Pinto Beans Recipe

Rinse and sort

Spread the dried pinto beans on a clean surface or shallow bowl and remove any small stones, debris or shriveled beans. Transfer to a colander and rinse thoroughly under cool running water.

Quick soak (optional) or overnight soak

For an overnight soak: place rinsed beans in a large bowl and cover with 6 cups of water (about 4 cups water per 1.5 cups beans), refrigerate and soak 8–12 hours. For a quick soak: put rinsed beans in a pot, add 6 cups water and 1/4 tsp baking soda, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit 1 hour. Drain and discard soaking water; rinse beans.

Sauté aromatics

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 5–7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Combine beans and spices

Add the drained soaked beans to the pot. Pour in 4 cups of fresh water (reserve remaining water if you need to adjust later). Stir in the bay leaf, ground cumin, chili powder and black pepper.

Simmer gently

Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot with a lid tilted to allow steam to escape. Cook, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam from the surface, until beans are tender and creamy inside, 60–90 minutes. Check starting at 50 minutes and add up to 2 additional cups of water if beans are too dry during cooking.

Salt and finish

When beans are tender, stir in 1.5 teaspoons salt and simmer uncovered 5–10 minutes to allow flavors to meld and to thicken broth slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt, pepper or cumin if desired. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Ladle beans into bowls and finish with chopped fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime if using. Serve as a side, over rice, or use as a filling for tacos and burritos. Leftover beans keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.