Food Recipes Appetizers Dips & Spreads Cheesy Pinto Bean Dip with Chorizo and Chiles 5.0 (1) 1 Review Combine creamy pinto beans with three kinds of chiles, Mexican chorizo, and gooey Oaxaca cheese in this party-ready dip. By Fermín Núñez Fermín Núñez A 2021 F&W Best New Chef, Fermín Núñez is the chef of groundbreaking Suerte restaurant in Austin. He's known for sourcing fresh, local masa for his housemade tortillas and was Eater Austin's 2019 Chef of the Year. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 11, 2024 Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tricia is a recipe developer and tester for Dotdash Meredith with a focus on baking and pastry as well as a passion for all things food-related. She has developed over 1,200 recipes, which have appeared both in magazines, online, and in cookbooks alike. She is a former Baking and Pastry Editor with experience in food styling, video production, and crafting culinary curriculum for more than a dozen culinary and lifestyle brands. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Cedric Angeles Active Time: 1 hr 5 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Yield: 6 cups Jump to recipe Creamy pinto beans give this dip a creamy texture, while three kinds of chiles — smoky morita chiles and sweet and fruity guajillo and pulla chiles — plus Mexican chorizo, crispy bacon, and onions pack it with subtle smokiness and a mild, slow-building heat. This dip is deliciously savory and hearty, especially when topped with more melted Oaxaca cheese and served with salted tortilla chips. Frequently Asked Questions What are morita chiles? Morita chiles are ripe jalapeños that have been smoked and dried. They are available at most Mexican grocery stores or online at spicestationsilverlake.com. If you can’t find morita chiles, substitute an equal amount of dried guajillo chiles. What are pulla chiles? Pulla chiles are long, flat chiles with a spicy and fruity flavor. They are available at most Mexican grocery stores or online at spicestationsilverlake.com. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Watch the color of the chiles while toasting them, the color will deepen as they toast within about two minutes. Make ahead The bean dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat it in a pan over low heat, stirring often, until warmed through. Leftovers are great reheated and on huevos rancheros or nachos. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 pound dried pinto beans 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste 2 ounces dried guajillo chiles (about 8 chiles), stemmed and seeded 1/4 ounce dried morita chiles (about 2 chiles), stemmed and seeded 1/8 ounce dried pulla chiles (about 2 chiles) or chiles de árbol, stemmed and seeded 1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as sunflower) 4 ounces thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces (about 2/3 cup) 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion 8 ounces Mexican-style chorizo, casing removed 1/3 cup Mexican-style lager 1 1/4 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese, divided Aleppo pepper and fresh oregano leaves, for garnish Tortilla chips, for serving Directions Place beans in a large Dutch oven, and add water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high; reduce heat to medium, and stir in 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, 2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes, adding additional water if needed to keep beans submerged. Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Working in batches, toast dried chiles, turning occasionally, until fragrant and slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Place chiles in a medium bowl, and add water to cover; let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Transfer chiles and 1/2 cup soaking liquid to a blender; process until a smooth paste forms, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Set chile paste aside. Discard remaining soaking liquid. Strain cooked beans using a fine wire-mesh strainer placed over a medium-size heatproof bowl; reserve 2 1/2 cups cooking liquid. Set aside 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl for topping. Wipe Dutch oven clean. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium. Add bacon and onion; cook, stirring often, until bacon is rendered and onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chorizo; cook, stirring often to crumble into small pieces, until chorizo is mostly cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Add lager; cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pan, until liquid has reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chile paste, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and just starting to stick to bottom of pan, about 4 minutes. Add cooked beans and reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer over medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Process bean mixture using an immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, puree bean mixture, in batches, in a blender until smooth; return bean mixture to Dutch oven.) Stir in 1 cup cheese and remaining 1 teaspoon salt until cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt. Add 1/2 cup bean dip and remaining 1/4 cup cheese to bowl with reserved 1/2 cup whole cooked beans; stir until cheese is melted. Transfer remaining bean dip to a serving bowl; top with whole bean mixture. Garnish with Aleppo pepper and oregano leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature with tortilla chips. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, September 2024 Rate It Print