Pinto BeansThe pinto bean, a member of the kidney bean family, is an oval shaped, tan colored bean that's mottled with a light brown pattern on it's shell. It's very popular across the Southern United States and is the most common bean eaten in the US with a consumption rate of almost 45% of all the beans eaten. Part of the reason for this is they are generally the cheapest bean you can purchase. But that doesn't mean they are cheap in nutrition or flavor. The nutrition in pinto beans compare favorably with their higher priced cousins and they have a pleasant, earthy flavor and powdery texture that blends with many other foods. They are popular for making chili, soups and baked beans and can be substituted for recipes calling for kidney or red beans. After soaking, pinto beans require about 1-1/2 to 2 hours to cook, increasing 3 times their dry volume during which time they lose their mottling and turn a nice brown color. Pinto beans are a favorite when making refried beans and are great in Tex-Mex and Mexican bean dishes. You can safely substitute pinto beans when your recipe calls for kidney, anasazi, Roman or borlotti beans.
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