Use it up · Beans, lentils and legumes

Pinto beans

Have extra pinto beans? Here’s how to choose, store and prep pinto beans, plus 5 family recipes to use it all up, best matches first.

🍽 See the recipes 🧺 Pick a few things you have

🛒 Choosing it

Look for whole, unbroken dried beans without dust or holes.

🧊 Storing it

Pantry: Canned: about 12 months unopened; dried: 6 to 12 months in a sealed container (older beans take longer to cook)
Fridge: Cooked or opened: move to a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days
Freezer: Cooked beans freeze well in their liquid

Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Freezer times are for best quality; food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe. When in doubt, throw it out. Times from Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University System and FoodSafety.gov.

🔪 Prepping it

Rinse canned beans to remove extra salt. Dried beans: soak overnight, drain, then boil hard for at least 30 minutes and simmer until tender. Mash for refried beans.

🥣 Make it from scratch

Pinto beans from dry

🌱 Grow it

You can grow your own: dry beans. The Food Garden Planner shows how much to plant for your family and when it comes in.

🌱 Plan a garden with it →

📊 Nutrition per 100 g

Pinto beans (canned). 100 g is about 3 1/2 ounces.

Calories	82 kcal	4%
Protein	4.6 g	9%
Total fat	0.6 g	1%
Saturated fat	0.1 g	1%
Total carbohydrate	15 g	6%
Dietary fiber	4.6 g	16%
Total sugars	1.0 g
Sodium	268 mg	12%
Calcium	47 mg	4%
Iron	1.5 mg	8%
Potassium	276 mg	6%

% Daily Value for adults (FDA). From USDA FoodData Central 175201 (SR Legacy).

🍽 Recipes that use it up

5 recipes, the ones that use the most pinto beans first.

Plan them into your week in the meal planner, or find recipes for two or three things at once with the “What can I make?” picker.

More beans, lentils and legumes

Black beans Kidney beans Chickpeas White beans Lentils Split peas Edamame Tofu All ingredients →

Storage times and buying tips are general guides from the sources below; follow any date or instructions on the package. Cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs to the USDA safe temperatures in each recipe.