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Vegan Charro Beans with brown rice

Vegan Charro Beans

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  • Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 Minutes
  • Total Time: 25 Minutes (+Rest Time)
  • Yield: 6 Servings 1x
  • Category: Stew
  • Method: Instant Pot/Oven
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Easy, comforting, and flavorful, this oil free Instant Pot Vegan Charro Beans is wholesome, budget friendly, and ultra-satisfying.

Ingredients

Scale

Base Ingredients:

  • 1 cup yellow onions, diced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, fine dice
  • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 – [ 14 oz. can ] petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth *
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ teaspoon organic maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda *
  • 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] black beans, drained and rinsed

 Spice/Herb Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons regular chili powder *
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
  • 2 bay leaves

Other Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Serving Ideas:

  • Steamed rice
  • Freshly chopped cilantro
  • Avocado, cubed
  • Red onion, fine dice

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

  1. Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the bay leaves) in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
  2. Add all the Base Ingredients into the Instant Pot, stir well to combine. Then add the Spice/Herb Mix, stir well, then tuck the bay leaves down into the liquid. Set the Instant Pot to Manual Pressure High for 10 minutes.  When finished, press Cancel and allow to sit for 2 minutes, then do a Quick Release.  Unplug the Instant Pot.
  3. Once all the pressure is released, carefully remove the lid.  Add the distilled white vinegar, stir well.  Allow to sit undisturbed for 15 minutes to let the beans cool down as the flavors to continue to develop and marry.  Discard the bay leaves.  Serve with your favorite steamed rice, topped with freshly chopped cilantro and avocadoes.

Oven Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the bay leaves) in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
  3. Add all the Base Ingredients into a heavy, ceramic-lined Dutch Oven, stir well to combine. Then add the Spice/Herb Mix, stir well, then tuck the bay leaves down into the liquid. Cover with a tight-fitting lid.  Bake at 350F for 35 minutes.
  4. After 35 minutes, remove from the oven and carefully remove the lid.  Add the distilled white vinegar, stir well.  Allow to sit undisturbed for 15 minutes to let the beans cool down as the flavors to continue to develop and marry.  Discard the bay leaves.  Serve with your favorite steamed rice, topped with freshly chopped cilantro and avocadoes.

Notes

Tips for Success:

  • Instant Pot: We used an 8-quart Instant Pot.  If using a 6-quart Instant Pot, consider shortening the time accordingly, perhaps use 8 minutes.  When making in the Instant Pot, the beans will appear watery after the Quick Release.  Stir the beans really well and allow them to sit undisturbed for at least 15 minutes.  The flavors continue to develop, and the wateriness will disappear, and the broth will thicken on its own.  The hardest part is the wait time, but it is totally worth the wait.
  • Steamed Rice: This dish is spicy.  It works perfectly with steamed rice as the rice tempers the spiciness of the beans.  The cilantro and avocado really bring a freshness and creaminess to the dish.  Don’t leave them out.
  • Red Onions: We did not put finely chopped red onions on our servings, but others who tested this dish did and loved the texture play between the creaminess of the dish coupled with the crunchy red onions.
  • Instant Pot/Oven/Stove Top/Crock Pot:  This recipe is very versatile.  We tested this recipe with the Instant Pot and Oven.  It could be easily made on the stove top and in a crock pot as well.

Note Continued:

*Vegetable Stock:   We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.

*Chili Powder:  We used Penzeys Regular Chili Powder.  Feel free to use your favorite chili powder.  We suggest using a mild chili powder.

*Baking Soda:  Baking soda is often used as a neutralizer for dishes that contain a lot of acidity, typically from tomatoes.  We use it in this dish to remove some of the tomato acidity (from the tomato paste and petite diced tomatoes) without losing the tomatoey flavor.

*Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Serving:  6 (makes 12 cups of stew)

*Storage:  Refrigerate and use within 5 days, freezes well.

Find it online: https://monkeyandmekitchenadventures.com/vegan-charro-beans/