Do Bojangles Pinto Beans Contain Pork?

Bojangles is a popular fast food chain known for its fried chicken, biscuits, and classic Southern sides. One of their most popular menu items is the pinto beans – a hearty, protein-packed side dish that perfectly complements Bojangles’ crispy chicken.

But for those avoiding pork for dietary, religious, or personal reasons, an important question arises – do Bojangles pinto beans contain pork? Let’s find out!

An Overview of Bojangles

For some background, Bojangles is an American fast food restaurant chain founded in 1977 in Charlotte, North Carolina It specializes in fried chicken, biscuits, and Southern-style sides

Bojangles has over 750 locations across the Southeastern United States and is particularly popular in its home state of North Carolina.

Some of their best-selling menu items include

• Bojangles’ Famous Chicken (fried chicken)
• Made-from-scratch Buttermilk Biscuits
• Legendary Iced Tea
• Cajun Pintos
• Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Coleslaw
• Dirty Rice
• Green Beans

Bojangles’ offerings are inspired by true Southern home-cooking using classic ingredients and seasonings. Their signature pinto beans are a longtime customer favorite.

What Are Bojangles Pinto Beans?

The pinto beans at Bojangles are slow-cooked with a blend of seasonings to create a rich, savory side dish.

Pinto beans are small pinkish-brown beans that are very popular in Mexican and Southwestern U.S. cuisine. They have a creamy texture and earthy, nutty flavor when cooked.

Bojangles starts with dried pinto beans and soaks them overnight before simmering slowly for hours with smoked pork for flavor. Once tender, they add seasonings like garlic, cumin, and chili powder.

The result is a pot of tender beans swimming in a smoky, spicy broth. They make the perfect accompaniment to Bojangles’ crispy fried chicken and flaky biscuits.

Do Bojangles Pinto Beans Contain Pork?

Based on researching the preparation process and contacting the company, Bojangles has confirmed that their pinto beans do NOT contain pork or any pork products.

Although the beans are traditionally cooked with smoked pork to impart flavor during simmering, the pork is removed after cooking. No pork ends up in the final pinto bean product.

Bojangles uses a similar process to many traditional Southern-style recipes for beans that use pork as a cooking agent but remove it prior to serving. This technique adds rich, smoky notes to the beans.

So while pork is initially used in cooking, it is not an actual ingredient in the pinto beans. The final product contains just beans, seasonings, and cooking liquid – no traces of pork remain.

Therefore, Bojangles pinto beans are completely pork-free and safe for those avoiding pork products.

Why Do Some Recipes Cook Beans with Pork?

Using pork to prepare dried beans is a traditional technique in many cuisines, including Southern U.S., Mexican, Cajun, and Soul Food cooking.

There are a few reasons cooks use pork to make beans:

• Flavor – Pork adds a rich, smoky, savory taste as the beans simmer.

• Texture – The meat helps keep the beans tender and intact during long cooking times.

• Nutrition – Pork boosts the protein content of the beans.

However, the pork is removed after infusing flavor so that the final bean dish is pork-free. Other seasonings and ingredients are then added to finish the beans.

This is the same process used by Bojangles to create their signature pinto beans.

Are Bojangles Pinto Beans Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans?

Since the pinto beans do not actually contain any pork, they are suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. The other seasonings used are plant-based.

However, it’s important to note that cross-contamination is highly likely at Bojangles. The same pots and utensils are probably used to prepare pork-containing and pork-free menu items.

So for those with strict dietary concerns related to cross-contamination with meat products, Bojangles kitchen practices may still make their pinto beans unsafe.

But in terms of actual ingredients, the beans align with a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Other Vegan Bojangles Menu Options

In addition to the pinto beans, there are a few other vegan Bojangles menu items to consider:

• Garden Salad – Without croutons or cheese
• Green Beans – Seasoned green beans
• Mashed Potatoes – Without butter or gravy
• Macaroni and Cheese – Request no cheese
• Biscuits – Ask for biscuits with no butter
• BBQ Sauce – Use as dipping sauce

Keep in mind cross-contamination is likely since most menu items contain animal products. But these options avoid meat, dairy, and eggs as ingredients.

The Bottom Line

Based on direct confirmation from Bojangles, review of their preparation process, and thorough research, Bojangles pinto beans do not contain any pork or pork products.

While pork is initially used to cook the beans, it is removed before serving. The final pinto bean product consists of beans, seasonings, and cooking liquid only.

So enjoy those satisfyingly savory pinto beans alongside your chicken and biscuits without concerns about pork contents! Just be aware that cross-contamination is possible at any fast food restaurant.

Overall, Bojangles pinto beans are a tasty meat-free option accessible to most vegetarians, vegans, and pork-avoidant diets. Southern comfort food never tasted so good!