These Traditional Tejano Pinto Beans are the perfect blend of Southern and Mexican pinto beans styles. Tenderly slow cooked with a ham hock and jalapeños, the lime adds a little twist. Perfect for a burrito, these beans will make you feel like you are in Texas, and really, what more could you ask for? Originally posted February 20, 2015
Table of Contents
- Traditional Tejano Pinto Beans
- What are Tejano Beans?
- Ingredients for Mexican Pinto Beans
- How to Cook Pinto Beans Mexican Style
- Mexican Pinto Beans Crock Pot Tips
- How to Serve Mexican Beans
- How to Store this Mexican Pinto Beans Recipe
- FAQs for this Pinto Beans Recipe Mexican Style
- More great south of the border style recipes you will love:
- Beans, Beans, and more Beans!
- Traditional Tejano Beans (Mexican Pinto Beans) Recipe
On Monday Eric and I brought the kids to Muir Woods in the Bay Area with his parents who are visiting. We went on a beautiful hike in the Redwoods, and pretended we were Luke and Leia blasting Stormtroopers with Ewoks. I mean, Redwoods are great, but Redwoods + Star Wars? Better. Definitely better.
For being a scrawny 4-year-old little girl, Charlotte is a pretty hardcore hiker. She did the whole 3-4 mile hike on her own, with no meltdowns and only minimal candy bribing. In other words, a complete success.
Actually, the only time she cried was when I squirted her in the face with a blast of cold water. Gotta keep these kids in line…oh my gosh, I’m joking. It was an accident, I swear! I was trying to let her sip from my Camelbak. The minute I took the cap off it blasted her in the face. Of course I started busting up laughing and I had to hide my face while she sobbed into my shoulder. Such a sympathetic mother. Seeing someone get squirted in the face is funny, ok? Even if they are 4.
Traditional Tejano Pinto Beans
Eric’s family is Swedish, and it’s been really fun to get into their food traditions over the years. Swedish Meatballs, Butter Pecans, Spritz cookies…so much good stuff. My sister Laura married into a family from southern Texas, and the only reason I’m not jealous is because she shares all their awesome Tejano recipes with me. (Tejano meaning Mexican-American-Southern-Texan cuisine.)
Over Christmas, my whole family got together at my parents house for a couple weeks…all 25 of us. On my sister Laura’s night to cook, she made us this awesome dinner with this Carne Guisada, guacamole, rice…and these beans. These amazing, delicious beans. We could not stop talking about them.
What are Tejano Beans?
Tejano beans are Mexican-American-Southern-Texan beans. They’re a mashup of Mexican-style pinto beans and Southern-style pinto beans…and they’re SO good.
Ingredients for Mexican Pinto Beans
Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full recipe!
- Dry pinto beans
- Garlic (fresh garlic or garlic powder)
- Onion
- Sugar
- Chicken bouillon
- Jalapeños
- Ham bone (or ham hock)
- Salt and pepper
- Limes (optional)
How to Cook Pinto Beans Mexican Style
The recipe is from my brother-in-law Adam’s grandma, who came from a long line of Tejanos, so it’s about as authentic as you can get. His whole family lovingly calls them “Grandma’s Beans.” I’m a little bit obsessed with them. The ham bone gives it that rich Southern pork-and-beans feel, but then you add the jalapeno, garlic, and lime wedges and it gives it this great Mexican twist.
They are meant to be a side dish, but if you want to slap them in a tortilla I won’t judge you. (I personally eat them with a shovel.) Hopefully you can tell from the photos that these beans are meant to be more wet than dry. They’re not the same consistency as refried beans. Adam’s family calls it “bean gravy.”
These beans are easy to make, and there is very minimal chopping, but they do take a while. There’s just no getting around the fact that beans take a while to cook, and using canned beans as a substitute just doesn’t give the same flavor. They are already cooked, and so there is no way for them to soak up the other flavors in the pot. I’ve provided 3 cooking methods below: stovetop, crock pot, and quick crock pot.
To add the heat, you don’t need to chop the jalapeño, just slit it on both sides like this and toss it in whole. Don’t fuss about dicing the onion, just slice it a few times. It will cook down.
Pair these with the Carne Guisada recipe I mentioned–best burritos of my life! (Special thanks to Laura for putting up with my incessant texting the day I made this. You rock. Way to share the Tejano wealth.)
Mexican Pinto Beans Crock Pot Tips
- Be kind to your body. If you have had intestinal issues in the past from beans, then I recommend soaking them overnight (and discarding the soak water), OR boiling them and simmering for 30 minutes as described in the “Quick” slow cooker method below.
- Wait to add salt. Adding salt after all of the flavor from the ham hock and jalapeños has cooked into the beans means you can add just the right amount. “Salt to taste” is the idea here.
- Check the beans for doneness. Don’t settle for hard or chalky beans! If they need more time, keep them simmering. On the other hand, don’t cook them down until they’re the consistency of refried beans. These aren’t meant to be a homogenous mass, but delicious beans in equally delicious bean gravy.
How to Serve Mexican Beans
These Tejano beans are to be a side dish, so serve them up alongside Slow Cooker Pork Tacos or Baked Mexican Meatballs.
They’re also a delicious addition to Carne Guisada Burritos. Believe me. You will never eat a better burrito.
How to Store this Mexican Pinto Beans Recipe
These Mexican beans will last in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat them, warm them on low on the stove (or in the microwave) until heated through.
FAQs for this Pinto Beans Recipe Mexican Style
Sure you can use canned beans, if you hate flavor! Sorry not sorry guys. Canned beans are already cooked, and there’s no way for the amazing flavors of ham, jalapeños, onions, and garlic to soak in. Also, they would be complete mush before you can say “Tejano.” The fastest way to cook this recipe is on the stovetop and takes 2-3 hours, but it’s definitely worth it.
No. Refried beans are a recipe that is traditionally made using pinto beans, but pinto beans are an actual variety of bean that can be used in a number of different ways. Not the same thing!
Yes. As with most beans, there are a few different varieties of pinto beans. However, all serve the same purpose in this recipe.
“Frijoles” is the Spanish word for “beans.” In Spanish, pinto beans are called “frijoles pintos”. There are many varieties of “frijoles” since “frijoles” just means beans.
More great south of the border style recipes you will love:
- Here’s the Carne Guisada (Braised Beef for Tacos) recipe, it goes perfect with these beans!
- Slow Cooker Pork Tacos with Mexican Coleslaw << Really to die for tacos
- Corn Salsa with Lime << This is such a refreshing salsa
- How to Make Authentic Pico de Gallo << A must have for a Mexican meal
- Mexican Street Corn Dip << Pass the tortilla chips, you can’t stop with this dip!
- Cream Cheese Chicken Chili << Crock pot chili!! Set it and forget it until dinnertime.
Beans, Beans, and more Beans!
- Red Beans and Rice (Better than Popeye’s) << It’s true – these are the great Southern beans you need!
- Santa Maria Pinquito Beans << The California regional beans meant to go with Tri-Tip!
- Bacon Baked Beans << Everything’s better with bacon
- Cowboy Pinto Bean Soup (Frijoles Charros) << Another great family recipe, this time from my mother-in-law
- Drunken Beans from Gimme Some Oven
- Slow Cooker Charro Beans from Five Heart Home
- Crock Pot Cowboy Beans from The Two Bite Club
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Traditional Tejano Beans (Mexican Pinto Beans)
Ingredients
- 4 cups dry pinto beans
- 12 cups water, 12 cups for stovetop version; see crock pot instructions for water amounts
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed (or 1 tablespoon garlic powder)
- 1 medium onion, very roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, good quality
- 1 jalapenos, left whole, but with a slit cut on two sides
- 1 ham bone, or ham hock*
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- lime wedges, fresh, to garnish
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions:
- Rinse the dry beans in a colander. Put them in a large stock pot and add 12 cups water.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a medium-low simmer.
- Add the garlic, onion, sugar, chicken bouillon, jalapeno/s, and ham bone. Bring to a boil again and then reduce the heat to medium low.
- Simmer on medium low with the lid on but vented. (Tilted so that it’s not sealed) Stir occasionally.
- Cook for 2-3 hours. After about an hour and a half, add salt so that it can absorb into the beans as they finish cooking. I added somewhere between 2-3 teaspoons, but taste as you go. The beans will continue to absorb the salt as they finish cooking, so be cautious.
- Continue cooking until the beans are tender. Taste them ; if the beans are still hard or chalky, keep simmering. Don’t wait until the liquid has cooked off so much that they look like refried beans–you want plenty of bean gravy.
- Remove the ham bone and discard (if there is any meat on it, chop it and add it to the pot).
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh limes.
Slow cooker instructions:
- Rinse the dry beans in a colander.* Add to a crock pot, then fill the pot with water until it reaches 2 inches above the beans. Add all the other ingredients except the salt.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Start checking at 6 hours and taste. Add the salt for the last hour of cooking.
- Remove the ham bone and discard (if there is any meat on it, chop it and add it to the pot).
- Garnish with limes.
Quick Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Fill your crock pot about 1/3 of the way with water. Turn the crock pot to high and put on the lid. Set aside.
- Put the rinsed beans in a large stock pot and add water 1 and 1/2 inches above the beans.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Pour the beans into a colander and strain well.
- Add the beans to the crock pot with the heated water. Add the rest of the ingredients, excluding the salt. When all the ingredients are added, check the water level. The water should be about 1 and 1/2 inches above the beans. Add or remove water accordingly.
- Cook on high for 4-5 hours, adding the salt for the last hour or so.
- Remove the ham bone and discard (if there is any meat on it, chop it and add it to the pot).
- Season with pepper to taste, garnish with limes.
There’s no way you can mess up cooking soup beans
Ahhh, I just added salt before cooking them… your recipe says to wait till the last hr ,, are they ruined?????
I’m sorry I didn’t get to this comment in time Eve! How did they turn out? Salting early will not ruin them, but it can make them cook slower. Did you notice?
I’ve made this recipe since I first saw it last year, and we love it! Take it to church supper once and now have to triple the recipe! My only question (?) is more of a statement, I cook these beans in the crockpot for about 26 hours on high until they boil then on low until they are so creamy and luscious. Thanks again for the wonderful recipe.
Hooray, success! I’m so glad the beans are a hit Jackie. That’s awesome that you have to triple the recipe, that’s a lot of beans and a lot of happy folks at church supper! :) Thank you for the slow cooker tip!!
Came out a bland and watery mess! Yuck! What a waste of time! Why do people post crap like this claiming “it’s the best thing evah! I could eat it morning and night!”
Hey Irritated! I think this might be the first negative review on this recipe which hundreds of people have made. I’ve personally made it dozens of times. Is there anything you think might have gone wrong? If the beans were watery, they must not have been cooked all the way. Did you use the slow cooker or stove top method? It’s so frustrating when a recipe doesn’t work out, I’m sorry you had a waste of ingredients!
…because other people like different foods than you do? Just a thought. Or maybe because when other people taste a dish they’ve cooked and find it not to their liking, they know how to compensate, season things differently, or make another change that fixes the dish?
Haven’t made them yet, just found your blog & printed out this yummy sounding & lookin’ recipe. can’t wait L (
You are going to love these beans Lorna! They are so good. Thanks for the comment! So good to hear from you!
Hello,
I’m going to make the beans but would like to soak them overnight, as you suggest to avoid stomach gurgles. Should I then use the quick slow cooker method or the regular slow cooker method?
Thanks!
Hey Lano! Great question. Here’s what I would do: soak the beans. Discard the water. Follow the regular slow cooker method and cook on low–but only cook them for about 4-5 hours (instead of 6). How long they take will also depend on how old your beans are. The fresher the bean, the faster they will cook. Hope it works out! Let me know how it goes!
Well I made them – super pleased! I soaked them overnight first, and cooking time in the slow cooker ended up being about 5 hours.
Also, to make it vegetarian, I included two chipotle peppers and a little bit of the adobo sauce they came in (can) instead of ham hock. I think the did a good job making up for the missing meat flavor.
Thanks again!
Can this be made without any pork ingredients? I have some Muslim family who do not eat pork.
Hey Vanessa! I’ve never tried that and unfortunately I think you would lose out on a lot of flavor. Let me know if you try it!
i use liquid smoke instead of pork and it turns out great.
Try making it with a smoked turkey leg instead.
Thank you for this recipe. It was the best-tasting pinto beans I have made! I did not have a ham hock but put in a couple tablespoons of bacon fat. It was delicious!
Ooh yum! Bacon fat is ALWAYS a good idea ;) Thanks for coming back to leave a review Sophia! Means so much to us bloggers!
I have made pinto beans similar to this method for years, but this time I added the sugar to my beans (although I used brown sugar) and I tried the trick putting a whole Jalapeño with the slits cut into the sides, wow nice subtle kick from the pepper not too overpowering. Thanks for sharing you post definitely helped me take my beans to another level.
Ooh brown sugar, I should try that next time! Genius! I’m glad you liked the jalapeno idea. Yum! Thanks for commenting Greg!
I thought my family was the only ones to call bean liquid bean gravy. I like the bean gravy to be thick not runny just like your pictures. I have used salt pork in my beans if I didn’t have a ham bone. Thanks for your recipe.
Ha! Bean gravy is the best! Good idea using salt pork. Thanks for the comment!
Hi, I want to use a pressure cooker to make both the beans and the meat recipe. How much water would I use?
Hey Maria! I’m not sure, I’ve never tried it! I’m only just starting to get into pressure cooking. I would follow the instructions in your manual for beans, if there is a recipe in there. Good luck!
I have this pot of beans on the stove as I type this. Just one question do you chop up the same jalapeño and incorporate it into the beans when done or do you use a fresh jalapeño? It looks pretty green in the pic but maybe just for show? TIA! :-)
Hey Mary! The jalapeno in the photo is a garnish. It’s in addition to the whole jalapeno called for in the recipe. Great question! I hope you love the recipe!!
I finally have a bean dish I really like. I’ve been trying to find a bean dish I like but it’s been mostly a miss. This really does the trick; thanks for sharing it!!
So happy to hear that Lisa! It’s so great when you finally find a recipe that works. Thanks for coming back to comment!
Very excellent recipe. We love a pot of beans around here in their various forms: cowboy, charro, barracho, etc but I struck by the plain-ness of this recipe.
And I must say it’s the best. Guess what is the star? The beans for a change! With the ham hock and a cup of pork broth from the freezer, these were the best-seasoned beans I ever had. Basically kept your “light on seasonings” philosophy because I wanted to try something different.
Simply fantastic. Did the beans in the crockpot as well–you instructions were great. Thanks a lot.
I’m so glad you liked the recipe Brent! You’re right, this is a very pinto bean-bean recipe! The flavor shines. Thanks for your well thought out comment and review of the recipe!
Tried it yesterday and was great! Plus, lots of leftovers for the week, bonus!
Leftovers are the BEST, right?? I’m so glad you liked them Melissa! Thanks for the feedback!