This old-fashioned sweet pinto bean pie is the perfect fall dessert. Quick and easy to make, it's a wonderful alternative to your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, and dare I say it, even tastier!
You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!
It might sound a bit strange at first, but trust me, this old-fashioned Southern pinto bean pie is all kinds of delicious! My father-in-law, who is from North Carolina, grew up eating this pie and requested I give it a try. I must say, this pie got two thumbs up from my family.
This is one of those recipes that elicits concerned stares when I mention it, but anyone who tries it is pleasantly surprised. This bean pie is creamy and rich, with spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and molasses that make it a tasty alternative to your usual pumpkin or sweet potato pie.
It's pretty different from a savory pinto bean recipe, tasting more like pecan pie. And if you can make a pie out of fruit and nuts, surely you can create one with beans.
♡ Tanya
Simple and quick to make, just mix the filling ingredients together and pour into a pie crust and bake, this is a great make-ahead Fall dessert that everyone will fall in love with!
A Quick Look at The Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🫘 Filling Base
- Pinto beans – canned or home-cooked; a creamy, mild base similar to sweet potato or pumpkin
- Eggs – provide structure and help set the custard
- Evaporated milk – gives richness and a smooth texture
- Unsalted butter – adds flavor and helps create a silky filling
🍬 Sweeteners & Flavor
- Granulated white sugar – for overall sweetness. Feel free to use brown sugar if you want a deeper molasses flavor
- Molasses – brings depth, a touch of bitterness, and classic Southern flavor.
🌶️ Warm Spices & Enhancers
- Ground cinnamon – warm and cozy flavor
- Ground nutmeg – adds a subtle nutty spice
- Kosher salt – enhances all the other flavors
Recommended Tool
These ceramic pie plates are pretty amazing. They are beautiful, and they hold the perfect amount of filling for a standard pie, unlike other deeper pie pans on the market.
How to make pinto bean pie
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F 190°C.
Step 2: Add pinto beans, evaporated milk, white granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, molasses, unsalted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a blender. Blend until smooth, about 40 seconds.
Step 3: Pour into the pie shell. Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the pie is set in the middle.
Step 4: Remove pie from the oven and let it cool for about 1 hour.
Serve and enjoy.
How long does it keep?
Once you have made your pinto bean pie, it's important to let it cool at room temperature for at least an hour, after this time you can either serve it or store it. To store, place it into an airtight container, or cover it with plastic wrap and foil and keep it in the fridge.
It will keep well for up to 4 days but is best enjoyed in the first two.
You can also freeze it, by allowing it cool, wrapping it in foil and placing in a freezer bag. It can freeze for up to 3 months.
Can you use other types of beans?
This Southern dessert uses pinto beans which have a mild flavor, so that the spices used really stand out.
Another great bean to use in bean pies is navy beans or Great Northern beans.
This recipe uses canned beans for ease and convenience, but you can also use dried beans and cook them and drain them before mixing with the other ingredients.
Tanya's Top Tips & Notes
- You can use 1 ½ cups of cooked pinto beans.
- If using canned beans, drain and rinse them well before blending with the other ingredients.
- To make this recipe extra easy, I used a pre-made pie crust. My Homemade Pie Crust is also ideal if you want everything from scratch!
- Let the pinto bean pie cool for at least an hour before cutting and serving. I prefer to make this pie a day ahead.
More Pie Recipes
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie - this is such a classic, the filling is so smooth and spiced perfectly.
- Southern Chess Pie - a Southern treat, this pie using simple ingredients for fantastic flavor.
- Southern Sweet Potato Pie - I love this custard pie, and it reminds me of my childhood. But it's also delicious.
FAQs
No, parbaking isn’t necessary for this pie. The filling bakes evenly without it. But if you prefer a crisper crust, you can partially blind bake it for 8 minutes at 375°F (190°C) before filling. Optional, but helpful!
Yes. Substitute with non-dairy butter and evaporated coconut milk or other plant-based alternatives. Flavor may vary slightly but still works well.
I hope you enjoy this bean pie recipe as much as we do. If you've made this recipe, I'd love if you'd give feedback below. I appreciate your support.
Southern Pinto Bean Pie
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Add pinto beans, evaporated milk, granulated white sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, molasses, unsalted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a blender and blend until smooth, about 40 seconds.
- Pour into the pie shell and bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the pie is set in the middle.
- Remove pie from the oven and let it cool for about 1 hour.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- You can use 1 ½ cups of cooked pinto beans.
- If using canned beans, drain and rinse them well before blending with the other ingredients.
- To make this recipe extra easy, I used a pre-made pie crust. My Homemade Pie Crust is also ideal if you fancy a bit of baking!
- Let the pinto bean pie cool for at least an hour before cutting and serving.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This post was first published on August 30, 2021. It has been updated with new information.
Tami says
When I saw this recipe, I had to make it. I didn’t tell anyone what it was until after everyone had finished their piece. The kids all guessed that it was gingerbread. Everyone thought it was very reminiscent of Thanksgiving. The kids thought it was just perfect. The adults, myself included, thought it was on the verge of being too sweet. Next time, I will cut the sugar at least by a 1/3, perhaps by half. It was extremely easy to make and delicious served with fresh whipped cream. Thanks for sharing such an unique recipe.
Tanya says
Thanks Tami! So happy you all liked the recipe. I love how no one realized it was a bean pie until afterwards lol. People are usually shocked to know beans can also be a delicous pie lol.
Bonnie says
Can't wait to try this. My black bean brownies are always a hit.
Love being able to add extra protein to great desserts.
Thank you for sharing.
Tanya says
Thanks Bonnie! I think you will like this pie. Black bean brownies sound good! I love the added protein and I'm sure no one even thinks they're eating beans.
erica kase says
Should you par bake the pie shell prior to filling?
Tanya says
I like to par bake my shell.
Jetaun Carr says
Can I use Maple sugar in place of the white sugar? Would it be the same amount?
Tanya says
Hi Jetuan, that should be fine. I've never made the sub. It'll have a rich flavor, but the sugar should act the same way in the oven.
Nanny says
Thank you
Alieness says
Fantastic recipe, this is my new go to pie for my husband and his friends, great hit with the kids too!
Tanya says
Thanks Alieness, so glad everyone like the pie 🙂
michelle says
Aren't beans amazing?!? The Chinese sweet red bean recipes came to mind when I saw this recipe. I WILL be making this because it looks so wonderful, and I promise that I'll return to leave feedback. I'm a new subscribee and so far LOVE your site. Thank you!