Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!
Well, here’s my first post in 2015. Nothing fancy or glamorous, but this meal is sure inexpensive, FILLING, and delicious! If you’ve ever had extra ham or ham bones left over after a meal, then this recipe for Pinto Beans and Ham is perfect for you!
This dish (besides being quite economical) is also totally easy to prepare, so consider that a win-win! Only a few ingredients are necessary to make a big soup pot full of these tasty, filling, tender pinto beans and shredded pieces of ham, flavored with salt/pepper, cumin, onion and garlic!
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Use Dried Beans And Leftover Ham
I prepare this meal often, usually any time we have leftover ham (always after a holiday like Christmas or Easter, and in the cold winter months).
The recipe makes about 8 hearty servings, so there is always enough left pinto beans and ham left over for other meals.
Pinto beans can be found in just about every single grocery store in the country and are quite cheap. Buy dry pinto beans (in a bag). They will cook and soften during the cooking process.
If you have a large ham bone from a ham hanging around (with pieces of meat still attached), that’s PERFECT! If not, then just use slices of ham, cut into small chunks.
The long cooking time for the beans will help the meat to be tender so it can be pulled off the bone or shredded easily!
Why Beans Cook So Long
The long cooking time helps the beans to soften. Find something to do while they cook and check on them every hour or so to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan.
Your house will smell GREAT while these pinto beans and ham are cooking! Be sure to give them a good stir while you’re checking on them!
During the last part of the cooking time, the liquid will begin to thicken. This is a GOOD thing!
The ham also becomes very tender, so it is easy (especially if you added big chunks), to pull it apart into smaller pieces or shreds.
Serve The Pinto Beans And Ham
When the pinto beans and ham have finished cooking, the meat should be very tender, and the beans should be very soft.
When all is said and done, you will end up with a nice sized pot of pinto beans and ham, and not have to spend a lot on it, especially if you start with leftover ham!
We love to serve this thick bowl of “soup” with some Copycat Marie Callender’s Cornbread or warm, buttered flour tortillas on the side… yum!
If you like pinto beans or need other ways to use dried pintos, be sure and check out my blog post on how to can dried beans or how to make refried beans in the crockpot. Both recipes start with dried pinto beans!
Hope you’ll give this humble recipe for pinto beans and ham a try. I think you’re going to love them! Sometimes simple meals can be so good!
Thanks for stopping by and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.
Looking For More SOUP Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of great soup recipes to choose from, including:
- Turkey Black Bean Soup (Instant Pot)
- Lentil Potato Soup
- Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup
- Mom’s Old-Fashioned Chili
- Hearty Minestrone Soup
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
- 1 bag pinto beans (regular sized - about 2-3 cups)
- 1 large leftover ham bone (with meat attached), OR 2 cups chopped cooked ham
- 1 medium brown onion , chopped
- 1 heaping Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Water
- Additional Salt/Pepper , to taste (I usually have to add more before serving)
- Rinse the pinto beans in a strainer. Place beans into a large stockpot. Cover completely with water.
- Add ham bone (or chopped ham). Add additional water, if necessary to more than cover the beans and ham.
- Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low heat. Let beans cook for approximately 4 hours. For first half of cooking time, keep a lid on the beans, but with lid vented. After about 2 hours, remove the lid and continue cooking, uncovered for remainder of time. As water level begins to reduce, add a bit more water back into the pot so that beans remain submerged during cooking time.
- Check beans to make sure they are fully softened. Remove ham bone from pot; remove any ham meat from bone and add the ham back into the pot.
- Taste test the beans when fully cooked. Mixture will thicken slightly as the amount of water reduces through the long cooking time. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve hot with some cornbread or tortillas on the side, and enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!