These Spanish Pinto Beans & Rice are not your typical beans & rice you would expect from Latin American cuisine. This is a dish that hails from the Kingdom of Spain and a recipe that dates back hundreds of years. It´s packed with Mediterranean flavors and promises to be the BEST beans & rice you will ever taste.
This dish is known as Alubias Pintas a la Jardinera con arroz, and is most popular in the north of Spain. You can serve it as a main course or even as a side dish, next to some pan grilled fish or sauteed shrimp. Either way, make sure to sever it next to a crusty baguette.
The pinto beans I used where jarred, which is the same thing as the canned ones. But you can use dried pinto beans if you like. Just soak them overnight in plenty of water and then simmer for 1 to 2 hours or until tender the following day.
TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: Important to check the package instructions on the rice you are using. That way it´s perfectly cooked. Mine took 15 minutes, but every rice and stove top heats differently.
Key Ingredients & Cookware I used in this Recipe:
MY NONSTICK FRY PAN
EXTRA VIRGIN SPANISH OLIVE OIL
SAFFRON I USED
SWEET SMOKED SPANISH PAPRIKA
SPANISH SEA SALT
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Watch the Video Below on How to Make Spanish Pinto Beans & Rice
Spanish Pinto Beans & Rice
Ingredients
FOR THE RICE
- 2 cups vegetable broth 475 ml
- 1 cup long grain rice 190 grams
- 1/4 tsp saffron threads .17 grams
- pinch sea salt
- dash black pepper
FOR THE BEANS
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 30 ml
- 1 small onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 carrot
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 2.30 grams
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1.25 grams
- 2 1/2 cups canned pinto beans 400 grams
- 1 cup vegetable broth 240 ml
- pinch sea salt
- dash black pepper
- handful finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
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Add 2 cups vegetable broth into a sauce pan, pinch in 1/4 tsp saffron threads and season with sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper, heat with a high heat
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Meanwhile, add 1 cup of long grain rice into a sieve and rinse under cold running water, until the water runs clear underneath the sieve
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Once the broth comes to a boil, add the rice into the pan, give it a mix and place a lid on the pan, lower to a low-medium heat, simmer until the rice is cooked (check rice package instructions)
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Meanwhile, heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, after 2 minutes add in 1 small onion finely diced, 1 green bell pepper finely chopped, 1 carrot (peeled) finely chopped and 4 cloves garlic roughly minced, mix the vegetable continuously with the olive oil
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After 4 minutes and the vegetables are lightly sauteed, add in 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika and 1/2 tsp ground cumin, quickly mix together, then add in 2 1/2 cups canned pinto beans (drained & rinsed) and season with sea salt & black pepper, gently mix together until well mixed, then add in 1 cup vegetable broth and simmer on a medium heat
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Once the rice is cooked through (15 minutes in my case), remove the rice from the heat, let it sit for 3 to 4 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and fluff up the rice with a fork, transfer the rice into serving dishes
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Grab the simmering beans (there should still be a little broth left) and add into the serving dish next to the rice, sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley, enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Get the Saffron Threads I used to make this Recipe
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14 . Dec . 2022Michele
11 . Aug . 2022This is totally yummy food for the body and soul! I used dried beans so when I sautéed the vegetables right before I added the beans I added a little Chardonnay for some acid and a little more cumin and smoked paprika than the recipe called for. Don’t forget the fresh parsley as it really rounds this dish out. Cheers to Spainonafork! I will be trying more of your recipes!
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
12 . Aug . 2022Kp
25 . Jun . 2022Made the beans last night and tasted even better today! Didn’t make the saffron rice but was still delicious mixed with leftover plain white rice.
Spain on a Fork
Sounds great! Much love 🙂
28 . Jun . 2022Sally McCracken
19 . Apr . 2022Thank you, thank you Albert Bevia for this recipe! I will add this to my rotation of beloved recipes.
Today, I made it for the first time and both my husband and I very much enjoyed it. I carefully followed the recipe and found it easy make and delicious. The ONLY issue is we want left-overs so next time, I will double the recipe.
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that Sally! Much love 🙂
20 . Apr . 2022Chris Reher
14 . Apr . 2022Another winner for cooking pantry staples. I had on hand black beans instead of pinto, and folded in, at the end, a handful of fresh spinach that I wanted to use up. Filling and absolutely delicious and I’m not really a big fan of beans.
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that!! Much love 🙂
14 . Apr . 2022Ramya
sorrry i skipped commenting yesterday as was tired after work cant wait to make this soon for me can i skip green bell pepper as am not a big fan of green pepper i never had spanish pinto beans and rice before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
12 . Apr . 2022Spain on a Fork
Much love Ramya 🙂
14 . Apr . 2022John Chimento
Albert, excellent recipes, easy and delicious! Viva Espana
12 . Apr . 2022John Chimento
Spain on a Fork
Appreciate the comment John! Much love 🙂
14 . Apr . 2022gws
Looking forward to trying this.
Can you tell me the name and artist for the music in your videos? Thanks
11 . Apr . 2022Spain on a Fork
You can find the info on the bottom of the description of the videos 🙂 much love
11 . Apr . 2022