Tulo

Dried Pinto Beans Recipe

A long, gentle simmer with onion, garlic, and bay leaf lets the beans soften evenly all the way through while building a naturally rich, seasoned broth, and salting partway through cooking (not before or only at the end) keeps the skins intact instead of blowing out or turning tough.

Prep
15 min
Cook
120 min
Total
135 min
Servings
8

Ingredients

Servings8
  • 1 lb dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved
  • 4 cloves garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 leaves bay leaves
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or lard
  • 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Nutrition per serving

Calories
233
Protein
12g
Carbs
38g
Fat
4g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →

Instructions

  1. 1Pour the dried pinto beans onto a baking sheet or into a colander and sort through them, discarding any shriveled beans, small stones, or debris. Rinse well under cold water.
  2. 2Optional: soak the beans in a large bowl of cold water for 8 to 12 hours, then drain and rinse again. This isn't required, but it can cut the cooking time by 30 to 45 minutes.
  3. 3Add the beans to a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with the water; the water should sit about 2 to 3 inches above the beans.
  4. 4Add the halved onion, smashed garlic, bay leaves, cumin, and oil or lard to the pot.
  5. 5Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then skim off any grayish foam that rises to the surface.
  6. 6Reduce the heat to low so the beans simmer gently with just a few bubbles breaking the surface, and partially cover the pot. Cook for 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally and adding more hot water if the beans start to peek above the liquid.
  7. 7Once the beans are starting to soften (you can bite through one without it being chalky), stir in the salt. Continue simmering, uncovered or partially covered, for another 20 to 40 minutes, until the beans are fully tender and creamy and the broth has thickened slightly.
  8. 8Remove and discard the bay leaves and onion halves. Taste and adjust salt. For a thicker, more traditional pot of beans, mash a few spoonfuls of beans against the side of the pot and stir back in.
  9. 9Serve hot with the broth, or drain and use in tacos, burritos, or refried beans.

Tips & variations

  • To cook these in a pressure cooker instead, skip the soak, use the same aromatics, and cook on high pressure for 35 to 45 minutes (unsoaked) with a natural release.
  • Older bags of dried beans (more than a year or two old) take noticeably longer to soften and sometimes never fully soften; buy from a store with good turnover if possible.
  • For Mexican-style frijoles de la olla, add a whole dried chile de árbol or a sprig of epazote to the pot along with the onion.
  • Hard or mineral-heavy tap water can slow bean cooking; if beans are still firm after 2.5 hours, try switching to filtered water for the rest of the cook.

Storage & reheating

Store cooked beans in their broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, portion beans with enough broth to keep them moist into freezer bags or containers and freeze for up to 6 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if the broth has thickened too much.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Save the bean broth even if you're draining the beans for tacos; it makes a good base for rice or for thinning refried beans instead of using plain water.
  • If you're short on time, canned pinto beans can stand in for a recipe that calls for already-cooked beans, but they won't have the same depth of broth this stovetop method builds.

FAQ

Do I really need to soak dried pinto beans before cooking?

No, soaking is optional. Unsoaked beans simmered from dry will still cook through fully, they just take about 30 to 45 minutes longer than soaked beans.

Why are my pinto beans still hard after cooking for hours?

The most common causes are old beans (dried beans lose moisture and can take much longer to soften after a year or more of storage), hard mineral-heavy water, or cooking at a simmer that's too gentle to ever reach a full boil at any point. Switching to filtered water and continuing to simmer usually resolves it.

How much cooked beans does 1 pound of dried pinto beans make?

About 6 cups of cooked beans, roughly tripling in volume, which is enough for 8 servings at around 3/4 cup each.

Can I add tomatoes or acidic ingredients while the beans cook?

Hold off until the beans are fully tender. Acid can slow down softening significantly, so tomatoes, vinegar, or citrus are best stirred in after cooking rather than during.

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