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!Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and shredded 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

Make A Pot Of Pinto Beans And Ham With 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 servings, so there is always enough left over for other meals.

Leftover ham is perfect to use in this soup.

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 will help the meat to be pulled off the bone or shredded easily!

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.

Dried pinto beans are used to make this recipe.

Why The Beans Need To Cook for So Long

The long cooking time helps the beans to soften. Find another activity to do while they are cooking, and just check on them every hour or so to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan, and give them a good stir!

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.

Pinto beans and ham is served!

Your house will smell GREAT while these pinto beans and ham are cooking! We love to eat this thick bowl of “soup” with some Copycat Marie Callender’s Cornbread or warm, buttered flour tortillas on the side… yum!

Cornbread goes perfectly with pinto beans and ham

When all is said and done, you will end up with a nice sized pot of pinto beans and ham, and not have to sped a lot on it, especially if you start with leftover ham!

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 gonna love them! Sometimes simple can be so good! Thanks for stopping by, and come back soon. Be sure to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Pinto Beans And Ham
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 5 mins
 
Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and shredded leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pinto beans and ham
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 289 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 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)
Instructions
  1. Rinse the pinto beans in a strainer. Place beans into a large stockpot. Cover completely with water.
  2. Add ham bone (or chopped ham). Add additional water, if necessary to more than cover the beans and ham.
  3. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Serve hot with some cornbread or tortillas on the side, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Pinto Beans And Ham
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (1/8th of total))
Calories 289 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 671mg29%
Potassium 1028mg29%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin C 5.9mg7%
Calcium 87mg9%
Iron 3.9mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and shredded leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!

 

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Pinto Beans And Ham

21 Comments on Pinto Beans And Ham

    • I have never used ham bouillon, so I truly can’t vouch for the flavor addition. I have always used a ham bone (and the extra meat attached). Go for it, and I hope you enjoy the dish. Have a great day.

  1. This is a great recipe. Family has been cooking them uncovered for years and people think it’s impossible. Much love

  2. Great recipe! I’m from Texas and had beans and cornbread at my “Granny’s” house it was so good. You replicated it. Thank you so much. My family loved it.

  3. I have always enjoyed Pintos more when cooked with Pork neck bones or Ham hocks because of the flavor it adds to the Bean Broth.Same applies to other Beans,Peas as well as Greens.A real Delicacy when served with Cornbread and Cole Slaw. ERNIE KIRKLAND Ee

  4. I tried this recipe on my 98 year old dad from Oklahoma and he kept saying they tasted like what his mom used to make. Thanks for sharing this recipe, he doesn’t get good beans and ham very often because his main caregiver doesn’t like beans so while she was taking a few days off I thought it might be nice for him.

    • Hi, Dave! Thanks for writing. I have never used chicken stock to make the pinto beans n’ ham, but there is no reason why it wouldn’t work! It might have just a slightly different taste, but I’ll bet it would still be quite delicious! Hope you enjoy the dish!

    • I am so glad you enjoyed it, Donna! My husband always loves it when I make it for us. Thanks for taking time to write. I appreciate the feedback. Have a fantastic day!

  5. JB, I LOVE, YOUR SOUTHERN RECIPES, MY WHOLE FAMILY, IS FROM THE SOUTH, BUT, ME & I GREW UP, ON BEANS & HAM & THEM, GOOD OLE’ CHICKEN & DUMPLINS! YOUR GRANDMA, MADE ‘EM, JUST THE WAY, MY MOM DID! LOL THANK YOU, SO MUCH, FOR ALL THESE, GREAT RECIPES!!! MAY “GOD” BLESS YOU! VICKIE

    • Hi, Vickie… Gotta love those old family recipes, right? My husband often requests Pinto Beans and Ham. Such a simple, inexpensive, tasty and filling meal. His family also is from Texas, but we BOTH grew up in Southern California, and now live in the Pacific Northwest, but we still love the “Southern” foods we grew up on. Thanks for writing!

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