Are canned pinto beans pre cooked?

Canned beans have been pressure-cooked inside the can, often without herbs or spices, so they can be on the bland side — and some might notice a slightly metallic taste. If you use canned beans, there are some things you can do to improve the flavor: Drain and rinse beans in cold water.

How to cook old pinto beans?

First soak the beans. The quickie soak isn't very useful for OLD beans, so soak them overnight, 12 hours at least. Then, if you have reason to think they are going to be tough, bring them to a boil, turn off the heat, [and add] 3/8 teaspoon of baking soda per 3 cups of water (and 3 cups of water per cup of beans).

Can you eat pinto beans right out of the can?

Do You Have to Cook Pinto Beans from a Can? No, canned beans are fully cooked and ready to eat straight from the can and cold if your heart desires.

Should you drain canned beans?

"It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans," the website states. "A 2009 study conducted at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, showed that draining beans removes, on average, 36 percent of the sodium in canned beans.

What does baking soda do to beans?

The addition of baking soda to the cooking water does two things: It adds sodium ions that weaken the pectin as explained above, and more importantly, an alkaline environment causes the pectin molecules to break down into smaller molecules that greatly weakens the pectin causing the beans to soften much more rapidly.

Does adding baking soda to beans reduce gas?

Bottom Line. If beans make you uncomfortably gassy, sprinkle a little baking soda into their soaking water. It will reduce the volume of gas produced by the legumes, plus, they will cook quicker. If you're even shorter on time, you may want to try some of our favorite recipes to make with a can of black beans.

What happens if you don't soak pinto beans before cooking?

The texture of the beans was basically the same, whether soaked or not. They both result in tender beans. While there is a difference, it is small enough not to matter. The real benefit of soaking beans comes down to cooking time.

Is canned food precooked?

The food is put into suitable containers and then hermetically sealed. In some cases, the food is raw when the container is sealed, but it may also be partially cooked. Hermetically sealed containers must be airtight and sealed against microorganisms.

Are canned pinto beans healthy?

Pinto beans are rich in essential nutrients Pinto beans are also a great source of phosphorus, an essential mineral. “Phosphorus helps with the formation of teeth and bones,” says Meyer. “It is also involved in helping make ATP, a key molecule needed for the body's energy.” Pinto beans are also high in iron.

Is canned food pre cooked?

Canned ingredients are especially convenient when you're busy, and can save you a lot of time and effort in the kitchen. Preparation is minimal because the food has been pre-cooked in the can so only requires heating up (or not if you prefer to eat the contents cold straight from the can).

Are all canned foods pre cooked?

McCarty concedes that some cans are indeed heated during the packing process. “But that isn't all cans or all foods, and it is a carefully controlled and monitored process done in an environment that is made to do it.”

Old Fashioned Pinto Bean Patties Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

March 4, 2022April 16, 2023

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These old-fashioned pancakes made from pinto beans taste good and are inexpensive. They can be made into a meal or a snack.

Old Fashioned Pinto Bean Patties are an economical meal from the past. These Pinto Bean Pancakes use leftover beans, onions, egg, flour, salt and pepper and are fried until golden brown. Learn how to make bean cakes with these easy directions.

Table of Contents

Old Fashioned Pinto Bean Patties

Fried pinto bean patties are exactly what they say – cooked pinto beans that are mashed up and formed into a patty and then pan-fried until golden brown.

As you can imagine, bean cakes are a very old fashioned recipe. They come from a time when being economical was a necessity, a time when women were stretching ingredients to feed hungry families.

The good news is that these country bean cakes are quite tasty too.Mashed bean patties can be served as the main entrée (served with fried potatoes and cinnamon apples) or as a nice little side dish with cubed steaks or Chipped Beef Gravy.

Pinto Bean Pancakes Ingredient List

Pinto Beans (or white beans), drained
Diced Onion
Large Egg
All Purpose Flour
Salt
Black Pepper
Vegetable Oil (for frying)

Mashed Bean Patties

These country bean patties remind me of my Granny; she was the queen of stretching food for eight hungry kids. She is the maker of Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes which are very similar to these bean cakes with flour.

The recipe is so easy. Basically, you mash up leftover pinto beans (or white beans), and then make a quick batter with eggs, flour, minced onion and salt and pepper. Give each little pinto bean pancake a quick fry in some vegetable oil until both sides are golden brown.

Honestly, if you love beans or you love Fried Salmon Patties, these Pinto Bean Cakes are for you.

How to Make Old Fashioned Bean Cakes

Step By Step Instructions

Drain pinto beans well.
Mash beans coarsely using a potato masher, fork or in a food processor.
Add egg, salt and pepper, flour and minced onion to the bean mixture.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Make small bean patties and place in hot oil.
Fry until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes, flip and fry the other side.
Drain off oil on a paper towel.
Eat while hot.

Storage Instructions

Let leftovers cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. To reheat, pull from thefridgeand place in the air fryer for a couple minutes, or warm in the microwave.

For the full instructions for fried pinto bean patties, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Recipe FAQs

Use leftover pinto beans or canned pinto beans for these pinto bean pancakes. Be sure to drain the beans well.
Substitute white beans (cannellini or great northern beans) for pinto beans, if desired.
Mash the beans as fine or as coarse as you desire. I like to leave mine on the more coarse side, but that’s just my personal preference.
If your pinto bean cake batter seems dry, add a little bit of water. If it it seems very wet, add more flour.
Vegetable oil or canola oil works best for frying these mashed bean patties.
To add some extra flavor, add a bit of garlic powder or cayenne pepper or any other of your favorite seasonings.
I eat mine hot from the oil, but my kids like to dip these in ketchup.
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What to serve with bean cakes?

Old Fashioned Pickled Beets
Red Hot Cinnamon Apples
Old Fashioned Stewed Tomatoes
Cottage Cheese and Pineapple
Crispy Fried Potatoes
Creamed Peas
Creamed Chipped Beef Gravy
Sweet and Sour Coleslaw
Old Fashioned Cornbread Muffins
Cucumbers and Onions

Can you freeze bean cakes?

Yes, fry up the cakes, and let cool completely. Place on a sheet pan in an individual layer and place in the freezer. Once frozen, place in an air-tight zip lock bag in the freezer. Pull out the desired amount of bean cakes, and reheat in an air fryer for the best results.

Easy Dinner Recipes with Beans

Stove Top Poor Man’s Stew

Southern Pinto Beans and Sausage

Creamy Chicken Chili

Tuscan Sausage and White Bean Soup

Old Fashioned Pinto Bean Patties – Pinto Bean Pancakes

Old Fashioned Pinto Bean Patties are an economical meal from the past. Pinto Bean Pancakes use leftover beans, onions, egg, flour, salt and pepper and are fried until golden brown. Learn how to make bean cakes with these easy directions.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Entree, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: country bean cakes, fried pinto bean patties, old fashioned pinto bean patties, pinto bean pancakes

Servings: 4 pancakes

Calories: 111kcal

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

15 ounces canned pinto beans (or 2 cups leftover pinto beans)
1 Tablespoon diced onion
1 egg
1 Tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 – 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

Drain pinto beans well.
Mash pinto beans to coarsely or to desired texture using a potato masher, fork or pulse in a food processor.
Add diced onions, egg, flour, salt and pepper. Mix.
Form into patties and fry in hot vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry for approximately 5 minutes or until golden brown; flip and fry the other side.
Drain on paper towels, and serve hot.

Notes

Use leftover pinto beans or canned pinto beans for these pinto bean pancakes. Be sure to drain the beans well.
Substitute white beans (cannellini or great northern beans) for pinto beans, if desired.
Mash the beans as fine or as coarse as you desire. I like to leave mine on the more coarse side, but that’s just my personal preference.
If your pinto bean cake batter seems dry, add a little bit of water. If it it seems very wet, add more flour.
Vegetable oil or canola oil works best for frying these mashed bean patties.
To add some extra flavor, add a bit of garlic powder or cayenne pepper or any other of your favorite seasonings.
I eat mine hot from the oil, but my kids like to dip these in ketchup.
Try Leftover Potato Cakes and Fried Salmon Patties too!
The nutritional information below is auto-calculated and can vary depending on the products used. It should not be used for specific dietary needs.

Nutrition

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