Cheap Recipes

Pinto Beans Recipe

Use this easy pinto beans recipe as a starting point for refried beans or bean burritos. The onion and jalapeno give the pinto beans a delicious, spicy flavor, but those ingredients are optional. The pinto beans taste just fine cooked in water only!

Pinto Beans Recipe

2 cups dried pinto beans (1 lb. package)
8 cups water
1 tbsp cooking oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut)
1 large onion, diced (optional)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (optional)

Place the dried pinto beans in a colander. Carefully inspect the beans and remove any small stones, debris, and questionable-looking beans. Rinse the beans in the colander under cold running water. Move the beans around with your hand while under the running water so that the beans are thoroughly washed.
If you are using the onion and jalapeno, heat the oil in a large soup pot over high heat. Sauté the onions and jalapeno pepper for 3-4 minutes until just soft.
Add the dried pinto beans and water to the large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover only half the pot with a lid, so that steam is allowed to escape. Cook until the beans are tender, 1½ – 2 hours. Stir occasionally and check the water level. Add more water if the water level looks too low or if the beans are cooking too slow.
Drain the beans in a colander when cooked. If you need to reserve the bean cooking liquid for refried beans or another recipe, place the colander over a large empty pot and drain.

Yield: 6 cups cooked pinto beans and approximately 4 cups bean broth

Find more bean recipes here: The Complete List of Bean Recipes by BeansBeansBeans

Greek Bean Soup (Fassoulada)

This Greek bean soup recipe is extremely cheap, but very tasty and easy to make. Greek bean soup is also called fassoulada.

Greek Bean Soup (Fassoulada)

1 lb. dried navy beans
½ cup olive oil
1 large carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic
one 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 cup chopped parsley
3 quarts water
salt and pepper to taste

Soak the dried navy beans in hot water to cover for 30 minutes. Drain and discard the soaking water.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and sauté, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the soaked navy beans, tomato paste, and water.
Bring the bean soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Add the chopped parsley about 15 minutes before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste immediately before serving.

Suggestions:

Add an additional olive oil to each bowl after serving. Stir well before eating.
Sprinkle feta cheese over each bowl after serving.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

This recipe was adapted from The Complete Book of Greek Cooking

Find more bean recipes here: The Complete List of Bean Recipes by BeansBeansBeans

Southwest Green Beans

Another quick and easy green bean side dish.

Southwest Green Beans

1½ lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed
one 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, halved lengthwise and cut into thin wedges
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp kosher salt

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft. Add the cumin and sauté for two more minutes. Add the fresh green beans, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the beans turn bright green, about 3 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, the red pepper flakes, and salt.

Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the beans are crisp-tender, about 10-20 minutes.

Serve immediately or keep warm for up to 30 minutes.

Yield: Serves 10

This recipe was adapted from New Thanksgiving Table.

Find more bean recipes here: The Complete List of Bean Recipes by BeansBeansBeans