Copycat Chipotle Pinto Beans

These copycat Chipotle pinto beans are packed with nutrients and easy to make. Serve as part of a Chipotle bar for a crowd-pleasing feast!

Until I tasted Chipotle’s pinto beans, I was never a big bean fan. But there’s something about this blend of almost-meaty beans and savory seasonings that has the power to convert.

In fact, I’m perfectly fine ordering a veggie bowl from the beloved restaurant. As long as it’s topped with plenty of pintos, I don’t miss the meat. (Keep in mind, I’m a Missouri girl, and we take our meat very seriously here in the Midwest!)

Before making this recipe for the first time, dry beans intimidated me. As it turns out, as long as you give them the proper amount of time they need to do their thing, they are actually super easy to make.

Besides the fact that they’re easy to make, they’re loaded with protein and fiber, making them a filling and nutritious dish.

Also, as an added bonus, dried beans are really cheap. So give it a shot and conquer that dried bean aversion!

Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl Bar

When we’re expecting a crowd of guests, homemade burrito bowls are always a hit. People can make their own burritos, bowls, tacos, salads, and even quesadillas, taking what they want and leaving what they don’t.

We typically have the following items on our burrito bowl bar:

• Copycat Chipotle Pinto Beans (of course)
• Copycat Chipotle Chicken
• Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa
• Copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
• Copycat Chipotle Fresh Tomato Salsa
• Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa
• Copycat Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette
• Guacamole
• Sour cream (organic sour cream is extra rich and creamy)
• Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Shredded Lettuce
• Salsas
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Tortillas

Copycat Chipotle Pinto Beans Ingredients

• 16 ounce bag of dried pinto beans
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, such as La Costena
• 1 yellow or white onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

How to Make Copycat Chipotle Pinto Beans Recipe

1. Rinse the pinto beans. Put them in a bowl and cover with enough water so that there’s about an inch of water above the beans. Refrigerate and soak the beans overnight, or 6-10 hours.

2. After your beans are soaked, drain and rinse them well.

3. Chop the onion and mince the garlic.

4. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s translucent, 4-5 minutes.

5. Add garlic to the onions and cook another minute or so.

6. Add beans, peppers, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and the bay leaf.

7. Add enough water to cover the beans and bring the mixture to a boil.

8. At this point, you can either simmer on the stovetop or transfer to a crockpot. STOVETOP: Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. CROCKPOT: Once the mixture comes to a boil, transfer the mixture to the crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours.

9. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

10. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are pinto beans healthy? Yes, pinto beans in and of themselves are extremely nutritious, loaded with protein and fiber.
• Why should I soak my pinto beans? Soaking the dried beans in water will speed up their cook time and help them to cook more evenly. If you do not soak them ahead of time, they’ll take much longer to cook.
• Do pinto beans have spots? Yes, they are speckled with dark spots before they’re cooked, but they lose these spots in the cooking process.
• Should you sort pinto beans? Yes, it’s best to sort them, but it doesn’t have to take long. “Sorting” beans basically means going through and picking out any beans that are shriveled or broken up, or removing any pieces that aren’t actually beans. Believe it or not, it is possible to find little pebbles or twigs in a bag of dried beans.

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Copycat Chipotle Pinto Beans

These copycat Chipotle pinto beans are packed with nutrients and easy to make. Serve as part of a Chipotle bar for a crowd-pleasing feast!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs

Soaking Time 8 hrs

Total Time 10 hrs 10 mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 16 ounce bag of dried pinto beans
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce such as La Costena
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

 

• Rinse the pinto beans. Put them in a bowl and cover with enough water so that there’s about an inch of water above the beans. Refrigerate and soak the beans overnight, or 6-10 hours.
• After your beans are soaked, drain and rinse them well.
• Chop the onion and mince the garlic.
• Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s translucent, 4-5 minutes.
• Add garlic to the onions and cook another minute or so.
• Add beans, peppers, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and the bay leaf.
• Add enough water to cover the beans and bring the mixture to a boil.
• At this point, you can either simmer on the stovetop or transfer to a crockpot. STOVETOP: Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. CROCKPOT: Once the mixture comes to a boil, transfer the mixture to the crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours.
• Remove the bay leaf before serving.
• Enjoy!