for that though.
Oh no! Sorry to hear that was your experience, Meredith. We didn’t encounter that issue when we made them, but have heard that hard water can also cause beans not to soften properly. We wonder if that may have been a factor as well?
Julia says
Yum! Didn’t have liquid smoke or hot sauce, so reduced the sugar and added some good BBQ sauce.
Thanks for sharing, Julia!
CJ says
I made this several times and it’s great! I used brown sugar instead of coconut sugar and added a pinch of cinnamon. Great base recipe that you can easily adjust/add spices to suit your taste! Thank you for posting this recipe!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy it, CJ! Thanks so much for sharing!
Lindsay says
These look amazing! Any suggestions on a buddha bowl made with these? I’m thinking baked beans, some cooked greens, quinoa and what else…
Sauce? Protein? Veggie?
That sounds lovely! Have you seen this bowl?
Lindsay says
I have not see that recipe. How did I miss this one?
Absolutely perfect! Thanks for the recommendation!!
Enjoy =)
Jennifer Apple says
This turned out much better than I expected. I used small red beans (what was in the pantry) but after the first cook they were a bit soupy. Subbed molasses for the coconut sugar and used the maximum amount of chili powder and other spices. Baked them uncovered in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 F to thicken them up. They are seriously delicious. Love the heat level and love that it was all in one pot! Can’t wait to try with other beans once they are harvested.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Jennifer! Thanks so much for sharing!
Emily says
Super easy, tasty recipe – now a staple in my house! My one comment is let the beans cook for longer than one hour – they needed way more time to get tender and for all the flavors to meld. I start soaking the beans right before I go to bed, drain and refrigerate them when I wake up, and start cooking them in the evening. I usually make these beans with cornbread, cabbage slaw, and baked potatoes – perfect comfort food!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoy them! Thanks so much for sharing, Emily!
Noga says
Loved it so much!! Tasted like camping :)
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Noga. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Karen says
Unfortunately I really didn’t care for the dish. It just tasted like canned barbecue beans to me. Nothing special.
Sorry to hear that, Karen! You could modify with more spices, less sugar, etc. if you’re going for something different. Our goal with this recipe was to make a healthier, homemade version of baked beans.
Harley says
So good even though I didn’t have some of the ingredients. Used canned beans. Subbed fire roasted red peppers for the red bell pepper. Had none of the recommended sweetners so threw in Mike’s Hot Honey. In our house it’s not hot if you’re not sweating, so I threw in a crapton of hot sauce. Oh Em Gee. My guys loved it so much. So glad I discovered this.
Just a thought but could sriracha be used in this?
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! We haven’t tried sriracha in this, but maybe? We’d say start with just a little.
May says
It was the end of the week, so I was running low on fresh ingredients- but always have beans. I prefer to make small portions of beans because there are only two of us and neither of us have the digestive system to eat a whole bowl. I made one-third of the recipe (i.e., 1 cup dried beans). I used RG Rio Zape beans, which alone are ridiculously tasty. Substitued minced celery for bell pepper, because that was all I had in my veggie bin. The beans turned out very tasty, and a nice change from the Greek/Italian bean recipe rut I’ve been in. Also, THANK YOU FOR describing the type of chili powder you used. …since I have started experimenting (and collecting!) spices, I am shocked at just how many chili & chile spices there are!
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, May! xo
Amanda says
I’ve made these multiple times and I love them. Will definitely make many more times to come!
Great! THanks for sharing, Amanda!
Monica says
I happened to have the perfect combination of leftover ingredients to make this. I just reduced the amounts since I had less beans and I had already precooked them, so I just added the same seasonings listed in the recipe and I happened to have the perfect secret ingredient… Ghost chili maple syrup from trader Joe’s. I finally found the perfect recipe to use it for.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Monica. We are so glad you enjoyed them and were able to modify based on what you had! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Connie says
Delicious – loved it! I used canned beans and followed everything except used an entire onion. Will make again. Thank you!
Sharon R says
Made yesterday using dried (Italian) cannellini beans & Better than Bullion veg stock. Delicious! My hubby likes his Bush’s baked beans so added extra maple syrup & liquid smoke. (made 1/2 recipe as just 2 of us – really appreciate that recipe adjusts when I play with # servings). Thanks for another excellent recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sharon! xo
Jessie says
I needed a recipe that I could take to a potluck and wanted to use my new crockpot. I used dried beans and soaked them in boiling water while I prepared everything else. I wasn’t trying to make this meatless so I skipped the liquid smoke and added chopped bacon to my onion and peppers – I did a poblano plus a small red. When that was done I threw it in the crockpot, added the beans, added all of the other ingredients, substituting brown sugar for coconut, stirred it up, and left it cooking on low overnight while I slept. When I woke up the house smelled amazing! I added some maple syrup and a bit more brown sugar, along with some apple cider vinegar and it was PERFECT. The entire crockpot was gone by the end of the party. This is going to be a go-to bean recipe for potlucks and picnics. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Jessie! We’re so glad everything enjoyed it!
Mary says
This recipe was delicious! :) For the following few days we used it as a chili base, added other leftover bbq proteins, corn and diced tomatoes. Thank you!
Great idea, Mary! Thanks for sharing! xo
B says
So SOO SOOO good! Amazing! Sweet, smokey, tang with fire! Thank You once again for adding smiles, memories and good conversation to our dinner table. We are so grateful! xo
Whoop! Thanks for sharing!
Evan Halperin says
Made this yesterday and I must have added a bit too much liquid as they’re a bit broth and not thick. Could simmering the day after with more tomato paste and pouring off some liquid help?
They do taste delicious
Yes! It will thicken in the fridge where they will absorb more moisture.
Heidi says
Hi – I have a bag of dried mix beans, – White pea bean, black turtle beans, split yellow peas, chickpeas, pinto beans, split green peas, light red kidney beans, green lentils, and red lentils. Could I just use these? Thinking it’s worth a try:)
Hi Heidi, we haven’t tried that, but it might work! Let us know how it goes!
Katy says
Any suggestions on how to adapt this to make in the instantpot? Thanks!
We have instant pot pinto beans, so that may be a place to start!
Tracey says
I’m having a group of about 50 for a barbecue and would Love to make these beans!! Any suggestions on amounts for the ingredients?!
Hi Tracey, it depends what else is being served, but we would say probably 4-5x the recipe! Let us know how it goes!
Samantha says
This recipe couldn’t be simpler and yield a wonderful result! Made a batch for a weekend gathering with friends and the whole group loved the beans! I followed the recipe and cooking instructions exactly, leaving the beans on the stove just slightly simmering away for most of the day until guests arrived. The flavor was deeply developed and the beans perfectly tender with a slight bite. I’ve been inspired to prepare beans from scratch more often!
Whoop- so glad to hear it, Samantha! Thanks for the lovely review!
Karri says
Would I need to adjust the liquid measurements if I wanted to cook the beans in a pressure cooker? Thank you
Hi Karri, we haven’t tried this recipe in a pressure cooker and aren’t certain! Some other readers have commented about using a pressure cooker, so we would recommend searching the comments for “pressure cooker” to see what they did.
Nancy says
Could I do this in the slow cooker and is it freezer friendly?
Yes, freezer friendly up to 1 month. And totally doable in a slow cooker.
DeeM says
Amazing!!!! Didn’t have pinto so used canary. Soooooo delish!!!!
Anna says
Could you sub molasses for the sugar?
Hmm we haven’t tried and can’t say for sure.. if you experiment, report back on how it goes but I would think that molasses would change the flavor quite a bit in place of sugar. Good luck!
Anna Maria Watki says
Thanks. I’m going to try half sugar and half molasses.
Edward Blocker says
I just loved it, I’m not only going to give it 5 stars. But, I’m going to share it with all my website’s followers on social media. Thank you for giving me something useful to share it today!
jenni johnson says
Easy and delicious!
Kristyna says
As always, an incredible recipe! I used my crockpot and adapted the recipe, it turned out great! I followed everything the same till step 3, where I transferred my mixture from the stove top to the crock pot. I left it on to meld. Lo and behold perfectly majestic bbq baked beans awaited me!
Frank says
This woman knows how to cook. This is yet another home run for this site. I cook out of necessity and don’t really enjoy it and would be disgrj tled to make something that wasn’t any good. No such fear of that happening here
I miss or should say, missed my UK beans on toast. I now have a superior replacement. These are excellent. Used canned pinto beans due to bone idleness and they were perfect.
H says
Delicious!
Kristamav says
Love this recipe!! These are so lovely on sourdough bread. I tend to leave out a bit of chilli powder though because that can be a bit overwhelming… 5 stars isn’t enough, I’ve made them every week since I discovered them :)
Kerstin says
I made this today with kidney beans from a can and it was absolutely delicious. I didn’t have time to make corn bread so I made socca and it went very well with the beans. Took me 20 mins altogether. I left out the hot sauce and the kids really loved it too. Next time, I’ll try it with pinto beans!
Thank you for yet another lovely recipe, Dana. BTW, I bought your book and it is great.
Yay! We are glad you enjoyed it, Kerstin!
Robyn says
These beans are the bomb!!! I make them in a pressure (instant) cooker and then freeze individual servings. Thank you for the yumminess
Whoop!
Shelly says
Hi Dana,
I just made this recipe and did not make any modifications.
These bbq beans are soooo delicious! I’m will eat them for dinner tomorrow with a portabella mushroom burger.
Thank you for sharing these yummy recipes!!!!
Yay!
Brooke says
Too good!! It has a southern baked bean texture and taste to it which I loved! I served it over a big pile of arugula, roasted veggies and some cornbread! Thanks for another great recipe!!
Viola German says
Hi is there anyway the recipe be made to taste more like brown sugar baked beans? Kinda like buschs baked beans?
It sounds like that may be an idea for another recipe, Viola! I’ll be sure to add it to the recipe request list :)
Laura says
Really yummy! I ended up adding almost the whole can of tomato paste, more sugar, more mustard, and only 1tsp liquid smoke. Ate it with your cornbread and coleslaw, and froze extras, probably would make a good baked potato topping or to eat with chips.
Leigh Harris says
I’ve been enjoying these beans with coleslaw and avocado. I’ll definately be making this again. It makes for a hearty and delicious meal. Thanks for sharing :-)
Whoop! Glad to hear that, Leigh!
Jennifer says
Hi. I was wondering about using smoked paprika instead of liquid smoke. Do you think that would work?
Hi Jennifer! While it won’t quite taste the same, I think that would still work!
Megan says
Delicious and simple!!
Yay!
Anne says
I followed the recipe as written for ingredients and than modified for an Instant Pot based on another user’s suggestion and it was delicious! I used the saute function and then pressure cooked my soaked beans ~18 minutes and my husband said the beans were perfectly cooked. thanks for a great recipe!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Anne!
Jessica S. says
Thank you for sharing how you adapted it to the Instant Pot.
Shannon says
Another sensational recipe Dana! I took the canned bean shortcut with kidney beans (in Australia) and the flavour was amazing. Love it!
Glad you enjoyed it, Shannon!
Heather PS says
Could you put this recipe in a slow cooker? Low for 6-9 hours? Would like to give it a try so we can eat this when we get home :)
We haven’t tried it in a slow cooker but its worth a shot! If you give it a try, let us know how it goes :)
Jennifer says
The beans turned out great! They had delicious flavour, and texture.
Thanks, Jennifer!
akashocd says
Wow this is looking super delicious, thank you for sharing your blog
We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Laura, Manhattan, KS says
I made these in my pressure cooker. I subbed great northern beans for pintos and organic ketchup for tomato paste. I also added fresh Hatch green Chile. So good! My family loved this!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Laura!
Diana says
Hi! This looks absolutely amazing! We don’t have pinto beans here unfortunately (the Netherlands). What bean could I use as a substitute?
Thanks!
Great northern or kidney perhaps?
Andrea Roth says
Un-freaking-believable as always with your recipes! The Cole slaw was fabulous…the creamy dressing thinned out perfectly after an hour or so in the fridge after preparing. The BAKED BEANS are an absolute KEEPER!! First batch with canned pinto beans second time around with fresh made them as you instructed except made them in the instapot..omg just so yummy!
I’m just so glad I have you in my life to come up with all these fabulous, fairly simple recipes, that always have a delicious ending. You are incredible thank you for all your hard work…its working for us!
We are so glad to hear that, Andrea!
Heather says
Holy moly. I’m so excited to have a big ole vegan BBQ dinner tonight! Thanks for the inspo! I think my dried pintos might have been a little old and didn’t get as soft as I’d like them, but one quick pulse with the immersion blender gave me a hint of creaminess that covers the problem. The bean flavors are AMAZING though!
Thanks, Heather!
Lindsay says
What aisle at the store do you typically find liquid smoke in? I have t had any luck
Hi Lindsay! Typically, it can be found in the barbecue sauce section in most grocery stores.
Devan says
I made this yesterday and for some reason, it wasn’t very flavorful…I even added extra where you said to for taste!! & I know it’s supposed to be pretty flavorful from all of the comments praising it! I don’t know if I put too much water in or what…I’m going to try and make it again next week.
Elizabeth says
I ended up using A LOT more salt than the recipe called for, more tomato paste, and 3 times the amount of chili powder, that fixed the flavour problem. After I did all of the adjustments, they tasted great!
Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth! I usually share a range, or start on the low end with spice and salt as some people are quite sensitive to it. But I do prefer heavier salt and spice so season to taste!
Sabina says
I soaked the pinto beans overnight and on the next day I replaced the water and cooked them in the pressure cooker for 15 min.
I roasted the onions and bell pepper without oil and then added the beans with their water together with a broth cube and the spices.
Since I’m European, I don’t like using sugar other than in desserts ;) so I omitted it.
I also left out the chili powder because the hot sauce was enough for my taste.
By using the pressure cooker I could reduce the cooking time a lot.
The taste is very nice. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing your experience!
violet says
I enjoy most of your recipes but l made your bbq baked beans and l only put 1 tbsp of chillie powder and l found it only tasted like chillie baked beans not bbq baked beans it was a disapointment and l tried everything to fix the heat but to no luck. Maybe l am use to Australian BBQ and it is definitely is not chillie hot
Hmm, sounds like that might’ve been the case! Sorry about any confusion.
Sharon R says
I made this yesterday – we had company over for a BBQ. Their first words when they arrived: “wow your house smells amazing!” I used canned Pinto beans (3 cans gave me 6 cups) & 1/2 the amount of Tapatio hot sauce (turned out to be the perfect amount for my taste – just a hint of ‘hot’). Made this a few hours ahead of time and left it in my cast iron pot with the lid on, adding a little water when I re-heated to loosen it back up. Everyone loved it & I’d definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe!!
Thanks for sharing!
Annette says
I made this and loved it! Gave some to my vegan son and my 86-year-old Mother! They both raved about it. It was easy to make; I followed the recipe exactly; beans turned out lovely and soft – a real winner!
We are so glad they both enjoyed it, Annette!
Amanda says
Will there be water left after I cook the beans and if so do I drain it or keep it
There may be a little (we didn’t have much). If there’s a lot, we recommend draining most of it. A little leftover is OK and will even help create more a more saucy texture!
V says
I wouldn’t throw out nutritious water. I suggest grinding a bit of rolled oats in a coffee/nut grinder and adding to reach desired consistency. I also use chopped walnuts (not ground) – adds good protein and fats as well as iodine (the only source of iodine if you hate sea food like I do), while at the same time sucking up some water and adding a delicious crunch. I add walnuts to all my stews.
Raïsa Ca says
Looks great! I wonder if this could work for canning…
I would guess so! Let us know if you try it out!
Ann Thrash-Trumbo says
Very nice! I didn’t have any pintos so I substituted Great Northerns. I cooked the beans, onions & peppers in the Power Cooker for 40 min., then added the other ingredients and cooked another 30 min. I wish I’d cooked the beans a little longer before adding the tomato as they were not as soft as I like them, but over all I liked the taste very much.
Thanks for sharing your changes, Ann! We are glad you enjoyed this recipe :D
Steve says
Looking forward to making this along with vegan briskett and baked potato (for wester movie night.)
The instructions say 3 cups dried pinto beans but the asterisk we’re led to says “*1 pound dried beans typically equals 2 cups dried or 4-5 cups cooked.” Thus wouldn’t 3 cups dried “typically” translate into 6-7.5 cups cooked?
The recipe states: “Just use about 5 cups well-drained beans (measured after draining) in place of the dry beans.”
What causes the discrepancy?
Steve – good question! We mostly shared how much the beans weigh in pounds because that’s how recipes typically display them, and how store tend to sell them. That note has been amended for clarity! We suggest using 3 cups dried beans, as the recipe suggests.
Joana says
Which liquid smoke do you usually use? Never tried it before!
We typically use Wright’s!
natalie says
Currently making this as I type…but unfortunately the beans have been simmering for 1 hour 15 minutes and still not soft! :( I have increased the heat, and I soaked them for 8 hours. Any ideas?
Hmm, are they fresh? Seems like they just need a little longer!
Joyce says
Did you add salt? If so, the beans may not cook properly.
Alexa says
I had the same hiccup. After simmer for an hour and a half the beans were still tough. So I added it to my pressure cooker for about 25 minutes and it became soft.
Maggie says
A bottle (or more!) of your favorite beer always makes baked beans super tasty. Same with vegan chili.
Sheila Fretwell says
I love this idea! Have you tried using the beer? If so, what kind of beer would you recommend?
I haven’t tried it in this recipe, but I found a bottle of Negro Modelo worked well in chili!
AJ says
Why “not Trader Joe’s “ vegetable broth. Is there something we should know?
It’s just the taste. If you ever taste it on its own, it’s pretty unsavory. I love and recommend Imagine brand, or making your own!
Lori Brenig says
I love baked beans with BBQ veggie burgers in the summer, and could never understand why all the recipes ask you to turn the oven on at high heat for hours! This is genius for the hot weather! Thank you, I will definitely be trying the recipe.
Jed Sponaugle says
Any suggestions on eliminating sodium from this recipe? I have to follow an extremely low sodium diet due to health issues and try to eliminate sodium as much as I can. Couldn’t you experiment with other types of beans to see what you like the best?
annette says
just omit the salt…. and find a low/ no sodium veg broth or make your own. Its not rocket science :)
Annette, those are excellent suggestions. Another tip is relying on savory herbs and spices like chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder!
Sabina says
You can also use lemon juice. It helps a lot.
Nancy Nurse says
Anyway to do this in the Instant Pot?
See the comment and reply above.
Michelle says
Can I sub pinto beans for kidney beans?
I think so, yes!
Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says
I love baked beans…but now how much sugar is in most recipe!!! Seriously cannot wait to try…and to be honest, I love how you included a version for canned beans too :)
Thanks Brittany!
Emily says
This looks delicious! Do you think it could be adapted for the instant pot? Thanks!!
We haven’t used one and can’t recommend any methods, but yes I’m sure it would work! Let us know if you give it a try.
Michaela says
I would love instant pot instructions, too! So much quicker!
Hi, Michaela! We don’t own an instant pot but if you give this a try let us know how it goes!
Brian Watson says
Yes, I’ve actually made something very similar to this in an instant pot. Just set it to Bean/Chili and let it release for 20-30 minutes. Also remember to still soak the beans for 8 hours (overnight).
Dana, the instant pot is amazing as I’m sure many people have told you. I adapt a lot of your recipes for it. Your Mexican style pinto beans is something I make once a week in fact!
Thanks for sharing, Brian!
Suzanne says
The instant pot would be easily adapted here, though the beans will likely be a little bit mushier:
– Do step 1: soak overnight (optional though recommended for easy digestion),
– Do step 2: using the Instant Pot saute function.
– Instead of 3, put the beans in the instant pot on high pressure and reduce the added water to just cover the beans and cook for the time indicated for pinto beans (6-9 minutes, from soaked or 25-30 mins, from dry).
– Continue on with steps 4-6: on the Saute function.
Alternatively, you could, at step 3 put all the ingredients in the pot after sauteing the onions and not bother with the last saute function.
Good luck.
Aimee says
I did make it in an instant pot today – came out delicious! after sautéing the onions and peppers (in the instant pot) I added the rest of the ingredients (including the soaked beans), closed the lid and cooked on the “beans” setting for 20 minutes
Andrea says
I’m making these tonight.. I cooked my beans in a pot of water to get them soft. Should I still add the broth, etc?