Southern pinto beans are one thing above all else: simple.

But they’re also delicious and deeply comforting.

Bacon provides a smoky, salty base.

Southern Living Pinto Beans in a bowl with a piece of cornbread to serve

Credit:Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Learn how to make a bowl of velvety, yummy pinto beans.

Otherwise, this is a supremely easy dish.

The alkaline properties of baking soda speed along the breakdown of the beans as they cook.

Southern Living Pinto Beans ingredients

Credit:Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

What Are Pinto Beans?

They’re also significant to Appalachian cuisine, especially insoup beans, which are commonly made with pintos.

you might also serve them with rolls,quick biscuits, toast, or any sort of crusty bread.

Southern Living Pinto Beans in the pot ready to serve

Credit:Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Serve soup beans with just about any other meat-and-three accompaniment likecollard greens,mac-and-cheese, or barbecue.

Ingredients

1lb.bacon, chopped

1lb.driedpinto beans, picked over and rinsed

1small(6 oz.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 12 minutes.

Southern Living Pinto Beans cooking the bacon until crisp

Credit:Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Remove about 1/2 cup bacon with a slotted spoon; set aside.

Add broth and water.

Serve with bacon:

Sprinkle with reserved crispy bacon before serving.

Southern Living Pinto Beans adding the liquid to the pot of beans

Credit:Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Southern Living Pinto Beans simmering the beans

Credit:Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Southern Living Pinto Beans in a bowl to serve sprinkled with bacon

Credit:Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall