Pinto Beans with Ground Beef (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

I’ve updated the recipe for Pinto Beans with Ground Beef so it has more beef and is lower in carbs, with an option for even fewer carbs!  And you can make this tasty pinto bean stew in the Instant Pot or in a regular pan on the stove.

PIN Pinto Beans with Ground Beef to make it later!

Pinto Beans with Ground Beef is a recipe that I first made years ago when I had a stovetop pressure cooker. Of course now I’d make it in the Instant Pot, but there are also instructions in the recipe for making this on the stove if you prefer that method.

I first made this recipe when I ate a lot more dried beans, but now I wouldn’t want so many carbs. So when we updated the photos we also adapted the recipe into an easier version with more ground beef. Kara and I both though that was a delicious change, and it now makes a recipe with more protein that makes eight servings. (If you were a fan of the original version, you can use that link to see the printer-friendly recipe.)

And if you looked at the photo of Pinto Beans with Ground Beef and wondered why it wasn’t called chili, there’s no chili powder in this! But it’s definitely a tasty stew that’s loaded with savory flavors. I hope you enjoy trying the recipe!

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

• canned pinto beans (or see note below to start with dried beans)
• Olive Oil (affiliate link)
• ground beef
• Spike Seasoning (affiliate link)
• onion
• Minced Garlic (affiliate link)
• dried Mexican Oregano (affiliate link)
• ground Cumin (affiliate link)
• dried cilantro (affiliate link) (optional, but recommended)
• chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
• tomato paste
• canned petite diced tomatoes
• sliced green onions
• chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• fresh squeezed lime juice or fresh-frozen lime juice
• salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• avocado for serving (optional)

Making Pinto Beans with Ground Beef with dried beans:

If you’re not a fan of canned beans, you can easily cook dried beans in the slow cooker or in the Instant Pot. You’ll need to cook about one cup of dried beans to replace the two cans of beans.

What if you don’t want cilantro in the Pinto Beans with Ground Beef?

You can omit both the dried and fresh cilantro for this recipe if you prefer, but if you don’t use fresh cilantro I’d recommend doubling the amount of sliced green onion.

What size Instant Pot did I use?

I use a 6 Quart Instant Pot (affiliate link) for all my Instant Pot Recipes. Check out my growing collection of Instant Pot Recipes!

How many carbs are in this stew with ground beef and pinto beans?

Our new version of this recipe that doubles the ground beef and adds more stock has 22 net carbs per serving with 42 grams of protein.

How to make the Pinto Beans with Ground Beef even lower in carbs:

If you’d like a version with even fewer carbs, just reduce the pinto beans to one can and add about another cup of chicken broth, for a soupier version.

How to make Pinto Beans with Ground Beef in the Instant Pot:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. We cooked the ground beef in a pan for best browning. Season the beef with Spike Seasoning or another all-purpose seasoning blend. I love the Hamburger Meat Chopper (affiliate link) you see in the first photo.
2. While ground beef browns, drain pinto beans into a colander placed in the sink. You can rinse if you prefer but it’s not necessary.
3. Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE, MEDIUM HEAT and heat the oil, then add onions and cook about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute, then add the Mexican Oregano, ground cumin, and dried cilantro (if using) and cook about 2 minutes more.
4. Add ground beef, beans, tomato paste, canned tomatoes with liquid, and chicken broth to the Instant Pot.
5. Lock the the lid and set the Instant Pot to MANUAL, HIGH TEMPERATURE, 2 minutes
6. When time is up let the pressure release naturally for about 15 minutes; then release any remaining pressure.
7. When pressure is released open lid and add sliced green onion, chopped fresh cilantro (if using) and lime juice and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
8. Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.
9. Serve the Pinto Beans with Ground Beef hot, with diced avocado to add at the table if desired.
10. Check the complete recipe below to see the stovetop directions.

Make it a Carb-Conscious Meal:

This stew with beef and pinto beans would taste delicious with one of these low-carb breads or muffins:

• Almond Flour Savory Bread
• Low-Carb High Fiber Savory Muffins
• Olive Bread

Weekend Food Prep:

The recipe for Pinto Beans with Ground Beef has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

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Yield: 8 servings

Pinto Beans with Ground Beef (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Additional Time 35 minutes

Total Time 52 minutes

The Pinto Beans with Ground Beef recipe has been updated into a version that's lower in carbs and easier to make. And this is a delicious bean stew.

Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• two 15 oz. cans pinto beans
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 tsp. Spike seasoning
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 T dried Mexican oregano
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 T dried cilantro (optional)
• 4 cups chicken broth (see notes)
• 2 T tomato paste
• one 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or one whole bunch)
• 2 T fresh squeezed lime juice
• salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
• diced avocado for adding at the table, optional

Instructions

1. Since we were using two pounds of ground beef, we heated one tablespoon of oil and cooked the ground beef in a pan for best browning. Season the beef with Spike Seasoning or another all-purpose seasoning blend.
2. While ground beef browns, drain pinto beans into a colander placed in the sink. You can rinse if you prefer but it's not necessary for a stew like this.
3. Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE, MEDIUM HEAT and heat the oil, then add onions and cook about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute, then add the Mexican Oregano, ground cumin, and dried cilantro (if using) and cook about 2 minutes more.
4. Add ground beef, beans, tomato paste, canned tomatoes with liquid, and chicken broth to the Instant Pot.
5. Lock the the lid and set the Instant Pot to MANUAL, HIGH TEMPERATURE, 2 minutes
6. When time is up let the pressure release naturally for about 15 minutes; then release any remaining pressure.
7. When pressure is released open lid and add sliced green onion, chopped fresh cilantro (if using) and lime juice and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
8. Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.
9. Serve the Pinto Beans with Ground Beef hot, with diced avocado to add at the table if desired.

How to Cook in a regular soup pot on the stove:

1. For canned beans, rinse and drain as described above.
2. To use dried beans, you will need to soak beans overnight, drain, add fresh water to cover by a few inches and simmer until beans are soft, about 45 minutes.
3. Follow directions as above for browning meat, browning onions with garlic and herbs, and deglazing frying pan with chicken stock.
4. Combine browned meat, onion mixture, chicken stock, water, cooked beans, tomato paste, and canned tomatoes in heavy soup pot, adding 1 cup more chicken stock for cooking in open pan.
5. Simmer over low heat about 45 minutes, adding a bit more water if needed.
6. When stew seems done, add green onion, chopped cilantro, and lime juice as above and cook a few more minutes.

Notes

I would use my homemade chicken stock if I had some.

Recipe created by Kalyn when she had a new pressure cooker!

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 511Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 7.9gUnsaturated Fat 11.1gCholesterol 103mgSodium 1088mgCarbohydrates 34gFiber 12gSugar 3.6gProtein 42g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Low-Carb Diet . Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Recipes with dried beans will be high in carbs for a low-carb diet, but if you’d like a lower-carb version of Pinto Beans with Ground Beef, use one can of beans with another cup of chicken broth and the increased amount of ground beef. As long as you use lean ground beef, everything in this recipe is approved for all phases of the original South Beach Diet.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Stew Recipes or Instant Pot Recipes for more recipes like this one! Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Pinto Beans with Ground Beef was first posted in 2009 when I had a new stovetop pressure cooker, and now you can make it in the Instant Pot or on the stove. The recipe was updated with new photos in 2022 and was last updated with more information in 2026.