This master pinto beans recipe is an inexpensive way to transform dried, shelf-stable pinto beans to serve on their own or turn into refried beans.
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT120M
Total time: PT610M
Rating
4.95 stars (138 reviews)
Keywords
pinto beans
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
Categories
Main Course
Cuisine
Mexican
Steps
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.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 281 kcal
Carbohydrates: 37 g
Protein: 12 g
Fat: 10 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Sodium: 885 mg
Sugar: 2 g
Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
Reviews
STEPHANIE DOMINGUEZ-CRAM on 2026-02-16 (5 stars): I have used this recipe several times and the pintos come out flavorful and delicious. The added bonus is making them into refried beans to make tasty toastadas!
LGP on 2026-01-26 (5 stars): These look delicious and I can't wait to make them!! Just curious: Lots of sources recommend using cooked beans within 5 days, while you suggest up to 2 weeks. I'm sure it boils down to common sense (don't eat if there are signs of spoilage), but wondering also if recommendations are shifting. Thanks!
Pameal on 2026-01-15 (5 stars): You are right! These are the best beans! Followed your recipe and added a few strips of bacon per your suggeston. Thank You:)
Blair on 2026-01-10 (5 stars): Absolutely delicious beans, great recipe.
Rick Musick on 2025-11-04 (5 stars): right on the money. very good receipe.
Rick Musick on 2025-11-04 (5 stars): right on the money. very good receipe.
Victoria on 2025-09-09 (5 stars): Seriously?!? Purchase some fresh pinto beans already & quit whining. You can't use beans you haven't stored correctly & expect them to work. That's what the problem is. Maybe you should just leave the cooking to someone else.
Ula on 2025-09-09 (4 stars): This recipe made us some pretty decent beans. The only thing I do differently is to brine the beans in the soaking liquid overnight. The salt makes the skins a bit more tender, the beans don't break up as easily, and brining perfectly seasons the pot. Discard the soaking liquid and rinse before cooking though. Adding salt while they cook seems to make my beans tougher and they take longer to soften, but brining gets rid of that problem.
