This Instant Pot Pinto Beans recipe will quite possibly be the best Mexican beans you’ve ever had. It’s super easy to make in your Instant Pot, and it tastes so very good!
What Makes These The Perfect Pinto Beans
Prepare to have your mind absolutely blown over the tastes of these Instant Pot Pinto Beans. I don’t know exactly what to call this pinto beans recipe because they don’t taste like traditional beans in most Mexican restaurants—but can I just say, I think they taste BETTER ?
But they are most definitely Mexican-inspired beans, so here’s a delicious Mexican pinto beans dish in a red sauce that you’re sure to fall in love with.
Note that this is more like a bean side dish, the consistency of baked beans , and not necessarily a bean soup. If you want to make bean soup from your dry pinto beans, you will need to add more water than this recipe calls for.
You can use this black bean soup recipe as a guide for how to do that.
This Instant Pot Pinto Beans recipe is so very flavorful. From the delicious pinto beans and smoked sausage to the and Mexican red chili powder and tomatoes, every single bite of this Mexican beans recipe is bursting with unbelievably tasty goodness.
These Instant Pot Pinto Beans make the perfect side dish for a Mexican dinner or just serve them over a bed of rice to make it a complete meal . And if you’d like to make this recipe vegetarian or vegan-friendly , simply omit the smoked sausage and queso for a filling and veggie dish that’s protein-rich .
Not only is this Pressure Cooker Pinto Beans dish delicious, but it’s crazy easy to make as well. It’s one of those simple pour and cook recipes that you’ll find yourself coming back to again and again.
Just throw all the ingredients in the Instant Pot and let the pressure cooker do all the work for you. While I listed an instant pot pressure cooker in this post, you can use any type of electric pressure cooker to make this pinto bean soup or side dish.
Can You Cook Dried Beans In The Instant Pot?
You most certainly can cook dried pinto beans in the Instant Pot. But although you can cook them from dry, I highly recommend soaking them overnight.
By soaking dry pinto beans, you will get a more consistently cooked bean, and this is true not just in case of a pinto bean, but really any other dry beans you want to make.
I wrote a long post on cooking beans in the pressure cooker that you might find interesting.
Do I need to soak beans before cooking them in a pressure cooker?
Okay, so here’s the deal. You don’t NEED to soak the dry beans before cooking them in the Pressure Cooker. However, there are a few reasons why you may WANT to soak them first.
- Faster Cook Time. First of all, soaking the dried beans makes them cook easier and more efficiently. Soaked beans take about 10 minutes less of cooking time.
- Easier to Digest. Secondly, and more importantly, in my opinion, is that soaking the dried beans makes them easier to digest. Easier digestion means less…um…embarrassing bean after-effects if you catch my drift.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 cup Dried Pinto Beans, soaked overnight - The star of the dish, these beans provide a creamy texture and earthy flavor once cooked. Soaking them overnight shortens cooking time and ensures even tenderness.
- 1.5 cups Water - Provides the necessary liquid for pressure cooking, allowing the beans to absorb moisture and cook evenly without drying out.
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin - Adds a warm, earthy, and slightly smoky flavor that’s essential in Mexican-inspired bean dishes.
- 1 tablespoon Mexican Red Chili Powder - Contributes a deep red color and mild, smoky heat to the beans, enhancing their flavor without overpowering them.
- 1.5–2 teaspoons Salt - Brings out the natural flavor of the beans and balances the spices. The amount can be adjusted to taste after cooking.
- 2 tablespoons Oil - Helps sauté the aromatics (onion and garlic) for depth of flavor and prevents the beans from sticking during cooking.
- 14 ounces Canned Tomatoes - Adds tanginess, color, and moisture, while helping create a flavorful base for the beans.
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste - Deepens the tomato flavor and thickens the sauce, giving the beans a rich, hearty consistency.
- 1 small Onion - Provides sweetness and aromatic depth that forms the base flavor for the beans.
- 3 cloves Garlic - Adds bold, savory notes that complement the cumin and chili powder, enhancing the overall flavor.
- 1/4 pound Smoked Sausages - Adds smoky, savory richness and protein, infusing the beans with extra flavor during pressure cooking.
- 1/4 cup Pickled Jalapeño Slices - Adds tangy heat and brightness that balances the richness of the beans.
- 1/2 cup Cilantro - Provides a fresh, herbaceous finish that lightens up the dish.
- Queso Fresco - Adds a creamy, salty contrast that complements the spiced beans beautifully.
How To Make Instant Pot Pinto Beans
- Add ingredients. Place all ingredients (don’t skimp on the onion and garlic) into the Instant Pot pressure cooker. No need to saute the sausages. Close the lid.
- Cook. Press PRESSURE COOK and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then release all remaining pressure.
- Stir and serve. Stir in jalapeno and cilantro and serve. If you prefer bacon, add cooked bacon to this step to ensure doneness. Top each serving with crumbled queso if using, and serve.
Tips And Tricks
Making Instant Pot Pinto Beans is simple, but a few helpful tricks can take them from good to absolutely delicious. Here are some tips and tricks to ensure perfect flavor and texture every time:
- Soak your beans . Even though the Instant Pot can cook unsoaked beans, soaking them overnight helps them cook more evenly and reduces cooking time.
- Sauté aromatics first . Use the Instant Pot’s sauté function to cook the onion, garlic, and spices in oil before adding the beans. This step enhances the flavor base.
- Natural pressure release . Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for at least 10–15 minutes before opening. This helps the beans finish cooking gently and evenly.
Variations
There are plenty of fun and flavorful ways to customize Instant Pot Pinto Beans to match your taste preferences or dietary needs. Here are some delicious variations to try:
- Serve with rice after cooking Instant Pot beans for a complete meal.
- Do NOT substitute cayenne for the Mexican Red Chili Powder . They are very much different and it won’t turn out anything like it should.
- Vegetarian Pinto Beans. Omit the chorizo and the queso fresco to make this recipe both vegetarian and vegan-friendly .
- Variations . For additional flavor in this bean recipe, add things such as diced tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, garlic, bacon, taco seasoning, bay leaf, or chopped cilantro.
- Thick bean soup . For thicker Mexican pinto beans, remove 2/3 of the beans and use an immersion blender on the remaining 1/3. Then stir in the remaining unblended beans to the pot. Don’t blend them all unless you want pinto bean soup.
- Use chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water to add even more flavor to your Instant Pot recipe.
- If you’re short on time, you can use cooked pinto beans or canned beans for this, but you will need to adjust the cooking time on your pressure cooker to 10 minutes with a 5-minute natural release.
- Throw in a ham hock while cooking to kick the flavor up a notch or two.
- Make refried beans. You can easily modify this recipe to be similar to my Instant Pot Refried Beans recipe.
- If you don’t have garlic cloves on hand, you can always sub garlic powder in a pinch.
What To Serve With Instant Pot Pinto Beans
Instant Pot pinto beans are incredibly versatile and pair beautifully with a variety of dishes, whether you’re serving them as a main or a hearty side. Here are some delicious ideas for what to serve with them:
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken
- Tacos De Alambre
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers
How Long Do They Last?
When stored in an air-tight container, Instant Pot Pinto Beans can last up to 5 days in the refrigerator to use in various ways for tasty leftovers.
The longer they are stored after cooking, the softer and creamier they will become.
Can You Freeze Them?
Yes, you can absolutely freeze Instant Pot pinto beans, and they freeze beautifully for future meals.
Once the beans have completely cooled, transfer them, along with some of their cooking liquid, to airtight containers or freezer-safe bags. The liquid helps keep the beans moist and prevents them from drying out when reheated.
Label and date the containers, then store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to use them, simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator or warm them directly from frozen in a saucepan or microwave.
More Great Mexican Recipes
- Instant Pot Tamale Pie – All of the taste of tamales but done in under an hour.
- Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa – Make this deliciously tender barbacoa recipe quickly in your Instant Pot.
- Low Carb Stuffed Poblano Peppers – Delicious, low carb, and take under 30 minutes to make.
- Pork Chile Verde – A delicious meld of ingredients for a quick, savory dinner.
- Poblano Chicken Soup – Absolutely bursting with flavor without being spicy.
- Flank Steak Fajitas – Super easy to make and oh-so-delicious!
- Air Fried Tomatillo Salsa – Plenty of heat and flavor to go with any meal.
- Air Fryer Chile Rellenos – The best, easiest, tastiest air fryer Chile Rellenos you’ve never had!
- Corn Eloté – Sweet, savory, and delicious.
- Air Fryer Southwestern Roasted Corn – Perfectly sweet, tangy, and spicy.
- Arroz Pina Colada – A simple, one step dessert recipe.
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos - Delicious shredded chicken tacos in just 30 minutes.
Instant Pot Pinto Beans | Pinto Beans Recipe With Pork
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 cup dried pinto beans , soaked overnight
- ▢ 1.5 cups Water
- ▢ 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Mexican Red Chili Powder , NOT cayenne
- ▢ 1.5-2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- ▢ 2 tablespoons Oil
- ▢ 14 ounces Canned Tomatoes
- ▢ 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- ▢ 1 small Onion , chopped
- ▢ 3 cloves Garlic
- ▢ 1/4 pound smoked sausages
For Garnishing
- ▢ 1/4 cup Pickled Jalapeno Slices
- ▢ 1/2 cup Cilantro , chopped
- ▢ queso fresco , optional
Instructions
Place all ingredients into the Instant Pot . Close the lid.
Press PRESSURE COOK and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then release all remaining pressure.
Stir in jalapenos and cilantro and serve. Top each serving with crumbled queso if using, and serve.
Serve with rice after cooking Instant Pot beans for a complete meal.
Do NOT substitute cayenne for the Mexican Red Chili Powder . They are very much different and it won’t turn out anything like it should.
Vegetarian Pinto Beans. Omit the chorizo and the queso fresco to make this recipe both vegetarian and vegan-friendly .
Variations . For additional flavor in this bean recipe, add things such as diced tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, garlic, bacon, taco seasoning, bay leaf, or chopped cilantro.
Thick bean soup . For thicker Mexican pinto beans, remove 2/3 of the beans and use an immersion blender on the remaining 1/3. Then stir in the remaining unblended beans to the pot. Don’t blend them all unless you want pinto bean soup.
Use chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water to add even more flavor to your Instant Pot recipe.
If you’re short on time, you can use cooked pinto beans or canned beans for this, but you will need to adjust the cooking time on your pressure cooker to 10 minutes with a 5-minute natural release.
Throw in a ham hock while cooking to kick the flavor up a notch or two.
Make refried beans. You can easily modify this recipe to be similar to my Instant Pot Refried Beans recipe.
If you don’t have garlic cloves on hand, you can always sub garlic powder in a pinch.
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Indian Instant Pot , Keto Instant Pot, Instant Pot Fast and Easy , Healthy Instant Pot & Vegetarian Instant Pot .
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Instant Pot Pinto Beans | Pinto Beans Recipe With Pork
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried pinto beans soaked overnight
- 1.5 cups Water
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Mexican Red Chili Powder NOT cayenne
- 1.5-2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 14 ounces Canned Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 small Onion chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1/4 pound smoked sausages
For Garnishing
- 1/4 cup Pickled Jalapeno Slices
- 1/2 cup Cilantro chopped
- queso fresco optional
Instructions
Place all ingredients into the Instant Pot . Close the lid.
Press PRESSURE COOK and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then release all remaining pressure.
Stir in jalapenos and cilantro and serve. Top each serving with crumbled queso if using, and serve.
Serve with rice after cooking Instant Pot beans for a complete meal.
Do NOT substitute cayenne for the Mexican Red Chili Powder . They are very much different and it won’t turn out anything like it should.
Vegetarian Pinto Beans. Omit the chorizo and the queso fresco to make this recipe both vegetarian and vegan-friendly .
Variations . For additional flavor in this bean recipe, add things such as diced tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, garlic, bacon, taco seasoning, bay leaf, or chopped cilantro.
Thick bean soup . For thicker Mexican pinto beans, remove 2/3 of the beans and use an immersion blender on the remaining 1/3. Then stir in the remaining unblended beans to the pot. Don’t blend them all unless you want pinto bean soup.
Use chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water to add even more flavor to your Instant Pot recipe.
If you’re short on time, you can use cooked pinto beans or canned beans for this, but you will need to adjust the cooking time on your pressure cooker to 10 minutes with a 5-minute natural release.
Throw in a ham hock while cooking to kick the flavor up a notch or two.
Make refried beans. You can easily modify this recipe to be similar to my Instant Pot Refried Beans recipe.
If you don’t have garlic cloves on hand, you can always sub garlic powder in a pinch.
Instant Pot Pinto Beans | Pinto Beans Recipe With Pork https://twosleevers.com/easy-instant-pot-pinto-beans/
Buttery, spicy, lemony, luscious Cajun shrimp and sausage in less than 20 minutes! This makes an easy keto one-pan skillet dinner and is a great family-friendly dish.
Why Should You Try This Delicious Shrimp and Sausage Recipe?
- Low Carb . One carb per serving.
- High Protein . An incredible 20 grams of protein per serving.
- Fast. Ready to eat in less than 30 minutes .
- Easy. Just find a skillet , pour and cook .
Why I Love Cajun Shrimp and Sausage
I love Cajun food for a lot of reasons, but the three main reasons I love it are:
- The food is spicy, which is a huge plus for me
- It is very protein rich
- A lot of Cajun cuisine is CRAZY easy to make
However, Cajun food also tends to use a lot of rice, pasta and beans, which is a huge no-go for those of use living a low carb lifestyle. The good news is that it tends to be so protein rich that you can just omit the carby ingredients all together and still have a complete and keto friendly meal.
So when I got a craving for some Cajun Shrimp and Sausage, all I really needed to do to make it keto friendly was to leave out the pasta, and voila! I had a complete meal that wasn’t going to ruin my carb intake for the next week.
Is Shrimp And Sausage Family Friendly?
So some of your family may not be so keen on omitting all of the carbs, namely and kiddos you might be feeding. But no worries, all you have to do is cook the carby ingredients separately and serve the family the Cajun Shrimp and Sausage on top of pasta, rice, etc.
How To Make Cajun Shrimp and Sausage
- Heat a 11 inch skillet on medium heat.
- Let the butter melt and then stir in the garlic, paprika, lemon pepper and Cajun seasoning. Mix well.
- Add in sausage, and stir to coat the sausage with the butter. Add shrimp and stir well.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes until the shrimp has cooked through.
- Add in hot sauce and lemon juice, and serve hot.
Watch The Video
Tips And Tricks For Making Shrimp And Sausage
- Add a table spoon of olive oil to the pan before adding the butter to keep the butter from burning. Keep the pan on low medium heat as well when melting the butter too keep it from browning.
- You can bring the heat up back to a medium heat once you’ve added the shrimp and sausage to the pan.
- Make sure to be constantly mixing the shrimp and sausage in the butter to baste it as much as you can while it is cooking. The butter really lends a lot of flavor to the dish.
- There is enough flavor in the dish to leave out the hot sauce if you’re not a fan of the heat or if you’re cooking for little ones.
- Don’t add the lemon juice or the hot sauce until the dish is almost done. You lose a lot of the acidity if you add them too early.
- You can use either smoked paprika or regular paprika, whichever you have on hand.
- Use my Homemade Cajun Spice Mix instead of store bought spices! Using a homemade spice mix really makes a world of difference in how it tastes!
- You can use opt to use frozen shrimp, but you need to defrost them a little bit before cooking them with the sausage. Just set them in some warm tap water while you gather the other ingredients together and you’re good to go.
- The dish doesn’t freeze well, but refrigerates quite nicely. You can make some extra for the next day and the flavors actual meld even more in the fridge over night.
Shrimp and Sausage Variations
There are lots of things you can add to this dish to make it family-friendly or just to mix it up a bit. Here are just a view ideas to get you started:
- You can opt to boil the recipe with pasta to make Shrimp and Sausage Pasta. I’d suggest a smaller pasta like rotini. This way your family can have the pasta dish while you enjoy the keto-friendly version.
- You can make some plain rice to serve with the Cajun Shrimp and Rice for the family.
- Steamed broccoli makes a fantastic addition to the dish. You can also just serve steamed broccoli to the side if you prefer it without the Cajun seasoning.
- You can also add cauliflower, bok choy, green beans or really any vegetable that you’d like.
- You can also use spicy Italian sausage for a change of pace.
- You can sub scallops for shrimp if you’d prefer.
- If you aren’t a fan of seafood you can use chicken instead. Just use chicken tenders and cut them into bite-sized pieces so that they will cook quickly.
Other Shrimp Recipes To Try
- Looking for more delicious Cajun dishes? Check out my Instant Pot Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Boil ! This delectable Cajun dish is done in less than 30 minutes in your Instant Pot.
- Air Fried Salt and Pepper Shrimp is another crazy easy shrimp recipe that you can make in your air fryer.
- Keto Shrimp Scampi is another simple and delicious dish you can make in your air fryer.
- Bang Bang Shrimp is a sweet, spicy and tangy shrimp dish that is just as fun to eat as it is to say!
- This Air Fryer Shrimp Fried Rice is easily made in the Air Fryer in about 30 minutes!
- This low carb Shrimp with Cotija and Tomatillos recipe is a flavorful and quick dish that’s full of southwest flavor and is super easy to make!
- This Keto Shrimp And Grits gives you all that savory goodness you expect from a southern classic without all the carbs!
- This Easy Shrimp Scampi is low carb, fast, and so easy.
Cajun Shrimp and Sausage
Equipment
- Measuring Spoons
- 12 inch Skillet
Ingredients
- ▢ 1/2 pound extra large shrimp
- ▢ 1/2 pound smoked sausages , sliced on the bias
- ▢ 4 tablespoons Butter
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon lemon pepper
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
- ▢ 3-5 shakes Louisiana Hot Sauce
- ▢ 1/2 Lemon , juiced
Instructions
- Heat a 11 inch skillet on medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add butter. Let the butter melt and then stir in the garlic, paprika, lemon pepper and Cajun seasoning. Mix well.
- Add in sausage, and stir to coat the sausage with the butter. Add shrimp and stir well.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes until the shrimp has cooked through.
- Add in hot sauce and lemon juice, and serve hot.
Watch The Video
Tips And Tricks For Making Cajun Shrimp And Sausage
- Add a table spoon of olive oil to the pan before adding the butter to keep the butter from burning. Keep the pan on low medium heat as well when melting the butter too keep it from browning.
- You can bring the heat up back to a medium heat once you’ve added the shrimp and sausage to the pan.
- Make sure to be constantly mixing the shrimp and sausage in the butter to baste it as much as you can while it is cooking. The butter really lends a lot of flavor to the dish.
- There is enough flavor in the dish to leave out the hot sauce if you’re not a fan of the heat or if you’re cooking for little ones.
- Don’t add the lemon juice or the hot sauce until the dish is almost done. You lose a lot of the acidity if you add them too early.
- You can use either smoked paprika or regular paprika, whichever you have on hand.
- Use my Homemade Cajun Spice Mix instead of store bought spices! Using a homemade spice mix really makes a world of difference in how it tastes!
- You can use opt to use frozen shrimp, but you need to defrost them a little bit before cooking them with the sausage. Just set them in some warm tap water while you gather the other ingredients together and you’re good to go.
- The dish doesn’t freeze well, but refrigerates quite nicely. You can make some extra for the next day and the flavors actual meld even more in the fridge over night.
Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Variations
- You can opt to boil the recipe with pasta to make Shrimp and Sausage Pasta. I’d suggest a smaller pasta like rotini. This way your family can have the pasta dish while you enjoy the keto friendly version.
- You can make some plain rice to serve with the Cajun Shrimp and Rice for the family.
- Steamed broccoli makes a fantastic addition to the dish. You can also just serve steamed broccoli to the side if you prefer it without the Cajun seasoning.
- You can also add cauliflower, bok choy, green beans or really any vegetable that you’d like.
- You can also use spicy Italian sausage for a change of pace.
- You can sub scallops for shrimp if you’d prefer.
- If you aren’t a fan of seafood you can use chicken instead. Just use chicken tenders and cut them into bite sized pieces so that the will cook quickly.
Get support & connect with our community on Facebook!
Nutrition
Originally Published September 16, 2019
Don’t forget to check out my other Ketocookbooks.
Keto Instant Pot, Keto Fat Bombs, Sweets, & Treats , and Easy keto in 30 minutes.
