Cheesy Pinto Beans
We’re getting back to the basics with this one! I love exploring really simple ways to transform pantry staples, like canned beans, into a filling and satisfying meal. For these Cheesy Pinto Beans, I simply seasoned up some canned beans, puréed half to make the beans nice and creamy, then stirred in a little cheese to make it extra flavorful and satisfying. Serve them over rice and you’ve got an easy and satisfying meal for pennies.

What Are Pinto Beans?
Pinto beans have been a staple ingredient in many parts of the world, including Mexico and the Southwest U.S., for generations, so if you live in those areas you’re probably very familiar with this delicious bean. But if pinto beans aren’t already part of your regular diet, this recipe will be a great introduction. Pinto beans are a small, tan-colored bean that has a speckled appearance when dried. They have a deliciously creamy texture once cooked, which makes them great for refried beans, soup, burritos, or just enjoying over rice, like I did here.
Can I Use Dry Beans?
Dry beans will always be more budget-friendly, usually lower sodium, and oftentimes have better flavor, but they can definitely a little more time and work to prepare. This Cheesy Pinto Bean recipe is designed for convenience, so we’re using canned beans this time around. If you want to use pinto beans that you’ve cooked from dry, you’ll need about three cups of cooked beans. You’ll likely need to add a little more salt to your recipe at the end, as well.
How to Serve Cheesy Pinto Beans
This deliciously simple recipe can be eaten a few different ways. I served mine over a bowl of rice, but you could also purée more of the beans and serve it as a beany chip dip! I think it would also be good served in a bowl then scooped up with some fluffy naan or pita. Or, simply serve them alone as a side dish with your favorite meal.
What Else Can I Add?
Beans are such a flexible ingredient, so there are several other ingredients you can add to these cheesy pinto beans. Here are some other ingredients that you can stir into your beans:
- Diced Hatch green chiles
- Salsa
- Diced red onion
- Diced ham or bacon
- Sour cream (makes the beans EXTRA creamy)
- Cilantro
- Green onions

Cheesy Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 jalapeño (optional) ($0.08)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 2 15oz. cans pinto beans ($2.00)
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin ($0.03)
- 1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 2 dashes hot sauce ($0.10)
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese ($0.50)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and finely dice the jalapeño (remove the stem and seeds).
- Add the garlic, jalapeño, and cooking oil to a pot. Sauté the garlic and jalapeño over medium heat for about one minute, or just until the garlic is very fragrant.
- Add one can of pinto beans to a blender, with the liquid in the can, and purée until smooth.
- Add the puréed beans and the second can of beans (drained) to the saucepot with the garlic and jalapeño. Stir to combine.
- Season the beans with the smoked paprika, cumin, pepper, and hot sauce. Stir to combine, then heat through over medium, stirring occasionally.
- Finally, add the shredded cheddar and stir until it has melted smoothly into the beans. Taste the beans and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Serve over rice or with your favorite meal.
Nutrition
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How to Make Cheesy Pinto Beans – Step by Step Photos

Mince two cloves of garlic and finely dice one jalapeño (seeds and stem removed). Add them to a pot along with one tablespoon of cooking oil. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes really fragrant.

Add one 15oz. can of pinto beans to a blender (with the liquid in the can) and purée until smooth. Alternately, you can use an immersion blender in the pot with the beans.

Add the puréed beans to the pot along with a second 15oz. can of pinto beans (drained). Stir to combine.

Season the beans with ¼ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp ground cumin, ⅛ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, and a couple of dashes of hot sauce. Stir to combine and then allow the beans to heat through, stirring occasionally.

Once the beans are hot, add ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese.

Stir the beans until the cheese has melted smoothly into the beans.

Taste the beans and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Because canned beans and cheese contain a fair amount of salt, I did not find that I needed to add any to the beans. Serve the beans over rice, with chips, or as a side to your favorite meal!
Not gonna lie, I hate most beans due to texture issues. I can tolerate refried, but anything with an actual bean? NOPE. Surprisingly, due to the blending on this, I can actually eat these! Quite please with this and I’ve been eating these the last couple days. Thanks for this!
I used my own homegrown and dried Tiger’s Eye beans (about 240 grams dried). I used some of the water I boiled the beans in and added a bit more salt and it was wonderful. I’m definitely growing more Tiger’s Eye beans this year just to make this recipe again.
Who doesn’t love pinto beans? I’m tempted to make this every week. We did this with grilled peppers and onions and a citrus/spicy marinated grilled chicken. Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart…and wallet!
I’ve been looking for a tasty easy bean recipe and this fit the bill perfectly! I like mine spicier and chunkier so the next time I make them I’ll probably only puree 1/2 can of the beans and add more jalapeno.
For what it’s worth, shredded vegan fake cheese works pretty well in this
I’ve made this twice already. Love it! The first time I didn’t have jalapeno so I added the last 1/3rd of a jar of salsa.
You’ve done it again, Beth! I made this for dinner and it’s going to be in the regular rotation. Like most recipes here, I just used the seasonings as a guide and found the tastiest combo for me, which included the addition of Worcestershire and way more of every spice. But I love this genius use of beans for dinner and especially love how cheap and easy it is. Brilliant!
I made these beans for dinner tonight and they are really good! I love pinto beans but the added seasonings and cheese took them to a whole new level. I’ll be making them again.
I had a bunch of cilantro so I served with the cilantro lime rice recipe. I thought it might be a little weird with the cheese, but it was sooo good. The freshness and citrus in the rice was a perfect complement.