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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    By Kaleigh - September 12, 2017, Updated February 23, 2021

    The Best Easy Pinto Beans

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    pinterest image with text for the best easy pinto beans.

    The best easy pinto beans from scratch, with stove top, slow cooker, and Instant Pot directions. They are an easy, flavorful and healthy side dish to go with all of your Tex-Mex, Mexican, and BBQ meals, or a simple, hearty vegetarian dinner. (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian option)

    grey bowl of pinto beans with a black spoon beside it.

    For as long as I can remember, almost every one of my family gatherings on my dad's side (except for Thanksgiving) was sure to have one thing - a big pot of homemade pinto beans.

    My aunt always made the best easy pinto beans, and she taught my mom, my cousins and me to make them at our family lake house, where we would spend the weekends cooking, fishing, and eating lots of delicious food. Now I'm excited to share the recipe with you!

    overhead view of a black spoon lifting pinto beans from a pot of beans.

    Why You'll Love This Pinto Bean Recipe

    These pinto beans are amazing for many reasons. First, they go with almost anything. From Tex-Mex meals like enchiladas and taco salads to BBQ brisket and ribs, to just a steaming bowl with cornbread, pinto beans are great with so many meals! Sometimes I freeze half of them for later or make some baked beans with them. They're so versatile!

    These pinto beans are also so easy to make and super affordable. You start with a pound of dried beans and add a few simple flavoring ingredients, and you end up with a big ol' batch of delicious, steamy beans with so much flavor. And they take so little effort!

    Are Pinto Beans Healthy?

    Beans are also a great vegetarian source of protein, and they also provide fiber, iron, B vitamins, and potassium. So yes, I'd say they're healthy. We can all stand to eat a few more plants.

    How To Make Pinto Beans From Scratch

    four image collage showing steps for making pinto beans in a white pot.
    1. Soak the beans overnight. Add to a large bowl and cover with plenty of water. Let soak overnight, then drain and rinse once you're ready to cook.
    2. Add beans to a large pot with all of the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 1 minute.
    3. Turn the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 2-4 hours until beans are tender.

    A Mexican Variation

    For a Mexican version to eat with all of your Mexican and Tex Mex favorites, add a can of diced tomatoes, ½ teaspoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon ground cumin with the other ingredients.

    overhead view of pinto beans in a grey bowl with a black spoon in it.

    Pro Tips For Making The Best Pinto Beans

    • Remember to soak the dry beans the night before you plan to cook them, or you'll have to do a quick soak the day you want to cook them. It's not the end of the world, but it’s easier if you soak them beforehand.
    • Add more or less salt to taste.
    • The longer the beans cook, the better they will taste. They're always delicious leftover!

    How To Store Leftovers

    Store leftover beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until hot throughout.

    How To Do a Quick Soak

    If you forget to soak your beans (because life happens), no worries! You can do a 'quick soak' instead. Add rinsed and drained beans to a pot, cover with at least 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 1 minute, then turn off the heat, cover, and let soak for 1 hour. Drain beans and proceed with the recipe.

    pinto beans in a grey bowl with a black spoon in it with another bowl of beans in the foreground.

    Can These Be Made In The Slow Cooker or Instant Pot?

    Yes! I've done both. I've even kept them on warm for 24 in the slow cooker (due to poor planning) and they were extra delicious! For the slow cooker, follow the instructions as written, but cook on high for 3-4 hours. For the Instant Pot, follow the directions as written, but cook 8-10 minutes on high pressure (or 25-30 minutes for unsoaked beans) then let the pressure release naturally.

    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

    Print

    The Best Easy Pinto Beans

    pinto beans a grey bowl with a black spoon beside it.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    4.9 from 20 reviews

    The best easy pinto beans from scratch, with stovetop, slow cooker and Instant Pot directions. They are an easy, flavorful and healthy side dish to go with all of your Tex-Mex, Mexican, and BBQ meals, or a simple, hearty vegetarian dinner. (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian option)

    • Author: Kaleigh
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 2 hours
    • Total Time: 2 hours
    • Yield: About 6 cups 1x
    • Category: side dish
    • Method: stovetop
    • Cuisine: Mexican

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 lb dry pinto beans
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
    • 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper
    • ¼ cup cilantro leaves
    • Small ham hock, slice of bacon, or pork bone
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1 tsp paprika
    • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (optional)
    • Water

    For Mexican version:

    • Add 1 can diced tomatoes, ½ teaspoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon ground cumin

    Instructions

    1. Soak beans overnight: Pour beans into a large bowl or pot. Sift through and pick out any small rocks that may be present. Cover beans with water (at least 3 inches over beans) and let sit on the counter overnight. If you forgot to soak the beans (it happens!), use the quick soak method (see notes).
    2. Drain and rinse beans. Place in a large heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, and ham hock, if using. Add spices (this is also the time to add tomatoes and Mexican spices if you are making that version). Add chicken broth if using and fill with enough water to cover beans at least 2 inches with water.
    3. Place lid on the pot and heat over medium-high heat. Boil beans for 1 minute, then turn heat to low.
    4. Simmer 2-4 hours or until beans are tender.

    Notes

    • Omit bacon/ham hock for vegetarian.
    • For quick soak method, rinse and drain beans. Add to a pot and cover with at least 3 inches of water. Cover, turn heat to high, and bring to a rapid boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and let soak, covered, for 1 hour. Then drain and proceed with the recipe.
    • For slow cooker, follow directions as written, but add beans to your slow cooker instead of a pot on the stove. Cook on high about 3-4 hours or until tender.
    • For Instant Pot, add all ingredients to the pot of the Instant Pot. Close and lock lid and seal vent. Cook on high pressure for 25-30 minutes for unsoaked beans or 8-10 minutes for soaked beans. Let pressure release naturally before removing the lid.
    • For Mexican version, add the tomatoes, chili powder and cumin along with the other ingredients.

    Keywords: the best pinto beans, easy pinto beans, easy crockpot pinto beans

    Did you make this recipe?

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sophia Franklin says

      February 13, 2022 at 7:35 pm

      Should you cook the bacon before adding it to the beans or let it cook slowly with the beans?

      Reply
      • Kaleigh says

        February 14, 2022 at 6:52 am

        I add it without cooking.

        Reply
    2. Kapro says

      February 02, 2022 at 11:50 am

      I don’t have a jalapeño pepper and we’re having a snow storm. Can I make without or use diced pickled jalapeño ?

      Reply
      • Kaleigh says

        February 02, 2022 at 12:20 pm

        You can definitely make them without the jalapeño! I've never tried it with pickled, but I'm sure it would be great. Also if you haappen to have either canned green chiles or canned chipotle in adobo, one of those would work too.

        Reply
    3. Kelly Young says

      January 05, 2022 at 2:49 pm

      Delicious recipe and so easy. I really like the ability to make it 2 different ways with this recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Michele Matous says

      December 23, 2021 at 11:20 pm

      This really is the BEST AND EASIEST recipe for beans. But don't trust me -- try it for yourself!! You will not be disappointed!!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Alan Keith Edwards says

      December 17, 2021 at 9:32 pm

      You can boil beans without soaking and not add anything but salt at the end and they are delicious. The add-ons are where the fun begins, but beans and salt has its won magic.

      Reply
    6. Charlotte says

      December 14, 2021 at 3:54 pm

      I love cooking pinto beans and frying cornbread in the skillet, they look like pancakes , fried cornbread is delicious 😋

      Reply
    7. Lori says

      November 10, 2021 at 2:05 pm

      Can I use garlic powder instead
      Of fresh garlic. I know fresh is better but I don’t have any and cooking them now

      Reply
      • Kaleigh says

        November 10, 2021 at 4:00 pm

        Yes, you can use garlic powder! I'd use about 1/2 tsp.

        Reply
    8. Sansy says

      October 23, 2021 at 6:31 am

      Made pretty much as directed. Did not add any salt, before or after. (Might add a pinch, but am watching sodium intake and they really don’t need it.) Used slow cooker on high 4-5 hours and on low/warm for another approx 4 hours. So check the beans and keep cooking until they are done/soft. Very tasty! Thanks

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. snowbird says

      September 21, 2021 at 12:32 pm

      I make a vegetarian version omitting the meat/bone and adding some nutritional yeast, vegetable stock in place of water, and a good amount of cumin and double the amount of fresh cilantro, onions and garlic (in addition to the other ingredients listed). I let them cook for a long time, adding water as may be necessary. After cooking, I add more chopped, fresh cilantro

      Reply
    10. Barry Lippard says

      August 25, 2021 at 9:29 pm

      Hi, Can you just cook pintos by themselves without any ingredients? Hope this is not a silly question.

      Reply
      • Kaleigh says

        August 26, 2021 at 1:04 pm

        Hi Barry, You can certainly cook them with just water and salt, but they wouldn't be very flavorful.

        Reply
      • Shirla says

        October 23, 2021 at 11:47 pm

        Can be cooked with oil and water salt and pepper and onion.

        Reply
    11. Martha says

      July 03, 2021 at 12:48 pm

      I cooked a ham and saved the fat and bone. Can I use them to add flavor to the beans? First time cooker, thanks

      Reply
      • Kaleigh says

        July 03, 2021 at 1:18 pm

        Absolutely! We do that often. I'd do just the bone and maybe a small amount of the fat.

        Reply
    12. Patti Whelan says

      June 05, 2021 at 8:00 pm

      When the beans are fully cooked would drain the liquid the store in Frig.

      Reply
    13. Leroshia loud says

      June 03, 2021 at 12:17 pm

      Thank you so much kaleigh for your Pinto recipe my son in law asked me to cook some and I was so afraid to tell him I never cooked Pinto beans but I found your recipe and he loved it please post more recipes thank you so much

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kaleigh says

        June 04, 2021 at 6:44 am

        I'm so glad y'all enjoyed it!

        Reply
        • Leah O says

          June 25, 2021 at 10:09 am

          These are the best tasting pintos I’ve ever had.

        • Kaleigh says

          June 25, 2021 at 3:43 pm

          So glad you love them!

    14. John Smith says

      May 16, 2021 at 2:46 pm

      Before using a slow cooker for these beans, please google "under cooked beans and diarrhea" for a cautionary note about dried beans that may have cooked for hours but never got above 160 degrees. My personal experience with this was somewhat dramatic.

      ★★★

      Reply
      • Sansy says

        October 23, 2021 at 6:52 am

        If the pinto beans appear light tan/hard during cooking continue to cook until darker/soft. Imo it would be impossible to eat these beans undercooked. They are scrumptious. Now just need some collard greens (thesouthernladycooks.com) and cornbread.

        Reply
        • Sansy says

          October 23, 2021 at 7:03 am

          The greens website is grandbaby-cakes.com. Have made her greens and they are the truth just like these beans.

    15. Jolene says

      May 10, 2021 at 10:27 pm

      I am living in abilene tx .I love pinto beans and want to try this recipe.

      Reply
    16. Becky says

      April 01, 2021 at 6:17 am

      Easy and delicious. I had never added the cilantro before. Great flavor!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    17. Jim says

      March 28, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      Hi Kaleigh...I'm a native Texan (born in Merkel, as was my mother). I'm using the quick soak method this time around because I got hungry for a pot of beans NOW and I didn't want to wait until tomorrow! Anyway, here goes,,, they are soaking now...

      Reply
      • Kaleigh says

        March 28, 2021 at 7:51 pm

        Hi Jim, I live in Abilene now, not too far away. I hope you enjoy the beans!

        Reply
      • Lisa says

        January 15, 2022 at 5:10 pm

        Hi I live in Lubbock -born in Abilene & lived in Merkel 6 years in grade school. Love this recipe for beans. I always add a can of Rotel tomatoes.

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Kaleigh! I'm a food-loving registered dietitian, wife, and mom helping you find joy in the kitchen with delicious real-food recipes and wellness tips. Join me in finding your healthy!

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