Beer-Stewed Pinto Beans

BEER-STEWED PINTO BEANS

(Frijoles Borrachos) (Serves 6 or more) (vegkitchen.com, website of

Nava Atlas, author of Vegan Express)

“Borracho” was a 19th-century north-of-the-border term for a drunkard, so the name of this recipe literally means “drunken pinto beans. Serve withntortillas or rice.

1 cup chopped ripe tomatoes or lightly drained canned diced tomatoes

Two 15- to 16-ounce cans pinto or pink beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup beer

2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced, or one 4 oz. can mild green chilies

1 tsp ground cumin

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except the cilantro, salt, and pepper in a wide skillet and bring to a simmer . Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 10 minutes.

Mash enough of the beans to thicken the base (use a potato masher or a large fork) so that the mixture isn’t soupy. Stir in the cilantro and season with saltand pepper . Cook for 5 minutes longer over very low heat, uncovered. If there’s still too much liquid in the skillet, continue to cook until the bean mixture thickens, then serve.

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You can’t have too many bean recipes. Try this one by plant-based cooking expert and cookbook author Nava Atlas.

It’s okay to use leftover or flat beer for this recipe: it will have all the beer flavor. If you don’t want to use alcohol or don’t have it in the house, no worries: you can use another flavor enhancer like low- or no-salt vegetable broth, the water from cooking potatoes, etc.

If you serve this dish, you can check off beans on Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen, and it you serve it with brown rice or corn tortillas, you can check off grains, too!