If you go into a barbecue place in this neck of the woods you will probably not be served sweet baked beans. Most likely you will get some version of these spicy, tangy, Low Fat Ranch Chili Beans! I have been making these beans in one form or the other for years now, but getting it copied down and posted has been like nailing jello to a wall! I make it a little differently each time and add all sorts of twists and turns depending on what I have on hand so getting it to the point of tasting the same every time has been tricky, but this is what it finally “boiled down to”(pun intended).
I knew this trial was a keeper when my husband uttered the words that he always does when it is time for me to post a recipe. “Is this really on the plan? I don’t see how you could lose weight eating something that tastes this good.” BINGO! 🙂 Flavorful fat-free, yumminess!
There are a couple of different ways that this dish can be made and either way you’ll still have a good, warm spicy-ish chili bean dish for adding lots of good nutrition and flavor to your E meals or for eating as a main dish by adding ground turkey to make a delish low fat Turkey Chili.
Topping this dish with fat free greek yogurt or Light Laughing Cow cheese will give it an extra protein/flavor boost too and make it a complete satisfying meal!
Low Fat Ranch Chili Beans
Ingredients
Method 1 - Crock pot or Saucepan Ranch Beans (Easiest and mildest)
- 2 1/4 cups (1 lb) dry pinto beans
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (breaks down the phytic acid (anti-nutrient) in the beans and makes them more digestible)
- Soak in water - I allow an extra couple of inches of water on top to make sure they have plenty of room to expand. I like to soak them overnight or up to 24 hours but for a quick soak just heat the water and beans to boiling and cover for an hour.
- After soaking, drain the beans and add in:
- 8 cups fat free chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can rotel tomatoes (optional)
- 1/8 tsp Super Sweet Blend or 1/2 tsp Gentle Sweet or 1/4 tsp Truvia
- 2 tsp. high mineral salt (I use Celtic or Real salt)
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 2 tablespoon chili powder (to taste, can use one)
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. garlic powder (not garlic salt)
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
This can be placed in a pot and brought to a boil then turned down very low and boiled for at least 3 hours. OR if the recipe is doubled it can be cooked in a crock pot on simmer for 6-8 hours. You want the beans to be very tender if using this method and the juices cooked down. The flavors will be much more intense the second and third day with these beans. I tend to double this batch and divide into freezer bags at 2 cups each and just use them like I would the off plan, canned Ranch Style beans.
Method 2 - Baked Spicy Ranch Beans
- 2 1/4 cups (1 lb) dry pinto beans (1 lb.)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (breaks down the phytic acid (anti-nutrient) in the beans and makes them more digestible
Soak in water - I allow an extra couple of inches of water on top to make sure they have plenty of room to expand. I like to soak them overnight or up to 24 hours but for a quick soak just heat the water and beans to boiling and cover for an hour.
Drain beans and add in:
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups fat free chicken or vegetable broth
Place in a saucepan and bring to a boil then cook on very low for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. The beans should be just tender but not falling apart. Drain, but reserve juice. Transfer the beans to a small casserole dish with a lid or a 8 inch square glass baking dish that can be covered with foil.
In a jar or small bowl mix together:
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (I use salsa)
- 1/8 tsp Super Sweet Blend or 1/2 tsp Gentle Sweet or 1/4 tsp Truvia
- 2 tsp. high mineral salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. paprika (sweet or smoked)
- 1 tsp. garlic
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- 1 1/2 cups bean juice (from reserved - see above)
Combine this mixture and pour over the beans in the casserole dish. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours at 250 degrees OR transfer to a small slow cooker (if you doubled the batch) and cook on low for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. This really concentrates the flavors and gives you that Texas bar-b-qued bean flavor.
*Note - adjust the spicy seasonings to your families tastes, I dialed it back for family use!
Could you do these with a can of pinto beans?
I actually bought canned beans the other day to check that out but I don’t see why not!
I love these beans! They are so good and I feel much better using them than the canned ones. I soaked mine for 24 hrs and cooked them on my stove top. Mine took several hours. Literally, probably 6 hrs to get good and tender. Have you had that happen?
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the beans Erin. I’ve cooked dried beans for 40plus years and have noticed that beans will do this when they are years old. I first noticed them getting hard (and sometimes impossible) to soften just a few years ago only a few weeks after purchase, though.
I believe they may be being processed or stored in some way that is causing this but I can’t prove it. I now buy my beans from my health food store or go to the grocery and buy them within a week or so of cooking them and no more problems.
Hope this helps.
Can these be done in the Instant Pot?
Yes, this is a pre-InstaPot recipe but I make all my bean recipes in the InstaPot now.