Description
This Vegan Cheesy Pinto Beans dish is a warming, satisfying, and crave-worthy centerpiece for weeknight dinners or leisurely weekend meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 1 large white onion, fine dice
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 ¼ cups low-sodium vegetable broth *
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast (+/-) *
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce *
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika (+/-)
- 1 teaspoon cumin (+/-)
- ¼ to 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt (+/-) *
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
- 1 bay leaf
Other Ingredients:
- 3 – [ 15.5 oz. cans ] pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Optional Toppings:
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Chopped avocados
Serving Ideas:
- Steamed rice (of choice)
- Tortilla chips
- Flour tortillas
Instructions
- Place all the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the bay leaf) into a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
- In a large stockpot, add the diced onions and jalapeno peppers, sauté over medium-high heat for 7 to 10 minutes to soften, add a splash of water, if needed to avoid burning.
- Then lower the heat to medium, add the minced garlic, sauté, stir constantly for one minute.
- Next add all the remaining Base Ingredients, the Spice/Herb Mix, (except the bay leaf), and the pinto beans, stir well, bring to a boil. Tuck in the bay leaf. Bring to a boil once again, then immediately slightly lower the heat to a low-percolating boil and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 15 minutes, using a potato masher (or fork), mash some of the beans directly in the pot (about ½ to ¾ cup of the beans), stir well to incorporate, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, check the sauce thickness, if too thick, add more water (or broth), up to ¼ cup) to thin the sauce, stir well to incorporate.
- Simmer on low for several minutes if more water or broth was added, then remove the bay leaf (discard). Serve topped with freshly chopped cilantro, chopped avocados, or coupled with your favorite grain like rice or quinoa, flour tortillas, or with a simple salad.
Notes
Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Servings: 4 (makes 5 cups)