This is one of the cheapest meals on earth to make, especially this version. It probably doesn't add up to more than a couple of dollars for the whole meal. And really, it is very tasty.
I switched to brown rice about eight years ago. I almost never make white rice because brown rice is so much healthier. A bag of brown rice is a bit more costly, but still very cheap. It has a nuttier flavor and a bit chewier texture, but it is very nutritious and simple to prepare. It just takes a little getting used to. But if you want to use white rice, go right ahead. I want nothing but the BEST for MY family, so I make WHOLESOME brown rice. And cookie dough-filled cookie cups made from prepackaged mixes.
I am making pinto beans today without any animal fat for a couple of reasons. My husband and daughter are both getting over a nasty stomach virus and I want this to be super healthy with no grease that would aggravate their stomachs. Also, I want to show you that beans don't have to have fat in them to taste good. I use bacon or sausage many times when I'm making beans; I don't have anything against it. But I think these pintos are just fine without it.
In case you've never used dried beans, most people will tell you that they need to be presoaked. I agree with this, but I use a quick-soak method, not an overnight soak. The soaking breaks down the starches that can cause gas. Some people debate this, but I am definitely of the camp that says that beans need to be soaked. Yes, I've learned from experience.
I love topping my beans with raw white onions and jarred sliced jalapenos, especially the liquid from the jar. My grandmother finely chops fresh jalapenos and onions together and puts that on her beans. I love that, too. Add a wedge of cornbread and some tomato slices and you've got a really great meal.
Imagine how your food bill would go down if you made a big pot of beans once a week? And you would be healthier to boot.
Pinto Beans and Rice
For the beans:
1 pound dried pinto beans
Water
2-3 slices bacon, finely chopped (optional)
Garlic salt to taste
Kosher or regular salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the rice:
2-1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or regular salt
1 cup brown rice
- To make the beans, sort through the beans handful by handful and pick out any rocks or questionable looking beans. Place them in a colander and give them a rinse.
- Place the beans in a Dutch oven and cover with water by about 2-inches. There’s no need to measure. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat and boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for at least 1 hour.
- Drain all of the liquid from the beans and cover with fresh water by about 2-inches. Add the chopped bacon if using it. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until tender.
- Remove lid and season with garlic salt, salt, and black pepper. If there is too much liquid, leave the lid off and continue to cook until enough has evaporated. Smash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the juice.
For the rice:
1. Place 2-1/2 cups water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the brown rice, stir once and cover with a tight fitting lid.
3. Reduce heat to low and cook for 35-45 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Here sits a humble bag of pinto beans. It weighs 4 pounds. It's from Save A Lot. I think it was under two bucks for the whole bag. Now that is cheap.

The first thing to do is to grab handfuls of beans and carefully examine them for small rocks, discolored beans or tiny frogs. I am just kidding about the frogs. Often beans will have small rocks in them that can break your teeth if you bite into them. This may cause you to have to have a crown, thus using up any money that preparing rice and beans would have saved you. And then some.
Since I started with a 4-pound bag, I only sort about one-fourth of the bag or 1 pound. It's not necessary to be precise. We're not measuring here. You could sort more or less than this if you want. I have sorted about 1 pound of beans just hoping to find a rock for a visual aid. Can you believe that when I want to find a rock, I can't? But what I did find were two questionable looking beans. Can you tell the difference above? I will get rid of those. Don't let this sorting process overwhelm you. It really doesn't take long. Just throw away anything that doesn't resemble a bean.
Give them a rinse in a colander.
Put them in a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water by about 2-inches.
Place a tight fitting lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 3-5 minutes, then remove from heat and let them cool down for about an hour. Or longer if you forget about them like I did.
Drain all the liquid from the beans. Add some more water, slosh them around, and drain that liquid. Now cover them again with fresh water by about 2-inches. Bring back to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Let cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until the beans are tender.
When the beans are tender, that is the time to season them.
Add the garlic salt...
...salt...
...and pepper. Add it to taste or to your liking. However much you want. These are terrible pictures, I know. I need a new camera. And some photography lessons.
Now, at this point, I usually find that I have too much liquid in my beans. There are two ways to remedy this. After seasoning, cook the beans for say, 10-15 minutes longer, with the lid off. This will help to evaporate and reduce the amount of liquid. I like my beans a little liquidy when I am serving them over rice. The rice absorbs the bean juice and it is quite delicious.
The other thing you can do is this:
Smash some of the beans against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon. This will thicken up the liquid and make it into a gravy-like consistency. I like my beans with a thick juice. And my pictures are getting worse and worse.
And now for the rice:
Measure 2-1/2 cups of water into a saucepan.
Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
When the water boils, add 1 cup of rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Give it a stir and put a tight fitting lid on it. I forgot to take a picture of the salt addition, but I'm sure you can use your imagination.
Reduce heat to low and cook for 35 to 45 minutes...
...or until all the liquid is gone. This took me 33 minutes. But I wish I had made more. A larger amount will likely cook longer.
This method works with any dried beans. I like them all. And yes, I use canned beans, too. But that is the subject of another post.