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.
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“Excellent! Made exactly as recipe states and they were perfectly seasoned and tender. I would be glad to serve these to company!” -Christine, FoodieCrush reader
This Is the Best Method I’ve Discovered for Cooking Dry Pinto Beans
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.
Enjoy!
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.
Presoaked beans can be drained and frozen in a freezer-safe ziplock bag, then cooked later. Talk about a time saver!
Simmer, but do not boil, the beans 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 Cook Pinto Beans
Cooking pinto beans is a simple 5-ingredient affair that’s as easy as soaking then simmering.
Step 1: Soak the Dried Beans
Dump the beans into a large bowl or pot and pick out any that are shriveled or discolored. Then, cover with about 3 inches of water, pop a lid or towel over top, and let soak for at least 8 hours.
Heads up: you don’t need to refrigerate the beans while they’re soaking!
After they’ve finished soaking, drain the beans and rinse them thoroughly before moving on.
Heidi’s Tip: Some cooks soak their beans, some don’t bother. Personally, I always soak my pinto beans. 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.
Step 2: Flavor the Beans
Transfer the rinsed beans to a large pot (I love using a Dutch oven for this since it distributes heat more evenly) and add the 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.
Step 3: Top with Water and Then Simmer for 2 hours
Add enough water to the pot to cover the beans by about 2 inches. For more flavor, add 1 cup of chicken or vegetable stock to the water.
Then, all you have to do is heat the beans until they reach a gentle boil. Once the water starts to boil, immediately reduce the heat 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
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.
- Drain and rinse. 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 aromatics. Add the chopped onion, smashed garlic, and bay leaves then drizzle with the olive oil. Season with kosher salt.
- Simmer for 2 hours. 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.
- Season to taste. 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipes to Make with Pinto Beans
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
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