This easy recipe transforms dried pinto beans into the most flavorful, delicious, and creamy beans ever. Enjoy the pinto beans on their own, or add them to your favorite soups, stews, and chilis.
My method for preparing pinto beans comes together nice and easy on the stove with the same method I use for my cannellini beans. The beans are so creamy and full of great savory flavor.
They start with an overnight soak of the dried beans, then a hands-off slow simmer on the stove.
Using dried beans allows you to discern the texture you prefer most—beans with a bit of bite or smashed and mashed—and how to flavor them—keeping them vegetarian, or not (did I hear someone say “bacon”?)—makes home cooked beans a simple comfort food favorite.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
- To soak, or not to soak? For me, soaking the beans overnight ensures I always end up with a great pot of just-how-I-like-them pinto beans.
- Simmer, but do not boil, the beans continuously while cooking. Trying to rush the cooking process by boiling dried beans rather than cooking at a slow simmer will cause the beans to split and fall apart.
- Season with kosher salt as you go. By salting the beans as they cook, you allow them time to slowly absorb the flavor.
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Olive oil — A hearty dose of olive oil adds a richness to the cooking stock and helps the beans become creamy as they cook.
- Dried pinto beans — Rinse the well in a colander under cold tap water to remove any lingering dust or debris.
- Aromatics — Roughly chopped onion and garlic flavor the beans from the inside out. I also add two bay leaves for an even richer flavor.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper — Always season to taste.
- Chicken stock (optional) — I use homemade if I have it on-hand, or try veggie stock to make this recipe vegetarian. If using store-bought stock of either kind, I recommend deeply flavored Better Than Bouillon Base added to the water.
How to Soak Dried Pinto Beans
Some cooks soak their beans, some don’t bother.
Why should you soak dried beans? Because soaking them first rehydrates the beans to ensure they cook evenly and quicker. Some also believe soaking the beans before cooking relieves the beans of the sugars and breaks down the fiber that causes gas and bloating.
- Place the beans in a large bowl or pot.
- Pick out and shriveled or discolored beans and discard.
- Cover with 3 inches of cold water.
- Set on the counter uncovered for 8-24 hours. There’s no need to refrigerate beans as they soak.
- Discard soaking water and rinse beans throughly in cold water.
Heidi’s Tip: Presoaked beans can be drained and frozen in a freezer safe ziplock bag, then cooked later. Talk about a time saver!
How to Cook Pinto Beans on the Stove
- Add onion, smashed garlic cloves, and olive oil. Depending on the time I have on hand, sometimes I sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil before adding the beans and water, and sometimes I don’t. If preferred, cook a quartered onion in the cooking liquid rather than chopped to still get the flavor but make it easier to fish out of the beans once done cooking.
- Add two inches cooking water to the soaked beans. Cover the beans with water to be absorbed as the beans cook.
- For more flavor, add stock. You can also add 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock to the water.
- Simmer until tender. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer and cook the pinto beans for about 2 hours. Skim the cooking water with a small strainer as needed.
More Bean Broth Flavor Enhancers
- Sauté chopped bacon or pancetta with the onions and garlic
- Instead of yellow onion, try shallots or red onion
- Sprinkle in red pepper flakes for a bit of heat
- Toss the rind of a Parmesan cheese wedge into the simmering beans to flavor and thicken the broth
- Add a dash of soy sauce or amino acids for another layer of umami
- Simmer smashed anchovy paste with the stock
- Diced tomato or tomato paste
Storage and Freezing Tips
Cooked pinto beans will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Store them in their cooking liquid to keep them moist and creamy.
You can also freeze the beans for up to 3 months. Again, make sure they’re fully submerged in the cooking liquid or else they’re dry out in the freezer.
What to Serve With Pinto Beans
- The BEST Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Easy Mexican Coleslaw
- Slow Cooker Mexican Pot Roast
- Juicy Pulled Pork Carnitas
- Chopped Mexican Kale Salad
- Spanish Rice
- Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri
- Chicken Fajitas
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
THE BEST Pinto Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans , rinsed in a colander
- 4-6 cups water
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , peeled and smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
Soak the Beans
- Add the pinto beans to a large bowl and cover with 2-3 inches of cold water. Soak the beans on the counter overnight or for 8-24 hours.
Cook the Beans
- Drain and rinse the beans then add to a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Cover with 4-6 cups of cold water or so they're covered by about 3 inches. Add the chopped onion, smashed garlic, and bay leaves then drizzle with the olive oil. Season with kosher salt. Bring the beans to a boil. Skim off the foam that forms and discard. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a gentle simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours or until tender, cooking longer if needed. Add more water if needed to keep the beans submerged.
- Once the beans are cooked to your desired tenderness, remove them from the heat and discard bay leaves. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately or at room temperature, and refrigerate the leftover beans in their cooking liquid for up to 1-2 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Bean Side Dishes
- Cannellini Beans
- BBQ Baked Beans
- Creamy Refried Beans
- Roasted Chickpeas With Parmesan
- 20 Recipes You Can Make with a Can of Beans
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Theresa B
easy, straightforward, and yummy
Glad you liked it Theresa. Thanks for the comment and stars :)
Linda Larsen
Hi Heidi, I made these with a pound of black beans. I soaked them overnight until 3pm the next day. I followed the recipe and after 1 hour the beans were done and soft but there was alot of broth still. I put 2′ of water above the beans in a 12″ pot. Did I use too much water or did I soak them too long. They smell and taste great, I just do get it right for next time. Thanks.
Hmmm, I’m not sure if your black bean variety didn’t soak up as much water? But really, in my opinion, it’s okay so long as they tasted good!
Linda
Thanks for responding, Heidi. I think I figured it out. I soaked the beans for 24 hrs instead of 10-12 hrs. that’s why they cooked in an hour. Thanks again.
Ah! That’s a good assumption!
Jamie Manarin
Great start to beans! I added some cumin and oregano the last hour. Delicious
Love that idea Jamie. Did you use Mexican oregano?
David
Excellent simple recipe. I always use a ham shank as an addition for meat and flavor. I bake the shank in the oven first to render some of the fat, then add to the beans while simmering. After an hour or so, I remove the shank and cut the meat from the bone making sure that I remove all the tendons. I didn’t this time, but occasionally I’ll add a can of Rotel salsa to add as a more traditional style of Mexican pinto beans.
Great ideas on different ways to make these beans. Thanks for sharing David. Love the Rotel idea.
Marcia
I was craving pinto beans and discovered this on a search for Best Pinto Beans. I followed the recipe exactly (well, I did replace olive oil with Avocado oil cuz I never heat olive oil; and I added pressed tofu and two tsp Beyond Bouillon Veg Chicken plus one roasted, steamed, peeled, chopped Poblano Pepper). THESE ARE THE MOST FLAVORFUL BEANS EVER!!!!!!!! Bravo!!!! I’ve eaten them every day since I made them Sunday (this is Wed). I’m plant based and love getting some of my protein sources from such a yummy dish. Thank you, I will make this recipe again and again.
Thank you Marcia! Wow, that is a serious endorsement and I appreciate you coming back around to say so and give the recipe 5 stars! And I can eat them all week long too!
Francine
This was delicious! I added the Parmesan rind and the flavor was over the top.
So glad you liked it Francine! Great idea with the parmesan rind.
Jon
My family loves this recipe. What is the cooked servings size that the nutrition/macro info is based on?
Plan on the serving size as 3/4 cup. Thanks Jon, glad they love it.
Patrick
Your recipe is off on cooking time. Soaked my beans directly from the store for 10 hours, cooked them for 5 and still hard and its because you add the onion before they are done. Onions or highly acidic which makes the beans harder to soften. Just a tip to everyone don’t add the onions until maybe the last hour or add them and cook on low for an hour after they are done.
These cook for me in the time I’ve given but thanks for the tip Patrick.
Vanessa
Hi there. Can I lightly fry the beans with the onions and garlic before adding water / broth?
I’ve never tried that method but let us know if it works.
Gail
These beans were delicious. Can u make the same recipe using baby Lima beans or great northern beans
So glad you liked them Gail! Thank you.
Jane Mills
You do such a great job of just getting to the dang recipe and not educating us about the history of a pinto bean. I am so tired of scrolling through online recipes to just find out what I need to do to make it. Great job. Following. And cooking it now. Smells delicious! I added a couple of slices of jalapeno.
Thank you Jane! I’m so glad you liked the recipe and the blog!
Jayne
This recipe is really easy. The only reason I’m going with five stars is because of the bay leaf.
While it is a subtle flavor, it somehow just doesn’t belong. But, it’s important to point out that once the beans cooled down and were reheated for our next meal – the flavor of the bay leaf is no longer noticeable. I still won’t use it next time – but they turn out great in the end.
Hayley
Hi Jayne! Thanks for your honest review. Definitely feel free to omit the bay leaf next time. We’re glad you still enjoyed the beans in the end. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Liz
The bay leaf is very traditional but not needed if you don’t have them or don’t like using them. I personally use 3 when cooking my beans and I love the flavor they give. I’m making them now —smells so good!
Jess Qld Australia
Thanks! Such a simple recipe. I made it last night to have for breakfast this morning. I didn’t know how to serve them, with the liquid or without? ❓❓❓
I forgot the oil while cooking so drizzled some on afterwards and didn’t add all the salt during the cooking .
My husband tried draining some beans to have on toast. I tried it plain with the liquid in a bowl. Simple flavours and I needed to add more salt. I haven’t cooked Mexican style before.
I enjoyed reading through everyone’s comments and optional extras and discovering it can be had for dinner and with rice
❓❓❓Are there any tricks to get kids, who don’t like the texture of beans, to like eating beans?
I love eating these beans in the broth and drained! The broth is one of my favorite parts and I’ll eat it like a soup. You could smear the beans and melt cheese on them, most kids love anything with melted cheese!
Lisa
This recipe was easy and taste great! Please let me know if the nutritional information is for the entire pot of beans or one serving. If it’s for one serving as you noted the recipe serves 8, how much is each serving? One cup? 1/2 cup, etc.?
Hayley
Thanks for sharing, Lisa. 1 pound of beans yields about 6 cups, and a serving is 1/2 cup.
Tyler T
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe! I’ve enjoyed homemade pintos from my Mexican family most of my life but I’ve never found a good way to cook them myself. Always my aunts would use unhealthy fats like lard, bacon or a fatty ham hock. That fat is definitely a huge source of the smoothness and flavor but it never dawned on me to replace that unhealthy fat with a healthier one like EVOO. Game changer. So good but so much healthier than my old school fam method. And the onion/garlic/salt proportions are perfect. Thanks again for this great recipe!
Hayley
Thank you for sharing, Tyler! We’re so happy you loved this one!
Jerry Weeks
I didn’t care for the taste with the bay leaf. The bay leaf left a pine like taste. My sister in law, whom is Hispanic, said no bay leaf.
Hayley
Hey Jerry! It should be a very subtle flavor, but feel free to leave it out next time!
Joy
II froze the beans after soaking. what do I have to do after freezing? do I just let them sit in fridge until defroated?
Hayley
Hi Joy! Yes, just let them defrost fully in the fridge, before proceeding with the recipe. We hope you enjoy!
Bert Roan
Can I use beef stock instead of chicken or vegetable?
Hey Bert, I haven’t tried it with beef stock but it would probably work fine. Thanks for the question/comment!
Angela
Turned out super tasty with great texture!
That’s so good to hear Angela! Thanks for making and leaving a comment and rating!
Melissa Calderaz Amos
This woman’s not lying, these are easy and delicious. And please do the step where you soak them, you won’t be sorry.
That’s right Melissa, when it comes to food I never lie :) Glad you liked them!
Tammy Capo
I make pintos at least twice a month. My hubby loves them with Puerto Rican Culantro (not cilantro) and add a dash of ground cumin, onion, garlic and smoked sausage that’s been fried for caramelization. We eat over rice with slices of the big, sweet, smooth skin avocado. This is comfort food for him living away from his native Puerto Rico.
This sounds amazing Tammy! I may have to turn it into a full blown recipe here!
Chloe F
Perfect and delicious! Thank you
Hayley
We’re happy you enjoyed the recipe Chloe!
Shelley M
I’ve cooked pinto beans plenty of times but never without sautéing the onions and garlic first and adding lots of spices. This recipe is simple and even more delicious.
A Big Hint: instead of soaking the beans overnight I did the quick soak method which is covering the beans with 5-6 cups of water, boiling them for 2 minutes and then letting them soak while covered for 1 hour (no heat). After that drain them, add the onion, garlic, olive oil and salt and I cooked them for about 1.5 hours. They came out great! So tender and delicious.
PS.I haven’t soaked beans overnight in years. Thanks for the simple and delicious recipe.
TOtally agree Shelley! I’ve done the quick soak method too and it works like a charm! Thanks for the comment and the 5-star rating.
Jen D
Thank you so much for helping perfect an already perfect recipe! Your shortcut let me make this for dinner tonight vs just trying it another time when I get it together ;).
Steven Krasner
First time making beans of any kind. Your recipe made it super easy! Thanks so much, they are delicious!
So glad you liked them Steven! Thanks for letting us know!
Kat Butler
Made these tonight for my family of picky eaters and rave reviews! I added a dash of chili pepper and cubed some ham from a ham steak, including the ham hock to cook in with the beans. Perfect
Glad it was a success Kat!
Brenda H.
Hey Heidi!! This is the BEST bean recipe I have ever come across! The flavors are so rich and so juicy! I am literally in love. I just wanted to thank you for how much you have changed my life. I used to not be able to get out of bed in the mornings, I was always sad. But now, my life has been so terrific. I have no way to truly thank you enough. #thestuggleisreal
I’m so glad you enjoyed Brenda! Thank you so much !:)
Janet
Can you make these in the crock pot after soaking?
Hayley
Absolutely! You can either cook them on low for about 6-7 hours, or until the beans are tender, or you could cook them on high for about 4 hours. Hope you enjoy!
Janet
Thank you!
Paige
I tried this bean recipe last month. I used canned beans instead since I was in a hurry. It was tasty! I’d love to try dried beans one day when I find time for it
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed, Paige!
Grandma K
Simple to make and delicious, I did not change anything. This will be a staple in my diet. Thanks so much for posting this recipe!
Happy to hear you enjoyed!
Anne Fescada
Will a quick soak work? Im hoping to make these for dinner tonight…
Larry
Yes it will work……
Kathy Vasile
OMB!!!! Thanks to this wonderful site and recipe, I’ve come a LLLLOOOGGGGG LONG WAY in making beans from scratch . Before, I didn’t cook the soaked beans before serving . . ..I did add some things this time: big splash of bourbon, dark brown sugar, yellow and red peppers, hot BBQ sauce, and garlic. I, too, love Better than Bullion. We’re going to make your white bean and tuna salad next! Thank you!!
I’m glad you enjoyed it Kathy!
Terri Jones
I didn’t have bayleaves, but I did add a tablespoon of Better Than Buillion roasted chicken flavor. I used a large cast iron pot, cooked the bacon first, then added a couple of tablespoons olive oil. I should have removed half of the bavo grease because I ended up having to use the bread trick to get rid of the extra grease! but I was going for the extra flavor. I followed the rest of the recipe exactly, andy beans turned out GREAT.
Brenda H.
Where did you find the Better than Buillion flavor? I wanted to try out your version for my sweet kiddos back at home! Thanks!
Elisa
LOVE these! Meaty but vegan! Definitely recommend these pinto beans 10 times over! :)
Rose
Woah! That does look healthy! And delicious. Thanks for the recipe!