Pinto Beans Recipe

“I’m never buying pinto beans in a can again!” I told Jack last week, as I savored spoonful after spoonful of pinto beans straight from a pot on the stove. Maybe I was exaggerating (canned beans are darn convenient, after all), but I’ll certainly reach for them less often than I used to. If the last year has taught me anything, it’s that cooking pinto beans from scratch will yield creamier, more flavorful beans every time.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m arriving late to the dried beans party. A few years back, I did try cooking them, but without much luck. I now realize that the beans that I had were too old and dried out to soften properly (note: fresher beans are better beans – look for yours at a store with high turnover!). But at the time, I decided that cooking dried beans just wasn’t for me.

What won me over? Our neighborhood bar, Kite String Cantina, started offering a weekly box of local foods. In addition to scoring fresh veggies and Chef Renee’s SUPER flavorful sauces, we started getting a bag of dried beans each week.

So over the last few months, I’ve perfected my method for how to cook pinto beans from scratch. This pinto beans recipe is amazingly simple, and it’s delicious, too. The beans are lightly spicy, aromatic, and irresistibly creamy. Try it once, and you’ll never want to eat pinto beans any other way.

This method for how to cook pinto beans from scratch takes some time, but don’t let that scare you! The process is super simple and almost entirely hands off. Here’s how it goes:

This pinto beans recipe is also a fantastic side dish. Serve it as part of an at-home taco bar or with any of these Mexican-inspired recipes:

Pinto Beans

Try this pinto beans recipe once, and you’ll never get the canned kind again! Note that the cooking time here will depend on the freshness of your beans. Fresher beans cook more quickly and soften more evenly, so buy your beans from a source with high turnover if you can.

Prep: 15min

Yield: 8

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry pinto beans
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• ½ white onion (chopped)
• 1½ teaspoons cumin
• 8 cups water (more as needed)
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (more to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (more to taste)
• 1 jalapeño (stemmed and diced)
• Chili powder (to taste)
• Cilantro (for garnish)

Instruction:

1. Place the beans in a large colander and sort through them to remove and discard any stones or debris. Rinse them well and transfer them to a large bowl. Cover with 2 to 3 inches of water and discard any beans that float. Soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. If you like spicy beans, add the jalapeño with the onion.
3. Stir in the cumin and then add the beans, water, oregano, salt, and several grinds of pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender. The timing will depend on the freshness of your beans. I like to check mine starting at 1 hour and every 15 minutes after that. Add more liquid to the pot, as needed, to keep the beans submerged. I like to cook my pinto beans until they’re starting to fall apart and the bean liquid around them has thickened.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Season the beans to taste with more salt (I typically add ½ to 1 additional teaspoon), more pepper, and chili powder, if desired. Garnish with cilantro, if using. Store the beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

How to Make THE BEST Pinto Beans

This master pinto beans recipe is the nutritious and inexpensive way to transform dried, shelf-stable pinto beans to serve on their own or turn into refried beans.

Prep: 10min

Total: 673min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 281 kcal, Carbohydrate 37 g, Protein 12 g, Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Sodium 885 mg, Fiber 9 g, Sugar 2 g, unSaturated Fat 8 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried pinto beans (, rinsed in a colander)
• 4-6 cups water
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion (, chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (, peeled and smashed)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Instruction:

1. 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 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.
2. 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.

Mexican Pinto Beans

Instead of soaking pinto beans overnight, use the quick soak method to make this Mexican side dish. Use a smokey thick-cut bacon for additional flavor. For more heat, add minced jalapeno.

Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried pinto beans
• 3 cups reserved chicken broth
• 3 bacon slices, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Instruction:

1. Sort and wash pinto beans; place in a large saucepan. Cover with water 2 inches above beans, and bring to a boil. Boil beans 1 minute. Cover, remove from heat, and let soak 1 hour. Drain.
2. Bring beans, broth, and remaining ingredients to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. Chill, if desired; reheat over medium heat.

Crock Pot Pinto Beans

These homemade pinto beans are full of flavor and super simple to make! No pre-soaking is required…just get out your slow cooker and combine 4 simple ingredients. Let that slow cooker do all the work and pretty soon you’ll have yourself a tasty side dish to pair with any meal!

Prep: 10min

Total: 490min

Yield: 12

Serving Size: 0.75 cup

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 0.75 cup, calories 262 kcal, Carbohydrate 47 g, Protein 16 g, Sodium 404 mg, Fiber 11 g, Sugar 1 g

Ingredients:

• 1 lb bag of dried pinto beans, (rinsed and picked over for stones and broken pieces)
• 7 ½ cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, (optional)

Instruction:

1. Pour the beans onto a counter and sort through them and discard obvious broken pieces and any rocks, as well as any dark beans.
2. Rinse the dry beans and place them in the slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients into a slow cooker and stir.
3. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. You want to ensure you don’t overcook them. You don’t want them falling apart.
4. Once cooked, turn the slow cooker off.
5. They are now ready to serve. You can serve them plain or top them off with your favorite toppings such as feta or cotija cheese and parsley or cilantro.

Southern Style Pinto Beans: How to Cook Them Like a Pro

FAQ

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