Frijoles Borrachos

One that’s particularly noteworthy for combining beans with beer is Frijoles Borrachos (Drunken Beans). In this favorite, Pinto Beans are cooked with bacon and dark Mexican beer for a rich base with a bright flavor. No wonder the dish is a standard at family gatherings, picnics, and cookouts.

3-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Another popular recipe combining beans with beer is this 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili featuring Pale Ale, smoked Hatch chilies, Red Kidney Beans, Cannellini Beans, and Black Beans. The beer tends to add a warm maltiness, and the addition of extra olive oil at the end of cooking adds creaminess. Whether cooked on the stovetop or in a slow cooker, this dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Frijoles Charros

Served warm and with a brothy consistency, Frijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans) is a traditional Pinto Bean dish made with dark or amber beer and is named for Mexican horsemen, or charros. This recipe is a perfect side dish to pulled pork sandwiches or other BBQ favorites.

Slow Cooker Shredded Pork & Pinto Tacos

Made with pork shoulder, Pinto Beans, beer, and fire-roasted tomatoes, these tacos are big on flavor and great for your favorite Taco Tuesday dinner or a weekend get-together. Yum.

Red Beans & Rice for 50

Wanna take your red beans to the next level? Go big or go home with this red beans and rice recipe that feeds 50! Follow our Pro Tips for how to cook a batch that large, and be sure to add a bottle of beer to the pot when you add the red beans. The yeast in the beer will help thicken the pot and give the beans a unique flavor.

Soaking Red Beans in Beer?

Believe it or not, when asked what the secret is to their red beans, one Camellia fan shared this trick: “Soaked in beer with bay leaves.” And a chef agrees, adding, “The first step comes the night before I want to cook: Soak the dried red beans in water (or some sort of hoppy beer) for at least 24 hours.” Who knew? You just might have to try it.

Instant Pot Southern Large Limas with Ham Hocks

An Instant Pot favorite with slow-cooked flavor, this recipe offers all the comforts of home.

Bourbon-Bacon Field Peas with Collards

Featuring both bourbon and bacon, this field peas dish will win over everyone with great taste. Be sure to serve it alongside fried chicken.

Simple Slow Cooker Blackeye Peas

Nothing’s more foolproof than this slow cooker blackeye peas recipe. No hands-on attention needed!

Mosquito Supper Club White Beans

This recipe and photo are excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2020. Photographs by Denny Culbert.

Hailing from Chef Melissa Martin of the Mosquito Supper Club, this recipe celebrates authentic Cajun cuisine, just like her restaurant does.

Instant Pot New Orleans-Style White Beans

Another recipe to turn to when you’re short on time, this Instant Pot dish will taste like it simmered all day.

Zydeco Chop-Chop Red Beans & Rice

No fresh vegetables on hand? No problem. If you’ve got Zydeco Chop Chop, you’ve got great red beans & rice.

Instant Pot White Bean Chili

Fast, comforting, and delicious, this Instant Pot white chicken chili recipe warms the belly — whether it’s a weeknight or game day.

Dump and Go: Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice

This recipe relies on pre-chopped trinity and your slow cooker to do all the work. Just dump it in and go!

Soup Beans

This Appalachian dish featuring pinto beans and bacon is simple and homey.

Simple Southern Lima Beans

If you love creamy butter beans, you’ll love this dish. But don’t forget the cornbread or biscuits.

Raised on her family’s farm in Mississippi and classically trained as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, Chef Jennifer Hill Booker puts an authentic, interesting twist on even the most humble pot of beans. And the recipes featured here from her cookbook Field Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes with a French Accent are a testament to her skill and ingenuity. Combining what at first glance might seem like two disparate types of cuisine — Southern and French — she has found a way to celebrate their similarities, by incorporating nose-to-tail cooking and using every part of the pig. Featuring such richness-producing cuts as hog jowls, ham bones, salt pork, and ham hocks, these savory recipes don’t let anything go to waste and are loaded with flavor. And with the addition of garlic, onion and dried red chili peppers, they create welcoming meals for family suppers and friendly get-togethers alike.

Butter Beans & Hog Jowls

Chef Booker notes that her delicious Butter Beans & Hog Jowls dish gets its richness from the bacon-like flavor but firmer texture of hog jowl. From the cheek area of the hog, hog jowl can be used fresh, cured or smoked and remains firm during long cook times. As she explains the Southern-French connection, “Beans and greens are a huge staple in Southern cuisine and cooked in much the same way here as they are in French cuisine. Whether the beans you use are fresh, frozen or dried, they are cooked the same way — by adding a liquid, a cured or smoked piece of meat for flavoring, and seasoning.” With Butter Beans & Hog Jowls, the broth becomes thicker the longer you simmer the beans, and the dish is even more heavenly when served with cornbread.

Great Northern Beans & Ham

Great Northern Beans & Ham is another of Booker’s favorites, and its wonderful flavor comes from the use of both a ham bone and diced ham. The marrow hidden inside a ham bone adds amazing richness to the dish and melts into silky goodness when slow-simmered. And the diced ham is a meaty addition that makes the meal hearty and comforting in every way. Serve with melty grilled cheese on sourdough for an irresistible combination.

Pinto Beans & Ham Hocks

Pinto Beans & Ham Hocks is a dish that’s savory and satisfying, and the ham hock imparts marrow-rich flavor that enhances the beans. Chef Booker explains, “The longer you cook your pinto beans, the thicker the sauce or “gravy” will become. I find it best to cook them a day or two before you plan to serve them, and refrigerate until you are ready to reheat and serve. This guarantees a thick, rich pot of beans.” For a little color and freshness, garnish with chopped spring onions, or top with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped red onion and bits of bacon for even smokier flavor.

Field Peas & Snap Beans

Made with salt pork, Field Peas & Snap Beans epitomizes both down home goodness and Booker’s childhood experience. Like bacon, salt pork is made from pork bellies and adds great meaty flavor and luxurious fat — slowly rendering down as the peas cook. As for the addition of snap beans, Chef Booker notes: “It doesn’t matter if you start with fresh, frozen or dried field peas, they always turn a muddy color when they’re cooked. It made me realize that my grandmother always added snap beans (or string beans) to her pot of peas to provide a bright spot of color.” To round out the meal and feed a hungry crowd, try serving alongside a slew of toasted ham and cheese sliders.

For more recipes from Chef Booker, check out Field Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes with a French Accent. You’ll find more savory Southern dishes like Tomato and Okra Gravy, Glazed Turnips with Pearl Onions and Brown Butter, Fresh Pork Sausage, Hickory-Smoked Chicken Croquettes and Venison Stew.

Tacos make people happy. They’re delicious, fun, easy to make, great for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and no one ever stops with just one. Of course, #TacoTuesday is a welcome time, but why wait for Tuesday to roll around? Here are 5 of our favorite ways to eat tacos any day of the week, with something for everyone — meat lovers, vegetarians and purists alike.

Starting with a simple, round warm tortilla (corn or flour), these tacos are meant to be filled with tasty ingredients, then folded and scarfed down. And since beans make any taco taste better, (not to mention adding both protein and fiber), you’ll find several varieties of beans generously sprinkled throughout the recipes below.

Shredded Pork and Pinto Bean Tacos

There’s so much to love about this recipe. It’s simple, full of flavor, and everything gets cooked down to delectable perfection in a slow cooker. Pork shoulder, Camellia Brand Pinto Beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion, jalapenos and spices come together to create a terrific taco mixture. Pile onto warm tortillas, top to your liking and enjoy. This dish makes a wonderful weeknight meal since the slow cooker does all the work, but it’s also great on gameday.

Creole Shrimp & Red Bean Tacos

This combo takes our best Louisiana ingredients, adds a bit of Fresh Mex and rolls it all up for unforgettable flavor. And with Camellia Brand Red Kidney Beans cooked in advance, the recipe comes together quickly, too. Shrimp covered in Creole seasoning are seared in a hot skillet, a lively coleslaw is tossed with a cilantro-lime dressing whirred in a blender, and they’re combined with tender red beans in a warm tortilla. Top with salty, crumbly Cotija cheese and more fresh cilantro, and you’re good to go.

Chicken Tinga & Black Bean Tacos

Originating in Puebla, Mexico, Chicken Tinga is a mouth-watering dish made of shredded chicken covered in a savory chipotle tomato sauce. And this recipe makes it as fast as it is flavorful — by cooking it in the Instant Pot. In fact, the Camellia Brand Black Beans are quickly cooked in the Instant Pot too, making the whole thing doable on a weeknight. Of course, it’s so good, you might want to put it on the menu for a weekend taco get-together with friends. Chopped fresh cilantro, chopped white onion and chopped radishes are all that’s needed to make these tacos irresistible.

Jamaican Jerk Black Bean and Corn Salsa Tacos

A great-tasting, colorful vegetarian recipe, this taco combo features cooked Camellia Brand Black Beans, roasted corn, red onion, cilantro, fresh lime juice and Jerk seasoning blend. A slew of toppings keep things fresh and add zing. Tasty alternative: for a totally different take on the flavor and some Louisiana lovin’, simply replace Creole seasoning with the Jerk seasoning.

Oven-Baked Beef & Pinto Bean Tacos

For those who appreciate a crunchy taco shell and that all-American filling of ground beef with cooked Camellia Brand Pinto Beans, this classic’s for you. Perfectly seasoned (no need for store-bought taco seasoning with this easy recipe), the filled tacos are topped with shredded cheese, baked till hot and melty, and then crowned with crisp shredded lettuce, salsa, sour cream and whatever else your heart desires. Be forewarned: the kids will inhale them all, if you don’t get your hands on them first.

Frijoles de la Olla

This recipe uses pinto beans, onion, garlic and sea salt to create a versatile base dish that can be enjoyed as is, or used to make Frijoles Charros. Serve it with corn tortillas or fresh bolillos (French bread) to scoop up and absorb the delicious bean broth.

Frijoles Charros

Great northern beans are slow cooked with onion, garlic, pickled jalapeños, hot dogs, chorizo, and bacon for great meaty flavor. This dish is often enjoyed alongside carne asada (grilled and sliced beef).

Frijoles Borrachos

A standard at family gatherings, picnics, and cookouts, Frijoles Borrachos relies on pinto beans, bacon, dark Mexican beer, and a Serrano pepper for its deep flavor.

Bean & Bacon Breakfast Tacos

Scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, tender pinto beans, shredded cheese and chopped avocado fill your choice of grilled flour or corn tortillas, and make a hearty breakfast, brunch, or brinner that’ll leave everyone begging for more.

Pinto Bean Burrito Bowl with Avocado Cilantro Dressing

A burrito bowl is a healthy option, featuring a variety of tastes and textures. And it comes together easily for a tasty, filling lunch or dinner, combining cooked beans with all kinds of colorful accompaniments. Try shredded lettuce or cabbage, chopped cooked chicken, tomatoes, corn, crumbled cheese and a fast & fresh avocado dressing.

Fresh Two-Bean Salsa

With both black and pinto beans, corn, vegetables, cilantro, and lime juice, this salsa can be thrown together easily. For best results, make it at least 12 hours before serving, allowing the flavors to meld in the fridge. Then serve with tortilla chips, as a taco filling, or as a cold or room-temperature topping for grilled fish or chicken.

Easy Refried Beans

Homemade refried beans aren’t actually fried at all, and are incredibly easy to make. This recipe is vegetarian, getting its creaminess from olive oil and veggie broth, and its great flavor from onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder and a few drops of liquid smoke. Top with chopped red onion, cilantro and a little shredded Cheddar, and serve with your favorite chips, or wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla.

Vegetarian Black Bean & Rice Casserole

This colorful, satisfying vegetarian casserole is excellent either on its own with a green salad, or as a side dish to grilled meat, chicken, or seafood. Featuring beans, corn, rice, diced green bell pepper, chopped red onion, cream cheese, and various seasonings, it also makes a great taco filling. Fill warmed tortillas with the mixture, and let everyone top their own tacos with shredded cabbage or lettuce, salsa, cheese, and sour cream.

Smoked Chicken & Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

This is the perfect make-ahead party dish. Faster and easier than rolling and stuffing individual enchiladas, it’s made by creating layers of a chicken and bean mixture, a sour cream and enchilada sauce mixture, corn tortillas, and cheese. Whether you’ve got a big family to feed, or you’re gearing up for a gathering with friends, this one’s a real crowd-pleaser.

If you haven’t gotten on the mason jar meal bandwagon yet, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. Well, by following a few simple guidelines outlined below, you can end up with fun, easy, make-ahead meals for on-the-go that save time and money. They also feature great ingredients, include powerful bean protein, and offer you a delicious meal right at your desk – or anywhere else you happen to be.

Sure, making mason jar meals requires some planning and meal prep, but the jars make it fun and different. Mason jars keep all the flavor and freshness locked in, and with the right layering technique, they’ll keep your ingredients from getting soggy. Your average plastic storage container just can’t do that.

Tips for Creating, Building & Enjoying Mason Jar Meals:

1. Prep and cook ingredients that will add healthy bulk to your mason jar meals and keep well in the fridge.
   • Try protein-rich make-ahead beans and lentils.
   • Whip up batches of whole grains like brown rice, pasta, and quinoa.
   • Shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
   • Clean and pre-chop vegetables.
2. The key to keeping everything crisp in a mason jar is to add dressing first, in the bottom of the jar. Then, on top of the dressing, add layers of hearty beans, lentils, and vegetables that won’t soak up the dressing. Then, add layers of more delicate items like rice, tomatoes, and lettuce, etc., towards the top.
3. Make a week’s worth of mason jar meals at one time. With all of your pre-made ingredients ready to go, it’s easy to build them all at once. Then just grab one each day as you head out the door.
4. When you’re ready to eat, simply unscrew the mason jar, turn it upside down over a bowl, and pour out. You’ll end up with a healthy, delicious, portion-controlled meal, and the dressing will be right on top, just as it should be.

Three Easy Mason Jar Meal Ideas

Try these great combinations for a variety of flavors, ingredients, and healthy protein.

1. Southwestern-Style Black Bean Salad: Start with a delicious, homemade Avocado Cilantro dressing, and add it to the bottom of a jar. Next, add corn, black or pinto beans, brown rice, sliced grape tomatoes, avocado chunks, and lettuce.
2. Quinoa Lentil Salad: Shake up a bright, lemony dressing right inside a mason jar — made from lemon juice, olive oil, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Top dressing with lentils, broccoli florets, chopped green onions, shredded chicken, and quinoa.
3. Spinach, Artichoke & White Bean Salad: Add your favorite Italian dressing to the bottom of a mason jar. Top with navy or great northern beans, chopped artichokes, orzo pasta, chopped tomatoes, and fresh baby spinach.

Now get creative — it’s all about mixing it up!

Comfort food casseroles. Everyone loves them, and they make for easy, one-pot, delicious weeknight dinners — especially when they can be prepped ahead of time and baked or cooked when you’re ready to feed your folks. They’re great time-saving meals for the back-to-school rush and can be quickly re-heated after weekly sports practices and soccer games.

These warm, hearty, casserole recipes are perfect for fall and feature favorite southwestern-style flavors and ingredients like black beans, pinto beans, corn, cilantro, green onions, rice, rotisserie chicken, shrimp, and more. By incorporating beans, we’ve not only upped the flavor factor, we’ve increased the protein and fiber in each dish — a real win-win.

Time-Saving Meal Prep:

Make-Ahead Beans – The key to making these recipes super convenient is to cook batches of  beans in advance, then refrigerate or freeze them in portioned storage bags — so that they’re ready to use when you’re putting together a recipe. You might be tempted to used canned beans, but there are so many advantages to using dried beans, and they’re more convenient than you think! Plus, a 1-pound package of Camellia Brand dried beans is a much better value, yielding about 5-6 cups of cooked beans.

Shrimp and Black Bean Skillet Casserole

The bright, fresh flavors of this simple dish appeal to everyone! The combination of shrimp, lime juice, cilantro, and green onions pairs perfectly with black beans and Jasmine rice, and the recipe works well served hot or at room-temperature. It’s also lean and heart-healthy! Prep your ingredients ahead of time, and the recipe comes together quickly and easily in one large skillet. And if you have any leftovers (it’s so good, you might not), stuff the extra mixture into vine-ripened tomatoes and serve chilled for a lovely lunchtime meal.

Time-Saving Tips: 

1. If possible, buy shrimp that are already peeled. All they need is a quick rinse under running water.
2. Use make-ahead black beans.

Smoked Chicken & Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

This is a perfect, crowd-pleasing, make-ahead dish that’s hearty, filling, and flavorful. Faster and easier than rolling and stuffing individual enchiladas, this casserole comes together in a 13×9 baking dish by creating layers of a chicken and bean mixture, a sour cream and enchilada sauce mixture, corn tortillas, and cheese. Whether you’ve got a big family to feed, or you’re gearing up for a casual weekend gathering with friends, this is an awesome recipe to put on the menu.

Time-Saving Tips:

1. Buy and shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
2. Use make-ahead black and pinto beans.
3. Assemble casserole ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.

Vegetarian Black Bean & Rice Casserole

This colorful, satisfying vegetarian dish is excellent either on its own with a green salad, or as a side dish to grilled meat, chicken, or seafood. Featuring beans, corn, rice, diced green bell pepper, chopped red onion, cream cheese, and various seasonings, it’s a versatile casserole that comes together quickly and also makes a great taco filling. Does your family do taco night? Fill warmed tortillas with the mixture, and let everyone top their own tacos with shredded cabbage or lettuce, salsa, cheese, and sour cream.

Time-Saving Tips:

1. Cook rice ahead of time and refrigerate till ready to use.
2. Use make-ahead black beans.

Fresh Two-Bean Salsa

Wondering what to do with all those leftover beans and vegetables? While this delicious salsa recipe isn’t a casserole, it is a tasty way to use them all up. With both black and pinto beans, corn, vegetables, cilantro, and lime juice, the dish can be thrown together easily. For best results, make it at least 12 hours before serving, allowing the flavors to meld in the refrigerator. Then serve with tortilla chips, as a taco filling, or as a cold or room-temperature topping for grilled fish or chicken.

Kid-Friendly Pasta & White Bean Salad

An easy-to-throw-together, colorful pasta salad that can be eaten warm, chilled, or room-temperature, this Kid-Friendly Pasta & White Bean Salad features their favorites (yep, fun-shaped pasta and cheese) as well as sliced grape tomatoes, bits of broccoli, and cooked, creamy Great Northern Beans or Navy (Pea) Beans. To keep things simple and kid-palette-approved, the pasta salad gets tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Get the recipe.

Cheesy Bean Quesadilla

An always-welcome treat, this Cheesy Bean Quesadilla is made with shredded sharp Cheddar, whole Pinto Beans (or refried beans), and a sprinkling of chopped red onion. Serve with a small side container of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for dipping, and you’ll get smiles and requests to repeat this favorite later in the week. Get the recipe.

Flourless Black Bean Brownies

Shh. There’s really no need to tell the kids that these flourless brownies are made with cooked Black Beans. Fudgy and delicious, they’ll provide a sweet end to their lunchtime meal and some healthy fiber and protein to boot. Got a kid who’s gluten-free? This recipe is right up your alley. In fact, you’ll have trouble resisting these brownies yourself.

Crispy Cinnamon Garbanzo Beans

Roasted garbanzo beans are a super crunchy, tasty snack that you’ve probably started to see on the healthy snack food aisle at your local grocery store. Well, save yourself some money, and make them at home in your own oven with this kid-friendly recipe that incorporates cinnamon and sugar. A great mid-morning or afternoon snack, they’re an awesome lunchbox addition that tastes good and is good for them.

BBQ baked beans are an essential side dish at the best summer backyard barbecues. Here, you’ll find 6 stand-out, homemade versions that’ll round out any menu and make you ditch any notion of going the canned route. Plus, you get way more bang for you buck using dried beans vs. canned. Featuring a variety of beans, these easy-to-make, pinnable recipes go for deep, distinctive flavor – whether smoky, tangy, slightly sweet, or spicy – and are perfectly seasoned to bring out the best in grilled, smoked, or slow-cooked meats. And a couple are made in the slow cooker, so you can’t get any easier than that. Add one to your line up or bring it to a potluck — along with this incredible Buttermilk Cornbread recipe that complements them all — and guests will keep coming back for more.

Slow Cooker Bourbon Maple BBQ Beans

The key ingredients in this delicious vegetarian recipe are Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans (you can also use Navy Beans or Pintos), bourbon, molasses, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, mustard powder, ketchup, dark brown sugar, and barbecue rub. And because it’s made in a slow cooker, it’s simple to throw together. The bourbon gives the dish richness, maple syrup and brown sugar give it sweetness, and even though it takes 10 hours to cook, it’s totally worth the wait. So set it, and forget it! Just be sure to sauté the veggies before adding them to the slow cooker. (You can skip this step if you must, but the deep flavor won’t be the same). Pair the finished dish with savory mains like barbecue chicken and ribs.

Slow Cooker Charro Beans

Flavored with bacon, garlic, tomatoes, green chiles, cilantro, spices and a bottle of amber beer, frijoles charros (cowboy beans) made with Camellia Brand Pinto Beans are served warm and soupy. A traditional dish named for Mexican horsemen, or charros, this recipe is an amazing accompaniment to pulled pork sandwiches with crunchy coleslaw. Smoky and tangy, it’s a cinch to make because the slow cooker does all the work, and it’s a fantastic way to feed a crowd.

Chipotle Baked Beans

Featuring Camellia Navy (Pea) Beans, bacon, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, red onion, dark brown sugar, ketchup and mustard, this smoky dish comes together quickly. Cook the navy beans ahead of time and refrigerate (a day or two ahead is fine), then when you’re ready, mix all the ingredients together, pour into a casserole dish, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling. So fast and easy, the dish goes great with hot dogs, brats, and more.

Cowboy Beans & Rice

This effortless, hearty casserole — when paired with our Buttermilk Cornbread — can be a meal all by itself, or you can serve it along side your other backyard BBQ favorites. Simply cook ground beef, chopped onion, and chopped green bell pepper together on the stovetop, and then combine in a baking dish with rice, seasonings, water, cooked Camellia Brand Pinto Beans, tomato juice, and green chiles. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, and enjoy!

Colonel Vincent’s Southern-Style Baked Beans

In this super tasty baked bean dish, Camellia Brand Navy (Pea) Beans are slowly simmered with a hambone, onion, bell pepper, and seasonings until tender. Then the hambone is removed, and the beans get spiked with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar, and layered in a casserole dish with strips of bacon. Baked for 1 1/2 – 2 hours in a 350 degree oven, they come out both sweet and savory. Made the true southern way – low and slow!

Elizabeth’s Perfectly Pink BBQ Beans

Talk about a rich, delicious recipe with a kick! This dish features Camellia Brand Pink Beans (similar to Pintos, but smaller and rounder), salt pork or ham hock, chili powder, dry mustard, sugar, molasses and onion. Simmered to perfection and lip-smacking good, these BBQ beans offer big flavor and pair well with everything from ribs to burgers. An old family recipe of Elizabeth Hayward’s (a matriarch of the Hayward family), it has been enjoyed at family get-togethers for generations.

Buttermilk Cornbread

What would BBQ baked beans be without sweet cornbread to sop up the goodness? That’s why you need this Buttermilk Cornbread recipe baked in what else, but a cast iron skillet, of course. Taking a few extra moments to brown the butter gives the recipe depth, and the end result is delightful for breakfast and as the perfect complement to your baked beans. Like it sweeter? Add a bit more maple, honey, or agave to suit your palate.

Your summer backyard barbecues are about to get a whole lot tastier!

Healthy, inexpensive and a great vegetarian source of protein, a pot of cooked pinto beans can take you through a whole week of delicious, nutritious dishes. If you’re already a fan of using beans at different times of day and in all kinds of recipes, you know how versatile they are and how easy it is to get creative. But for those who haven’t tried stretching a pot of beans, or just need a little recipe inspiration, we’re going to show you how to spread the bean love. Also, making your own is so much cheaper and more flavorful than stocking your pantry with canned beans. A 1-pound package of Camellia Brand Pinto Beans costs about the same as one 15-ounce can of beans, but it yields 5-6 cups of cooked beans compared to just 1 1/2 cups per can of beans. That’s a lot more to work with when it comes to family-friendly menu planning. And keep in mind that a pot of pintos can easily be replaced with a pot of black beans, if you prefer – and used in all the same delicious ways detailed below.

Easy Make-Ahead Pinto Beans

You can practically cook a pot of pintos while blindfolded, although we wouldn’t recommend it. It’s as simple as this: Add 2 lbs. Camellia Brand Pinto Beans to a large, heavy pot, and cover beans with water, about 2 inches above the top of the beans. Cover the pot, bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Let the pot rest for 1 hour, covered. (This is called a 1-hr. quick soak.) Then, stir in 3 teaspoons of kosher salt, cover and bring to a boil (this won’t keep the beans from getting soft, promise). Take the cover off the pot, reduce heat to low and simmer until beans are tender, about 1-1 ½ hours total. All you need to do is make sure the beans stay submerged, adding more water if necessary, and taste test after an hour to see if their level of softness is to your liking. That’s it, friends. Get the Easy Make-Ahead Pinto Beans recipe. Now, on to the fun part. Let’s see what we can do with this pot of beans!

Easy Refried Beans

When you’re suddenly rewarded with a whole pot of pintos, making homemade Easy Refried Beans is a must. Refried beans aren’t actually fried at all, and are incredibly easy to make. This particular recipe is vegetarian – and gets its creaminess from olive oil and veggie broth, and its great flavor from onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder and a few drops of liquid smoke. When ready, top with chopped red onion, cilantro and a little shredded Cheddar, and serve with your favorite chips, or wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla. If the batch doesn’t get demolished in one sitting, stick leftovers in the fridge and reheat for more snacks and meals later in the week. Get the Easy Refried Beans recipe.

Pinto Bean Burrito Bowl with Avocado Cilantro Dressing

A Pinto Bean Burrito Bowl is a recipe idea that’s healthy, features a variety of tastes and textures, and comes together easily for a hearty lunch or dinner. Burrito bowls are a great way to combine cooked beans with all kinds of yummy accompaniments. Try shredded lettuce or cabbage, chopped cooked chicken, tomatoes, corn, crumbled cheese and more. Get the Pinto Bean Burrito Bowl recipe, top it off with a fast & fresh Avocado Cilantro Dressing, and enjoy.

Chipotle Pinto Bean Tortilla Soup

A wonderful way to use a batch of beans is to whip up this tasty Chipotle Pinto Bean Tortilla Soup. Made with sautéed veggies like onions, garlic and orange bell pepper, and filled out with chipotle salsa, veggie stock, beans and corn, this soup is gluten-free, vegetarian and super quick to make. Let everyone top their own bowl with chopped cilantro, diced red onion, avocado, shredded cheese and crunchy tortilla strips. Get the Chipotle Pinto Bean Tortilla Soup recipe.

Cheesy Bean Quesadilla

An easy lunchtime treat is a Cheesy Bean Quesadilla made with shredded sharp Cheddar, whole beans (or refried beans) and a sprinkling of chopped red onion. Top with a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and some sliced jalapenos, and you’ve got a filling favorite. Get the Cheesy Bean Quesadilla recipe.

Bean & Bacon Breakfast Tacos

Take the opportunity this week to ditch the morning cereal bowl and replace it with these flavorful, protein-packed Bean & Bacon Breakfast Tacos. Scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, tender beans, shredded cheese and chopped avocado fill your choice of grilled flour or corn tortillas, and make a great Saturday morning breakfast that’ll really start your weekend off right. Get the Bean & Bacon Breakfast Tacos recipe.

Now that you’ve got some ideas to get you going, the sky’s the limit. Put a pot of beans on the stove, and start brainstorming all the tasty ways you’ll use them throughout the week. You might not have any leftovers by the time you’re done, but if you do, we’ve got an idea for those, too. Simply portion into freezer storage bags, lay them flat on their side and stack to store in the freezer for future use.

Did you know that pinto beans are the most consumed beans in the United States? The popular Pinto (Spanish for “painted”) bean has a mottled brown and pink surface that, when cooked, becomes a uniform auburn color. Pintos are high in fiber and protein, and they’re commonly seasoned with chili powder, jalapenos, cumin, onion, and garlic.

Pinto beans are most often thought of as the key ingredient in staples like refried beans and other Latin American and Tex-Mex dishes. While common in tacos, burritos and more, pinto beans are delicious in all kinds of dishes, including many southern, regional favorites such as Appalachian Soup Beans. You’ll also find them in everything from three-bean salads and casseroles to minestrone soup and stews.

Check out some of our most popular pinto bean recipes:

Instant Pot Pinto Beans & Ham Hocks

A favorite from our friend Chef Jennifer Hill Booker, this recipe guarantees a thick, rich pot of pintos.

Soup Beans

This Appalachian dish featuring pinto beans and bacon is simple and homey.

Instant Pot Pinto Bean Chili

A fast and delicious chili recipe that’s great for weeknights as well as gameday gatherings, it’s easy to customize using ground beef or ground turkey.

Slow Cooker Charro Beans

Served warm and with a soupy consistency, frijoles charros (cowboy beans) is a traditional pinto bean dish named for Mexican horsemen, or charros.

Chipotle Pinto Bean Tortilla Soup

This delicious soup is gluten-free, vegetarian, and easy to make. Put out an array of toppings, and let everyone make it their own.