Cooking Pinto Beans From Scratch

Once you learn how to cook pinto beans from scratch, the canned kind will never taste the same. Creamy and flavorful, they're a delicious side dish.

Pinto beans

"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, Ididtry 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.

Dry pinto beans in a jar

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.

Recipe ingredients

How to Cook Pinto Beans

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:

First, soak the beans. Place them in a large colander and sift through them to remove any stones or debris. Rinse them well and transfer them to a large bowl. Cover them with 2-3 inches of water and set them aside to soak for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
The next day, cook the aromatics.Sauté half an onion in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat (you could also toss in a jalapeño if you like your beans spicy!). When the onion softens, stir in cumin, the soaked, drained beans, water, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Then, simmer.The cooking time will depend on the freshness of your beans and how you like them cooked. I cook my pinto beans until they're falling apart and the liquid around them has thickened. I start checking after an hour and again every 15 minutes after that.
Finally, season to taste.When the beans are cooked to your liking, season them with a squeeze of lime juice, more salt and pepper, and chili powder to taste.

That's it! Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Pot of beans with wooden spoon

Pinto Beans Serving Suggestions

When you're ready to eat, garnish the pinto beans with cilantro and red pepper flakes. Make them a meal by pairing them with cilantro lime rice, tortillas, and a vegetable side dish like these fajita veggies or sautéed greens. Top it all off with pickled onions or pico de gallo for a pop of bright flavor, or add a scoop of guacamole for richness.

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:

Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
Vegan Jackfruit Tacos
Avocado Sweet Potato Tacos
Homemade Taquitos
Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas
Or any of my 11 Best Vegetarian Taco Recipes!

Pinto beans recipe

More Favorite Bean Recipes

If you love this pinto beans recipe, try one of these delicious bean recipes next:

How to Cook Black Beans
Cannellini Beans and Greens
How to Cook Dried Beans
How to Cook Lentils
Black Bean Soup
Easy Vegetarian Chili
Black Bean Burger
Or any of these 25 Best Bean Recipes!

Pinto Beans

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Soaking Time: 8 hrs

Serves 8 to 12

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.

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

Optional additions

1 jalapeño, stemmed and diced
Chili powder, to taste
Cilantro, for garnish

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.
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.
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.
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.