Cowboy Pintos Vegan
Submitted by SarahLei
Cowboy pintos are a hearty vegan bean pot: dried pintos slow-simmered with tomatoes, onion, carrot, celery, thyme and cilantro until creamy. Spoon it over rice or barley for a stick-to-your-ribs meatless bowl.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
1½ hrsREADY
1¾ hrsNo meat, no problem. These vegan cowboy beans get their backbone from a slow simmer and a proper base of onion, garlic, carrot, and celery cooked down soft before the beans ever go in.
Dried pinto beans soak overnight, then simmer with canned tomatoes and their juice, water, thyme, and a bundle of tied cilantro that perfumes the pot before it gets fished out at the end. A handful of fresh chopped cilantro stirred in late keeps the flavor bright.
Here’s the detail that makes or breaks a pot of beans: salt last. Hold off until the beans are fully tender, because salting early toughens their skins and leaves them chalky. The recipe is right to insist on it.
Skim any foam as it rises and let it bubble away uncovered until the beans are creamy but still hold their shape. Ladle it over white rice or barley to soak up the tomatoey broth.
Pro Tips
- Salt only after the beans turn tender, or the skins stay tough no matter how long you cook them.
- Soak the pintos overnight so they cook up evenly and creamy, not split and chalky.
- Tie the cilantro sprigs so you can pull them out easily, then finish with fresh chopped cilantro for a brighter punch.
- Skim the foam off the top early on for a cleaner-tasting pot.
Variations
- Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, or a chopped chipotle for smoky heat.
- Add a diced bell pepper or a handful of corn with the other vegetables.
- Mash a few beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth into a stew.
Ingredients
Directions
Sort and wash beans.
Soak overnight, covered with 2 inches of water.
Rinse several times and drain. Set aside.
Add fresh cilantro, parsley, and/or basil at the very end.
Place oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-low heat.
Add the onion and cook 10 minutes or until wilted.
Add garlic during last 2 minutes.
Stir occasionally. Add carrots, celery and reserved drained beans.
Add tomatoes and ½ cup of the reserved tomato juices, water, thyme and oregano.
Stir in the cilantro sprigs. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for about 1½ hours or until beans are tender but not mushy, skimmy any foam that rises to the surface.
Remove tied cilantro and add freshly chopped cilantro; season with pepper to taste.
Make sure the beans are softened to your satisfaction before adding salt.
Serve over white rice or barley.
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