In the US, pinto beans are the most often consumed dry beans. They are a kind of common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, which is a staple in Mexican cooking. When dried, pinto beans are beige with reddish-brown flecks; however, when cooked, they turn a solid light brown or pale pink color.

There are three different types of pinto beans: Burke, Hidatsa, and Othello. The red variation of the pinto bean known as alubia pinta alavesa, sometimes known as the "Alavese pinto bean," was developed in Aana, a town and municipality in the province of lava in the Basque Country of northern Spain.