10 Reviews of Mole Pinto Beans

From: justcallmetoni

On Jul 15, 2006

Yummy. This quick mole really did have the characteristic complexity of the Mexican sauce. Being in the States, I managed to include all of the ingredients stated and added 1 tablepoon of pepitas as well. At the end of 20 minuts of cooking, the mole tasted quite raw to me. Flavors were all there but had not merged into a single spectacuar flavor. Cooked an additional 20 minutes and that seemed to take care of it though I then had problems with the beans over cooking. Next time, I think I will simmer the sauce for 10 minutes before adding the beans and broth. Thanks Chef Kate!

From: evelyn/athens

On Jul 13, 2006

Like Mrs. B, I had to make a few minor changes to accommodate the lack of availability of some ingredients here in Europe. My changes were to use Barlotti beans in place of the Pinto, smoked paprika (1 tablespoonful) instead of the ancho chili powder and polenta in place of the masa harina. Having said that, let me say how wonderful this recipe is and how quick it is to put together! I had soaked my beans all last night and cooked them this morning. I finalized the recipe a couple of hours ago and can not believe the complexity and depth of flavour these beans have for such little work! Love the blender trick. I used cocoa powder instead of chocolate and I know we will be enjoying these with our Mexican Dinner in a couple of hours - if there are any left - I keep 'trying' them.

From: Aunt Cookie

On Mar 26, 2007

This was a very tasty bean recipe, and it was pretty quick to make. I served it with cornbread, and dinner was a hit. I thought the beans were a bit too saucy after the 20 minutes cooking time, so I took off the lid and let it simmer down for a while. The results were maybe a little too bitter for my taste (I think that is just the nature of mole; no fault of the recipe), but the other diner gave it 5 stars. Thanks for posting!

From: Mrs B

On Jul 12, 2006

The sauce is so good I reckon I could become addicted. Lukily I made a bit batch and have put some in the freezer. The only INTENTIONAL change was to use less chile powder than specified and make up the difference with powdered cumin (I love cumin). But I'm afraid I then had to make a number of substitutions due to ingredients (or lack of ingredients) on hand. I think I kept sufficiently close to the spirit of the recipe to give it a meaningful review. Chef Kate, I hope you agree the following were reasonable subs! Linseeds did the job of sesame seeds; masa harina became polenta; ground aniseed became dried fennel and barlotti beans subbed for the pinto beans.

From: mama's kitchen

On Jul 8, 2006

Awesome! This smelled divine before I even started the blender! AMAZING! LOVED them! Will make again and again! Thank you Chef Kate for this awesome recipe!

From: VegSocialWorker

On Nov 4, 2006

Oh, yumm. This is fantastic. It got a really big "MMmmm" from hubby on the first bite. I love the sauce for this and it is amazing how quick and easy it is to make. I used home-made pintos that I keep on hand in the freezer. Only subs I made was to use corn meal instead of masa harina. Thank you so much for this recipe, we will make it again for sure.

From: tigerduck

On Jul 14, 2006

This is an extremely fast mole recipe. I've made another mole recipe once called Mole Poblano de Pollo and it took me all day! The recipe for Kate's Pinto Beans (I had to substitute red kidney beans because our supermarkets don't sell pinto beans) is as I said extremely quick for a mole, but if you have the time I suggest that you cook it longer (you may need to add a little water then), as its flavour will certainly improve further by that. I used the beans as a filling for wraps with sour cream and cheddar cheese. After having made two mole recipes I have to admit that eating mole once in awhile is ok for me, but I am just not a big mole fan. However, if you love moles you should certainly try this one because you will hardly find one that takes less time than this recipe.

From: Kaarin

On Nov 10, 2006

This was very easy to make. Mole is a new experience for me, so I didn't make any substitutions except for regular chili powder. I served this in bowls with cheddar cheese and mixed with taco meat in tacos. It does have a complex flavor, as other reviewers have said, and seems to get better with time. I liked it and would make it again, except my family (with the exception of my 3 year bean addict!) would not even try it. Thanks for sharing this one though!

From: katia

On Jul 19, 2006

First time I made Mole and it was great. I also made some changes because I couln't find all these ingredients here in Greece. I used barlotti beans in place of the Pinto, cocoa powder instead of chocolate, flour instead of masa harina and no ground aniseed. I lvoved it. Mexican food was always one of my favorites! Thanks, Kate!

From: Cookworm

On Feb 13, 2009

Excellent dish. The kids gobbled it and for a bean recipe, that's something. Like Aunt Cookie, I thought mine was too liquid so I took the lid off for about 15 more minutes to let it thicken. Worked great.