Legume
Pinto
S tier
Pinto beans are medium mottled beans—beige with brown speckles—that define northern Mexican and US Southwestern bean pots and refried beans. Flavour is rich and earthy; texture becomes velvety when mashed with lard or oil. Simmer with onion and epazote or bay; mash for refritos; whole for charro beans. The workhorse bean of Tex-Mex. Speckles disappear when tender—that is normal.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
BurritoCharroPot BeansRefried
Traits
CreamyEarthyEssentialMottledRefried IconVelvety Mash
History
MX
Pinto-type beans became daily protein across northern Mexico.
US
US Southwest agriculture and cuisine standardised pintos.
Pintos remained top US dry bean production class.