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Brown Beans made with pinto beans in a blue dutch oven on the stove
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Brown Beans Recipe

A simple, easy brown beans recipe made from scratch using pinto beans. These beans are simmered low and slow, then finished with a splash of broth for deeper flavor. Perfect for serving over rice, with bread, or as a hearty, budget-friendly main dish.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Soak Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Calories 153kcal
Author Jennifer
Cost $2

Equipment

  • 1 large pot with a lid (I use a Dutch oven)

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dry pinto beans (or four 15 oz cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed, and start at step 5 instead)
  • Water for soaking and cooking
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 tablespoons chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions

  • Sort and Rinse

    Sort through the pinto beans to remove any weird bits (little stone or broken parts), then rinse well.

  • Soak the Beans

    Cover beans with water. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit 1 hour. Drain and rinse.

  • Saute Some Onion

    Put half the onion and a bit of the butter into the now-empty pot. Saute the onion until just soft and light golden (If you brown it too much, it can turn bitter).

  • Cook the Beans

    Add the soaked beans to the sauteed onions. Cover with fresh water (about 2 inches above beans). Stir in half the garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 1½ to 2½ hours, until beans are soft. Remove beans and liquid from the pot, saving at least 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

  • Build the Brown Beans

    In your now-empty pan, melt the rest of the butter and cook the remaining onion until soft. Add the cooked beans, broth, sugar, and 1 cup of their cooking liquid.

  • Simmer and Reduce

    Let simmer uncovered for 10–20 minutes, until the liquid thickens, the color deepens, and the beans become rich and cohesive

  • Season and Serve

    Add salt to taste at the very end and serve warm.

Notes

  • Beans should be soft all the way through before finishing
  • Don’t add too much liquid at the end -- you want them to thicken
  • The brown sugar should not make them sweet, just more balanced

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg
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