Cheesy Pinto Beans (Easy, Creamy, and Ready in 20 Minutes)
These Cheesy Pinto Beans check every box you want a weeknight dish to check. It’s fast, budget-friendly, made from ingredients you probably already have, and nourishing. Serve them as the main dish, stuff them into a tortilla for burritos, use them as a hearty side dish, or as a bean dip! It works with home-canned pinto beans or store-bought!
Story Behind the Recipe
When my kids were little, we were on an extra-tight budget, and beans were our saving grace. I was always looking for ways to use simple pantry ingredients. They were a go-to dinner recipe…cheap, filling, and always something we had on the pantry shelves. Learning different ways to use them was necessary for our budget. I was even known to swap them out for oil in baked goods on occasion.
Simple, affordable recipes like this were staples in our kitchen. When things were really tight, and I was strictly cooking from what we in the pantry, I’d use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, onion powder in place of chopped onions, and sometimes omit the jalapeno and cheese altogether.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pinto beans: store-bought or home-canned
- Olive oil
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Jalapeno, optional
- Ground Cumin
- Smoked Paprika, regular is fine too
- Chili Powder
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Milk, optional for thinning
The Best Cheese for Pinto Beans
Not all cheese is created equal. It doesn’t all melt the same way or have the same flavor profile, and the one you choose will make a difference in the final texture and flavor of your beans. Here are some options to consider:
Sharp Cheddar is a popular and classic choice, and for good reason. It melts smoothly into the beans, adds a rich, slightly tangy flavor, and is a cheese people often keep on hand. You can use mild chedda,r but sharp will give you more flavor than mild.
Pepper Jack is a good choice if you want to omit the jalapeno and still want a little kick to your beans. It also melts beautifully.
Monterey Jack is a milder cheese and is great if you’re feeding kids, or my husband ;), who can’t take spicy things. Sometimes I will add half Monterey Jack and half Sharp Cheddar.
Important tip: Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents like potato starch or cellulose that prevent it from melting smoothly. I know, grating your own takes and an extra few minutes, but the difference in texture is worth the extra time. That said, if all you have is the pre-shredded, go for it! The beans will still be delicious.
Can I Use Home-Canned or Dry Beans?
Of course! I include instructions for using home-canned beans, too. The only difference is that I don’t drain them. I use the liquid in the jar and just add a splash of milk if I want them a little thinner.
If you’re starting with dry beans, use 1 cup of dry beans, cook them according to the package directions, and then start the recipe as written below. Thin with milk to reach your desired consistency.
Using Home-Canned Beans in This Recipe
This is such an easy recipe and such a practical way to use your home-canned pinto beans! You can use 1 quart or 2 pints in place of the two (16-ounce) cans of store-bought beans.
I soak and boil my beans before canning them, they don’t have much excess liquid after processing, so there’s no need to drain them. I just pour in the whole jar and continue with the recipe as written. If you seem to have a good amount of liquid on you beans feel free to drain some or all the liquid and thin if needed with milk.
We absolutely love canning our own pinto beans! If you haven’t tried canning your own beans yet, be sure to check out my Canning Pinto Beans Recipe!
How to Make Cheesy Pinto Beans
Heat oil in a medium pot or skillet over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and jalapeno. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the jalapenos are tender.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Bloom (sounds fancy, just means cooking them briefly in hot oil/butter to bring out their flavor) the spices by sprinkling in the ground cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Stir continuously and cook for about 1 minute.
Stir in your cans of pinto beans, one drained and one undrained.
Cook on medium heat until heated through, this will help them mash better.
Using a potato masher, mash about half of the beans directly in the pot. I like to focus on onside of the pot/pan and leave the other half mostly whole. Mashing some of the beans gives you a perfect creamy, thicker textreu while still leaving some whole beans.
Add a splash of milk to reach the desired consistency. If I’m serving as a main dish, I normally just need a splash of milk. If you want them a little thinner for a dip, I will thin them out a little more.
Add salt and pepper to taste, stir until well incorporated.
Turn the heat to medium-low and let it cook for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Stir occasionally.
Stir in 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, or cheese of your choice, until melted and well-incorporated.
Serve as desired! Top with additional cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapenos, or finely diced white or red onions.
Flavor Variations
- Swap out diced green chilies for the jalapeno
- Use a pinch of red pepper chili flakes for jalapenos
- Make it a smokey chipotle version by using a finely diced Chipotle pepper.
What to Serve with Cheesy Pinto Beans
- Serve it as a main dish, refried bean-style, by spooning over rice. Simple, filling, and delish!
- Make them like refried beans by mashing them up completely and serving in burritos or on tostada shells.
- Add it to burrito bowls. When I’m using it this way, I leave the beans unmashed for a little more texture.
- Turn it into a dip and serve with tortilla chips. I like to thin it out a bit with milk, or stir in some sour cream for extra creaminess.
- Serve alongside your eggs for breakfast. This is one of the ways I like to use up leftover pinto beans from dinner! It’s perfect with your Mexican omelet or egg burrito!
- I used to love Nacho Supreme from Taco Bell. Now I make a version of this at home, and these beans are WAY better.
How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze
Fridge: Store leftover cheesy pinto beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Freezer: These beans freeze great! Let them cool completely, and add beans to a freezer-safe container or bag. (I like freezing them flat if I’m using ZipLock bags so they stack easily) Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
How to Reheat (without drying them out): Beans naturally thicken as they cook. They will be less silky than when freshly made. Once warmed back up with a little liquid, they come right back to creamy and smooth. If you left your beans whole, they will hold their texture better.
- Stovetop: Heat over low heat, stirring frequently and adding liquid as needed until creamy again.
- Microwave: Cover beans with a paper towel when heating so they don’t make a mess in your microwave. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, and add liquid as needed to loosen them up.
If you like these Cheesy Pinto Beans, take a look at these recipes:
Mexican Cornbread Casserole with Jiffy Cornbread
Cheesy Pinto Beans (Easy, Creamy, and Ready in 20 Minutes)
Cheesy Pinto Beans (Creamy, Flavorful, and Ready in 20 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small jalapeno, finely diced* (optional)
- 1 medium clove of garlic, minced (1 teaspoon jarlic)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 (16-ounce) cans of pinto beans, one drained and one undrained*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, plus more for topping
- Milk for thinning
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium pot or skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and jalapeno. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the jalapenos are tender.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Bloom (sounds fancy, just means cooking them briefly in hot oil/butter to bring out their flavor) the spices by sprinkling in the ground cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Stir continuously and cook for about 1 minute.
- Stir in your cans of pinto beans, one drained and one undrained. Cook on Medium heat until heated through. This will make the beans easier to mash.
- Using a potato masher, mash about half of the beans directly in the pot. I like to focus on one side of the pot/pan and leave the other half mostly whole. Mashing some of the beans gives you a perfect creamy, thicker texture while still leaving some whole beans.
- Add a splash of milk to reach the desired consistency. If I’m serving as a main dish, I normally just need a splash of milk. If you want them a little thinner for a dip, I will thin them out a little more.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, stir until well incorporated.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and let it cook for about 10 minutes to thoroughly heat through and let the flavors meld. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, or cheese of your choice, until melted and well-incorporated. Top with additional cheese and serve as desired.
