Pinto Bean Pie – Delightfully sweet with warm spices and a beautiful texture, this old-fashioned dessert is a real winner. If you like sweet potato or pumpkin pies, you’ll love this one too. 😍
If you feel a little funny about putting beans in a dessert pie, you aren’t alone. I thought it sounded weird, too – until I tried it. But the beans give the pie a nice creamy texture rather than a strong bean flavor. In fact, that’s the reason we’re using mild pintos instead of a more flavorful variety of beans.
Honestly, with all the cozy spices – think nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon – the pinto beans transform into a pie filling that is as tasty as its contemporaries. In fact, if you blend the beans into a puree and don’t tell anyone, your family may assume it’s pumpkin pie!
Can You Make Pinto Bean Pie With Other Beans?
Pinto beans are ideal because their flavor is super mild, but you have a few other options. Great northern bean and navy bean pie are equally tasty. Those varieties also have a mild flavor and puree well. The biggest difference is that your pie will have a slightly lighter color.
Recipe Ingredients
- Pinto Beans – You can make pinto beans from scratch or use canned beans for this recipe.
- Pie Crust – You’ll need an unbaked pie shell for this recipe. Store-bought is fine, but my homemade pie crust works too.😉
- Sugar and Spice – Granulated and brown sugar make it sweet with a lovely brown color. You’ll also need allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
- Flour – Just a couple of tablespoons of flour will thicken the pie filling for a creamier, smoother mouthfeel.
- Dairy – Evaporated milk and butter deliver a rich, smooth flavor that will make you forget the main ingredient is beans.
- Eggs – Eggs bind all the filling ingredients together to achieve a perfectly baked pie.
How to Make Pinto Bean Pie
Prepare the Pie
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prep Crust – Roll out the pie shell and line a 9-inch pie dish. Place in the fridge while you prepare the filling. (Photo 1)
- Mash cooked pinto beans with a potato masher or fork in a mixing bowl. (Photos 2-3)
- Spices – In a separate mixing bowl, mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. (Photo 4)
- Wet Ingredients – Add the beaten eggs, evaporated milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix. (Photo 5)
- Finish Filling – Add the mashed pinto beans and mix well. (Photos 6-7)
Bake
- Assemble – Pour the bean pie mixture into the crust and smooth out the top with a spatula. (Photo 8)
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center.
- Serve – Remove from the oven and cool completely for about an hour. Top with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream if desired when serving.
Recipe Variations
- You could blend all your ingredients into a fine paste in a blender. The smoother texture will be more like a pumpkin pie. Personally, I prefer the chunky feel of the mashed beans. 🫘
- You can change the spices with cloves, ginger, cardamom, or your favorite pumpkin pie spice mix.
- Chocolatey! Add ½ cup of cocoa powder to the pie filling for a chocolate pinto bean pie. Or add chocolate chips to the filling for an indulgent touch. 🍫
- Swap out a traditional pie crust for a graham cracker pie crust to vary the texture and taste.
Tips and Tricks
- If you use canned pinto beans for this recipe, drain and rinse them well.
- This pie needs about an hour to cool so it won’t become a runny mess when you slice it.
- If you have leftover pie filling, try making mini pinto bean pies. They’re a fun, bite-sized version of this classic. 🤩
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can make this pie ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezer for 2-3 months. To freeze it, wrap it in plastic or foil and pop it in the freezer. When ready to serve, thaw in the fridge overnight.
Another time-saver is to cook the pinto beans before putting the pie together.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Top the room-temperature pinto bean pie with whipped cream or ice cream, or enjoy it plain. It tastes great either way.
Cover your pie dish to store leftovers in the fridge, or put leftover slices in an airtight container. They’ll stay good for 3-5 days.
FAQs
It’s close to pumpkin or sweet potato pie, with a sweet and slightly nutty flavor. And it’s delicious. 😋
Usually, this means the pie simply didn’t bake long enough. Make sure not to pull it out of the oven until the pie’s center sets. A toothpick inserted into the pie’s center should come out clean, just like when you bake a cake.
That hasn’t been a problem for me, but you can blind-bake your pie crust if you are worried about it. Simply pop the crust into a 350℉ (170℃) oven before you add the pie filling. After five minutes, take it out, add the filling, and bake as directed. 👌
What Goes With Pinto Bean Pie
Pinto bean pie is an amazing follow-up to classic Southern meals like smoked pulled chicken and coleslaw. Sweet iced tea if it’s hot out or a hot cup of joe if it’s chilly completes the experience.☕ Oh, and homemade whipped cream to top each slice.
More Perfectly Southern Pie Recipes to Try
Conclusion
I hope you enjoy this super economical bean pie recipe as much as I do! Have you ever tried it? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one-of-a-kind pie. 😄
Watch How to Make It
Pinto Bean Pie
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked pie crust
- 2 cups (475ml) cooked pinto beans
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup (236ml) evaporated milk
- ¼ cup (60ml) melted butter
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Roll out the pie crust and line a 9-inch pie dish. Place in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
- Mash cooked pinto beans with a potato masher or fork in a mixing bowl.
- In a separate mixing bowl, mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Add the beaten eggs, evaporated milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix.
- Add the mashed pinto beans to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely for about an hour before serving.
- Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Tips & Notes:
- If you use canned pinto beans for this recipe, drain and rinse them well.
- This pie needs about an hour to cool, so it won’t become a runny mess when you slice it.
- If you have leftover pie filling, try making mini pinto bean pies. They’re a fun, bite-sized version of this classic.
- A blender works to puree the beans, but I prefer the chunkier texture.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
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