These Instant Pot Drunken Beans are seriously savory, hearty, scrumptious, and are easily made in 30 min! This makes a wickedly delicious big batch, so if you have leftover…smile. Stovetop instructions included.
Instant Pot Drunken Beans – Frijoles borrachos Recipe
Today we’re making Drunken Beans, a.k.a Frijoles Borrachos. They are beyond easy to make, especially because we are using the Instant Pot.
You’ll love them. They’re hearty, warm, and rustic. Basically, they’re the definition of comfort food. Bonus: They are made with a beer (wink). Don’t fret! Most of the alcohol from the beer boil out during cooking.
What are drunken beans – frijoles borrachos?
For those of you who’ve never tried drunken beans, they are basically pinto beans simmered in Mexican beer and bacon. YUM!
These Drunken Beans are one of my favorite side dishes to take to summer potlucks and barbecues since they are the perfect accompaniment to burgers, chicken, carne asada, or whatever you’re grillin’ up.
Beans were one of those foods that were pretty common in our household growing up, and one of the things my mom taught me about cooking beans is that they should always be soaked the night before. See recipe notes for instructions.
Drunken Beans Ingredients:
Most traditional Drunken Beans recipes will require some kind of pepper – Serrano, Jalapeño, or Poblano – in order to add heat to the dish, but I decided to use RO*TEL to help me put a spicy spin on my favorite bean recipe.
You’ll need:
- Bacon
- Onion
- Green pepper
- Serrano or Jalapeño pepper
- Garlic
- Pinto beans
- Canned tomatoes (I used Rotel for extra heat)
- Mexican beer
- Chicken or vegetable stock
- Salt
- Cumin
- Black pepper
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions (scroll down).
How to make Drunken Beans in the Instant Pot
- Turn on the Instant Pot on the “Sauté” mode. When hot, add the bacon and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onions and green pepper and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Pour in drained beans, Ro*Tel® tomatoes, beer, stock, salt, cumin, and pepper; mix well.
- Place lid on Instant Pot, press “Bean/Chili” mode, and cook for 20 minutes. When the time is over allow pressure to release naturally, about 5 – 8 minutes. When the time is over, carefully turn the valve to “Venting” to release the pressure. Then remove the lid.
- Taste and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Let it rest a bit before serving, the soup will thicken as it cools.
- Serve the beans topped with fresh cilantro, if desired.
HOW TO MAKE DRUNKEN BEAN IN THE STOVE:
- Cook bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until crispy, stirring occasionally.
- Add the onions and green pepper and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add in drained beans, Ro*Tel® tomatoes, beer, stock, 3 cups water, salt, cumin, and pepper; mix well.
- Continue cooking until the beans reach a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering partially covered for about 60 – 90 minutes, or until the beans and soft. Stir the beans occasionally throughout the entire cooking process to make sure they do not burn or stick to the bottom of the pot; add more water or stock if necessary.
- Taste and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Let it rest a bit before serving, the soup will thicken as it cools.
- Serve the beans topped with fresh cilantro, if desired.
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions (scroll down).
30 MINUTE QUICK & EASY DRUNKEN BEANS VERSION MADE IN THE STOVE WITH CANNED BEANS:
For a quick and easy drunken beans version, use canned pinto beans instead of dry.
- Cook bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until crispy, stirring occasionally.
- Add the onions and green pepper and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add in drained beans, tomatoes, beer, stock, salt, cumin, and pepper; mix well.
- Continue cooking until the beans reach a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering partially covered for about 20 – 25 minutes. Stir the beans occasionally throughout the entire cooking process to make sure they do not burn or stick to the bottom of the pot; add more water or stock if necessary.
- Taste and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Let it rest a bit before serving, the soup will thicken as it cools.
- Serve the beans topped with fresh cilantro, if desired.
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions (scroll down).
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER COOKED BEANS:
STORE leftover beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
I really love cooking beans! they are easy to make, inexpensive, filling, delicious and so versatile. Seriously, you can’t go wrong with beans, at least not at my house.
Looking for more Instant Pot recipes?
- Instant Pot Cuban Pulled Pork
- Easy Instant Pot Stroganoff Meatballs
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs
- Instant Pot Mexican Pulled Pork
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
- Easy Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
- Instant Pot Hawaiian Pineapple Pork
- More Recipe
Instant Pot Drunken Beans
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon , cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 cup onion , finely diced
- 1 cup green pepper , finely diced
- 1 - 2 Serrano or Jalapeño pepper , stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 lb (16oz) dried pinto beans, picked over, rinsed and soaked (see notes)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (I used Rotel tomatoes for extra heat)
- 12 oz Mexican beer (such as Negra Modelo or Dos Equis)
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1-2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS:
- Turn on the Instant Pot on the “Sauté” mode. When hot, add the bacon and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onions, green pepper, serrano pepper, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Pour in drained beans, tomatoes, beer, stock, salt, cumin, and pepper; mix well.
- Place lid on Instant Pot, make sure the steam release valve is on “sealing.” Press “Bean/Chili” mode and cook for 20 minutes. When the time is over allow pressure to release naturally, about 5 – 8 minutes. When the time is over, carefully turn the valve to “Venting” to release the pressure. Then remove the lid.
- Taste and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Let it rest a bit before serving, the soup will thicken as it cools.
- Serve the beans topped with fresh cilantro, if desired.
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS (DRIED BEANS):
- Cook bacon in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until crispy, stirring occasionally.
- Add the onions, green pepper, serrano pepper, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add in drained beans, tomatoes, beer, stock, 3 cups water, salt, cumin, and pepper; mix well.
- Continue cooking until the beans reach a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, and continue simmering partially covered for about 60 - 90 minutes, or until the beans and soft. Stir the beans occasionally throughout the entire cooking process to make sure they do not burn or stick to the bottom of the pot; add more water or stock if necessary.
- Taste and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Let it rest a bit before serving, the soup will thicken as it cools.
- Serve the beans topped with fresh cilantro, if desired.
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS (CANNED BEANS):
- Cook bacon in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until crispy, stirring occasionally.
- Add the onions, green pepper, serrano pepper, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add in 4 cans of undrained canned beans, tomatoes, beer, stock, salt, cumin, and pepper; mix well.
- Continue cooking until the beans reach a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, and continue simmering partially covered for about 20-25 minutes. Stir the beans occasionally throughout the entire cooking process to make sure they do not burn or stick to the bottom of the pot; add more water or stock if necessary.
- Taste and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Let it rest a bit before serving, the soup will thicken as it cools.
- Serve the beans topped with fresh cilantro, if desired.
- Instant Pot Cuban Pulled Pork
- Easy Instant Pot Stroganoff Meatballs
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs
- Instant Pot Mexican Pulled Pork
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
- Easy Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
- Instant Pot Hawaiian Pineapple Pork
- More Recipe
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Originally posted in May 2017, post content edited to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe in June 2020.
Easy and delicious. I was impatient so I didn’t soak my beans overnight. Added 20 min to the cook time as indicated, but found the beans were too firm for my taste, so cooked for an additional 5 min plus 10 min NR and that helped. Will try to soak overnight next time, or cook for additional 30 min instead of 20 min. Great recipe though, it was a hit!
Hello Michael! I always forget to soak the beans too. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. tThank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Delish!
I love my new IP
I am always THAT ONE, when we have functions…PLEASE bring your Borrachos!
Soaking overnight and cooking all day NO MORE ??
Hello Audra! I am glad you found an easy way to make your Borrachos! Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
Have you tried freezing these or similar bean dishes?
Hello Tommie! Beans are very freezer friendly. Just let them cool completely, then put them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 2 months. When ready to eat just defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Hope this help!
Have made these several times, very good! Rotel is hard to come by here; I substitute fire roasted diced tomatoes and a tin of jalapenos and their juice.
Hello Marnie! That is a great option for Rotel. Thanks for sharing your feedback.
We are vegetarians and loved this recipe! We always soak the beans overnight (the way I was raised) so the end product was absolutely fantastic. One of our favorite bean dishes… ever! And that is saying something. Thanks!
Hello Michael! I’m SO GLAD you all enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!?
This was the second recipe I made in my new Instant Pot and these are the best beans I’ve ever made!!! I’m in love! Will definitely make these again and again! I used 2 more slices of bacon than it called for to use up what was left in the fridge, 1 more garlic clove, a big jalapeno instead of a green bell pepper, and Modelo. I soaked the beans for about 8 hours and the times and settings were perfect. Thank you!
Hello Rachel! Thanks for trying this recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!!
Just made these and they were super good. A couple notes to the author: in the directions you call for pinto beans but the note below about soaking them says black beans. Additionally, we used unsoaked beans and it was quite more than an extra 20 minutes. It was more like an extra 35-40 minutes. Not complaining, just something for future makers of this dish to know.
Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Hello Maggie! Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe. I’m delighted to read you enjoyed it so much ?
CRAZY GOOD! I love Instant Pot recipes and I like the beans at Taco Cabana so thought this recipe looked easy enough for me.. ?
I have to admit I added more garlic cloves to mine cause I’m addicted to garlic and I had about 5 slices of Kentucky Legend ham in the fridge I wanted to use up so I added them cut in chunks.
I didn’t soak my beans ahead of time so went with 40 min initially but that wasn’t enough. I had to add another 15 min to it for all the beans to no be hard.
I ate almost the whole pot myself as dinner or lunches and reheating was easy on the stove, just added about 1/3 cup stock to two servings of beans and bam a very tasty and filling meal.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I’m going to try your teriyaki meatballs next.
Hello Virginia! I’m SO GLAD you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!? Please keep coming back and trying my recipes. xo
Excellent and easy! I have made this twice and didn’t soak my beans. I cooked them for 65 to 70 min and didn’t have any hard beans. I add chorizo when I cook the bacon and any other pork meat I have like smoked ham hock or smoked sausage that I dice up. Modelo negro on the second batch gave it a great flavor. From Texas so added a few tsp of barbecue sauce and worcestershire. Play with the recipe and add what u like, just remember don’t go past the max fill line! Enjoy!!!!! Thanks again for a great recipe!
Hello Jeremy! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
I absolutely love this recipe but need more than 1# for an event. What are your suggestions on cooking time when doubling the recipe?
Hello Lindsey! Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Yes, you can double the recipe but make sure you don’t fill the pot past the max fill line. Regarding the cooking time, you don’t need to adjust it. Having said that, the pressure cooker will naturally take longer to get to pressure because there is more liquid in the pot. And it will also take longer to do the release the pressure because the pot will be hotter with the additional liquid, but the actual cooking time does not change.
FYI, i did not soak the beans and it came out too dry without much liquid….so you may consider adding more liquid if not pre-soaking. I figure that’s why it was dry. Do the beans soak up some moisture during the soaking process?
Hello Jaime! Yes, they do. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. I’ll add the note to the recipe. Thanks for trying my recipe.
What can you substitute for the beer?
Hello Paula! You substitute for chicken or vegetable stock.
These beans look AMAZING! I got my instant pot in December and can’t wait to try these!
Thanks Emily!! I hope you are enjoying your Instant Pot as much as I am. ????
Wow..What a great idea to add Mexican beer to beans. My husband would love beer with his beans.
This recipe is a winner among husbands!! LOL
I’ve never had beans prepared this way. It looks delicious!
Thanks Iryna!! Hope you give a try soon ????
Yum! The Rotel and the bacon really add some flavor to this! Looks great! Thanks for sharing!
It’s a great combination, Kristina!! Thanks for stopping by ????
These beans sound and look absolutely delicious!