Southwestern Pinto Beans with Chorizo (Instant Pot Recipe)

These are smoky, a little spicy, super cozy pinto beans cooked with chorizo until everything melts together into this rich, almost brothy stew.

My preferred method for cooking dried beans is using a Crock Pot, like my recipe for Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans. A super easy, no babysit method. But there are times when I haven’t planned ahead and use the Instant Pot for a quick easy Southwestern side dish.

At a glance:

• Time: about 1 hour total
• Flavor: smoky, savory, a little kick of heat, but not blow-your-head-off spicy.
• Main players: dried pinto beans, Mexican chorizo, garlic, onion and the most important ingredient, New Mexico Red Chile Powder.
• Catgory: You can serve it as a side dish, or just grab a bowl and call it dinner. I've done both.

Why This Pinto Beans and Sausage Recpe Works

• Fast: The Instant Pot softens the beans quickly. But the real magic is what happens in that sealed pot. Everything stews together, the chorizo melts, the spices bloom. And you’ve got a creamy flavorful end result.
• No Soak Bean: And for me, it settles the debate on whether to soak beans before cooking or not. The main reason for pre-soaking beans is so they’ll cook quicker. Dried beans need no pre-soaking and cooked up quickly in a pressure cooker situation.
• Starchy Foods: A pressure cooker is a master when it comes to cooking starchy foods. It cooks pastas beautifully, case in point my recipe for Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes with Green Chiles. I’ve read the science behind what a pressure cooker handles starch. It was complicated, but potatoes and pasta seem to thrive cooked under pressure.
• Beans Under Pressure: Beans are a starchy food, and I’ve used my Instant Pot to cook several different kinds of beans. Dried black beans, red kidney beans and of course, pinto beans. It simply works well.

Southwest Flavor Builders

For this recipe we take advantage of the saute feature to cook the chorizo, then using the pressure cooker method for the pinto beans. Along with simple ingredients like the garlic and onion, this method builds layers of rich flavor. The New Mexico Red Chile Powder brings it all home adding that traditional Southwestern earthy warm flavor.

You simply can’t beat the luxury of a quicker cook time for these Instant Pot Pinto Beans with Chorizo.

Let’s take a look at my recipe I call “chorizo beans”

• Chicken Broth: To add more flavor, we’ll use chicken broth instead of water to cook the beans. You can use vegetable broth, beef broth or water.
• Canned Tomatoes: I like Red Gold Petite Diced tomatoes. The tomatoes are cut smaller than other brands, which means they break down better and with smaller pieces, you’ll have a better consistent texture.
• Dried Pinto Beans: You can use red kidney beans, Mayocoba Beans, or even dried black beans.
• Mexican ChorizoDon’t confuse Spanish Chorizo for Mexican Chorizo. Spanish chorizo is a completely different product that’s been cured. Choose bulk Mexican chorizo.
• Seasonings: New Mexico Red Chile Powder: Chimayo preferred. Or you can substitute cayenne pepper. Use a single blend chile powder rather than chili powder seasoning. Garlic and Bay leaves.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Vinegar is an acid and it’s used here to brighten flavors. It simply wakes up the flavors.

What Kind Of Chorizo To Use – It Matters

Don’t confuse Spanish Chorizo for Mexican Chorizo.

• Spanish chorizo is a completely different product that’s been cured and comes with a completely different flavor profile.
• Choose bulk Mexican chorizo that you find in the meat case at your local grocer. Bulk chorizo comes in a package and looks like ground beef.
• Avoid those tubes of Mexican chorizo. They contain a lot of oil and cook down yielding a very small amount of meat.

Optional Ingredient Add-Ins

I usually make this decision based on what I have on hand.

• Hatch Green Chile Peppers, I usually keep several cans on hand, or have a stash of roasted in the freezer.
• Jalapeno or Poblano Peppers: Fresh and chopped before adding.
• Cilantro, chopped
• Lime Juice: If I have a lime that I need to use, I substitute it in place of the vinegar. They serve the same purpose.

1. Step 1: With fingers, tear the chorizo into small chunks. Add it to the instant pot along with the cooking oil. Press the Sauté button, then adjust the temperature dial to medium. 
2. Sauté the chorizo in the oil, without a lid, until it becomes slightly crispy on the edges, stirring often.
3. Once the chorizo is almost fully cooked, add the onion and continue to sauté until the onions are soft and transparent. Stir in the garlic and spices.
4. Step 2: Add the unsoaked beans, broth and bay leaves to the pot. Cook on high for 35-40 minutes.
5. Add the undrained tomatoes and stir to combine.
6. Change the setting to Sauté, medium heat level. Let the mixture simmer, stirring often, until the beans are very tender and the liquid has thickened.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

I've made all of these. So you don't have to.

• Not seasoning enough. Beans need salt, and more than you think. Salt early and adjust later.
• Skipping natural release. The natural release feature on an Instant Pot is one more safety net for tender beans.
• Using the wrong chorizo.
• Bayleaf: Don’t forget to remove the bayleaf before serving. They don’t soften even under long cooking times. You don’t want to find it in your mouth, or worse yet, in your throat.

Fix those and you're already ahead of most recipes out there.

How To Serve Chorizo Beans

• Serve with tortilla chips, or warmed flour or corn tortillas. I’d call this an easy dinner.
• Serve the beans over a bowl of rice or with warmed flour tortillas, with optional toppings like cheese, cilantro, green onions, or a finely diced red onion.
• Use them all week and sprinkle them in salads, tacos, burritos or even scrambled eggs.
• Pinto beans and Cheesy Cornbread are a match made in heaven.

What To Serve Them With

This bean recipe makes a great side dish for many Mexican Southwestern entrees. Here are some suggesions:

• Grilled Meat: Any grilled meat, anything smoky. Like my recipe for Hatch Green Chile Chicken Burgers, or Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce.
• Tacos: Serve them alongside or sprinkled in tacos. May I suggest Chuck Roast Beef Tacos, or as a side dish for Pork Tenderloin Tacos.
• Breakfast: Sprinkle them over or serve along side Mexican Scrambled Eggs. Or Potato and Egg Tacos.

This recipe is just so versatile, and that’s why I keep coming back to it.

Storage, Freezing and Reheating

• Refrigerator: Store any leftover chorizo and beans in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
• Reheating: Reheat stovetop or I like to use the microwave. The 50% power feature is your best friend. Reheating individual servings in 30 second increments at a lower power will reduce the risk of those microwave food explosions.
• Freezer: Cooked pinto beans freeze well. Just store in a freezer safe container for up to three months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and slowly reheat stovetop or microwave.

These Instant Pot pinto beans and chorizo are super flavorful and creamy, soaking up savory goodness from the Mexican chorizo and the bay leaf. And some beautiful spice and warm heat from the New Mexico chile powder.

Explore More Southwestern Side Dishes

And don’t miss my category for Mexican Southwestern Recipes. If you like cooking with Chorizo, you’ll find this popular recipe for Chorizo Tacos with Potatoes and Mushrooms.