Discover a new way to enjoy pinto beans with this Swedish Brown Beans Recipe! This simple recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious! Budget-friendly and packed with protein and fiber, these flavourful beans also make a fantastic vegetarian and vegan side dish.
This is a traditional Swedish recipe and a staple in most Swedish family cookbooks. My husband's Grandmother made these beans from scratch every Christmas! We call them 'Bruna Bönor,'in Sweden, and this recipe is a family favorite and made its way into our own cookbook.
They taste similar to American-style baked beans but with a sweeter and more aromatic flavor profile!
DID YOU KNOW: Pinto beans are commonly used in many dishes around the world as they are flavorful beans and widely available. Phaseolus vulgaris are packed with essential nutrients. They boast high amounts of protein, fiber, and folate, as well as significant amounts of phosphorus and manganese. They also vary in color and size. Swedish beans tend to be brown, but there are also red beans. Alubia pinta alavesa have a color similar to kidney beans and were developed in Spain.
I love Mexican food, but if you’re looking for a change from Mexican refried beans or need something different than your Southern pinto beans recipe, give this Swedish Brown Bean recipe a try!
SWEDISH BROWN BEAN INGREDIENTS:
I usually cook more than a pound of pinto beans at a time and freeze any leftover beans in portion sizes (This recipe calls for 340g /0.8lb dry beans. This gives 4-6 portions).
340g/ 12oz Dried brown beans – If you don’t have time to prepare your own beans using dried beans, canned beans also work for a quick meal. Though you may find the flavor very different. You’ll need about two cans for this recipe and may need less salt!
3 tbsp Vinegar– Traditionally, 12% distilled white vinegar is used in Sweden. Apple cider vinegar is a great substitute though you may need to add a little extra.
1 tsp Salt – A good quality salt adds not only flavor but also adds trace minerals
3 tbsp Syrup – You can either use simple syrup, corn syrup, or brown sugar syrup (my personal favorite)
1.5 l Water
Optional:
1 tbsp Potatoe Flour or Corn Starch – If you prefer a thicker, saucier bean dish, you can use a potato masher to gently mash some of the beans and naturally thicken the dish or add a thickening agent.
That’s it, folks! This is a really easy recipe that requires simple ingredients to make a delicious pot of beans!
METHOD
1. Sort through the dried beans and remove any small stones, damaged beans, or debris.
2. Place the beans in a large bowl and top with a generous amount of water.
The beans will swell substantially as they rehydrate, so don’t be afraid to add a few extra cups of water if you see that the water level is low.
Leave to soak for 8 hours or overnight.
In very warm weather, it may be necessary to keep the bowl cool to prevent fermentation.
3. Using a colander, strain the beans and rinse them in fresh water.
4. Transfer them to a medium-sized saucepan and add the water and salt.
Bring the water to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce the heat but keep the beans at a simmer for 1 – 2 hours.
Keep a close eye on the water level and add more as necessary.
Simmer until the beans are tender and start to fall apart.
The beauty of this recipe is that you really don’t need any fancy gadgets, just a basic preparations, and patience. The first time you cook beans on the stovetop it can feel like it takes A LONG time.. depending on the age of your beans it can take anywhere from 45 minutes to a couple of hours.
5. Mix the vinegar and the syrup thoroughly with the beans.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can partially mash some of the beans or add a thickener like cornstarch or potato flour.
-Add a splash of cold water to the potato flour or cornstarch and mix to a paste. Add to the beans and bring to a boil briefly.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Traditionally these beans are served as a side dish with fried pork and boiled potatoes, but one of our family’s favorite ways to eat these delicious pinto beans is with a simple fried egg and mashed potatoes.
As a main course – Place your finished brown beans in a casserole dish, top with mashed potatoes and mozzarella, and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. This main dish is comfort food Swedish style!
For leftovers– In my opinion, the best way to use up leftover pinto beans is to add a little garlic powder, some chili powder, finely chopped fresh onions, and a little grated cheddar – use this to stuff bell pepper or zucchini before placing in a medium hot oven for 20 minutes. Serve with a garden salad.
Leftover beans on toasted sourdough bread with some parmesan cheese is simply delicious!
VARIATIONS IN SEASONINGS OR PREPARATION METHODS
This recipe is a time-honored, authentically Swedish approach to preparing brown beans. It’s a simple yet delicious recipe that you can use as a basis to build on.
You can, of course, combine traditional methods from other cultures and countries to make this recipe your own. You might like to try some of the ideas below.
For a deep, rich flavor, use chicken broth for cooking the beans.
Add a ham bone as the beans are cooking, or even a small smoked ham hock to add a slightly smoky flavor.
You can also experiment with adding a few bay leaves, a cinnamon stick as the beans cook, or some fresh black pepper.
STORAGE
Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for several months.
USING CANNED PINTO BEANS:
I’m a mother of four, and though I take great pride in cooking from scratch I’m also a realist and human! We absolutely use canned pinto beans from time to time and canned beans are a great addition to any pantry. They don’t have the same nutty flavor as the dried beans that I’ve cooked myself but work well with the simple flavors in this recipe. Be sure to rinse the beans in cold water to remove the hard-to-digest sugars that can cause bloating.
Aquafaba(a fancy name for bean juice) can be used as an egg substitute, if you are vegan or sensitive to eggs and haven't already discovered this I recommend you check out this site for some great recipes and inspiration! They recommend garbanzo beans but I know from experience that any canned bean will work!
If you’re looking for more vegan recipes don’t miss out on this Mild Vegan Kimchi or my recipes for Crispy Tofu Croutons and Curry Roasted Chickpeas– They are super easy to make and packed with flavor and nutrition!
FAQ’s
Why soak beans?
If, like me, you have a love-hate relationship with beans, you’ll be happy to know there are some simple tips to reduce the discomfort they can cause.
Although some recipes using pressure cookers or instant pots claim that you can skip soaking the beans, I highly advise against it. Soaking the beans before cooking offers several benefits and should not be overlooked.
An overnight soak prior to cooking has several benefits. Firstly, it helps to reduce cooking time and ensures that the beans cook evenly and thoroughly. Secondly, soaking can help to remove some of the naturally occurring sugars and starches in beans that can cause digestive discomfort for some people.
Beans contain a type of fiber called galactooligosaccharide (GOS), which is known for causing gas. Although it is not possible to make these types of beans low-FODMAP, there are ways to reduce the amount of GOS in them. Cooking methods such as soaking, draining, and cooking the beans can help decrease the FODMAP content as GOS is soluble in water and can leach out during these processes. Cooking the beans in an excess of water and draining them can further reduce the amount of Galactooligosaccharides.
It might seem like a lot of extra work to prep the beans but you’ll probably find it easy to get into the habit of soaking beans.
- Simply, place beans in a large bowl and cover them generously with cold water. They will need room to expand as they rehydrate and you can’t use too much water! If you do this at night before you go to bed and they’re ready to cook the next day!
SIDE NOTE: Depending on the season and the temperature of your home you may want to consider placing the bowl in the refrigerator. The beans can quickly start to ferment in warm weather!
Sprouting is also a great way to improve the digestibility of legumes. You can see my post recipe for Sprouted Chickpea Falafel and How to Sprout Mung Beans here. The same method applies to sprouting pinto beans and you can simply boil the beans until tender after they have started sprouting.
If time is an issue and you are not overly sensitive to beans then you could use a ‘quick soak method’ to kick start the rehydration process. Add the beans to a large pot. Bring the water to a boil for 2 minutes to quickly heat up the water. Turn off the heat, cover, and let the beans soak for 1 hour
So, to summarise:
- Soak beans in a large bowl for 8 hours or overnight in cold water. Or do a ‘quick soak’.
- Drain beans and use fresh water for cooking.
If you’re very sensitive:
- Cook with a lot of extra water and drain the cooking liquid yet again
- Consider sprouting your pinto beans to further aid digestion.
TOP TIP:You can often find small stones, leaves, and other natural debris so it's important to sort through the dry beans and remove these.
How to cook pinto beans in a slow cooker
Despite the hype, I don’t personally own a crock pot or slow cooker as I am so fond of my dutch oven. From what I’ve understood, cooking in the slow cooker will give you deliciously tender beans. Amanda from recipes worthrepeating.com explains it as a simple process that produces creamy pinto beans.
METHOD:
- The cook time for pinto beans in a slow cooker can vary depending on the cooking setting you choose. You can opt for either a high or low setting and still achieve great results.
- To cook the beans on low, set the slow cooker for 8 hours
- or cook on high for 4 hours.
- If you notice there is not enough water towards the end of the cooking time you can add more water.
- Remember to check through the dry beans and prepare them by soaking them overnight.
How to cook beans in a pressure cooker or instant pot
Maybe I’m old-fashioned or just not cool but this is another great appliance that I don’t own. Considering that the pressure cooker has been around since the 17th century, maybe it’s time I catch up – A batch of these instant pot beans doesn’t sound like a bad idea!
Cooking beans with high pressure in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker can vastly reduce the cooking time. Letty from Letty’s kitchen has some great tips on how to get the best result from using both. She also has a great instant pot pinto beans recipe that uses simple ingredients and seems like a great recipe even if you’re new to pressure cooking.
METHOD:
- To cook pinto beans in an Instant Pot, ensure the vent is in the sealed position, select the Manual setting, and set the cooking time. When the timer goes off, the pot should be at pressure.
- To cook pinto beans on the stove top using a pressure cooker, heat the pot on high until you hear the steamy jiggle noise, then reduce the heat to maintain pressure and start the kitchen timer.
- Cooking soaked pinto beans in a pressure cooker with natural release takes approximately 5 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes for the pressure to release. If you opt for a ” quick release,” the cooking time for soaked pinto beans will be reduced to 6 to 8 minutes.
- It’s important to note that the cooking time for pinto beans in a pressure cooker may vary slightly based on the pressure cooker model, the size of the beans, and their age. Sometimes, it may be necessary to bring the pressure cooker back up to pressure for an additional minute or two. Since the beans will be very hot, this process will not take long
.
Whether you're looking for an easy slow cooker bean dish, or need something with a shorter cooking time, there are so many ways to cook a bean! I'd love to hear from you if you use another method with a shorter prep time! Leave me a comment in the comments section below!
Hi, I’m Holly!
I want this space to be a source of wisdom, inspiration, and delicious recipes. Whether you’re looking to discover a new hobby or simply craving a great recipe, I hope you’ll find something that sparks your interest here!
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SWEDISH BROWN BEANS RECIPE
This simple recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious! Budget-friendly, and packed with protein and fiber, these flavourful beans are a fantastic vegetarian and vegan side dish. This is comfort food Swedish Style!
Ingredients
- Dry Pinto beans - 340g/12 oz Alternatively, use 2 cans of precooked and rinsed pinto beans
- White distilled vinegar - 3 tbs. Apple cider vinegar is a suitable substitute
- Syrup - 3 tbs of the syrup of your choice. I recommend glucose syrup or corn syrup. Or if you have it on hand, brown sugar syrup.
- Salt - 1 teaspoon of salt
- Water - 1.5l/ 1.5 quart
- OPTIONAL
- Using a thickening agent is optional. Suitable thickeners include potato flour and corn starch. You will need about 1 tablespoon.
Instructions
1. Sort through the dried beans and remove any small stones, damaged beans, or debris.
2. Place the beans in a large bowl and top with a generous amount of water.
The beans will swell substantially as they rehydrate, so don't be afraid to add a few extra cups of water if you see that the water level is low.
Leave to soak for 8 hours or overnight.
In very warm weather, it may be necessary to keep the bowl cool to prevent fermentation.
3. Using a colander, strain the beans and rinse them in fresh water.
4. Transfer them to a medium-sized saucepan and add the water and salt.
Bring the water to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce the heat but keep the beans at a simmer for 1 - 2 hours.
Keep a close eye on the water level and add more as necessary.
Simmer until the beans are tender and start to fall apart.
5. Mix the vinegar and the syrup thoroughly with the beans.
If you prefer a thicker sauce you can partially mash the beans or add a thickener.
Add a splash of cold water to the potato flour or cornstarch and mix to a paste.
Add to the beans and bring to a boil briefly.
Notes
Traditionally these beans are served as a side dish with fried pork and boiled potatoes but one of our family's favorite ways to eat these delicious pinto beans is with a simple fried egg and mashed potatoes.
As a main course - Place your finished brown beans in a casserole dish, top with mashed potatoes and mozzarella, and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. This main dish is comfort food Swedish style!
For leftovers- In my opinion, the best way to use up leftover pinto beans is to add a little garlic powder, some chili powder, finely chopped fresh onions, and a little parmesan - use this to stuff bell pepper or zucchini before placing in a medium hot oven for 20 minutes. Serve with a garden salad.
STORAGE TIPS
Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for several months.
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