Go Back
–+ servings
overhead photo of dried pinto beans in a white bowl with pinto beans scattered in the background
Print

How to Cook Pinto Beans - Easy From Scratch Recipe

Learn how to cook pinto beans from scratch with this simple step-by-step tutorial. Covering three different ways to cook dried pinto beans, you'll end up with creamy, perfectly cooked beans every time. Cooking pinto beans using this easy no-soak method makes the best pinto beans you've ever had!
Course Beans
Cuisine American
Keyword Dried pinto beans, Instant Pot Pinto Beans
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 167kcal
Author Katie Trant

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried pinto beans
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Instant Pot Pinto Beans

  • Check the beans for any stones or broken beans. Rinse well.
  • Add dried pinto beans, 3* cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to your Instant Pot.
    1 cup dried pinto beans, 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt
  • Set the Instant Pot to Manual / High Pressure for 42 minutes.
  • When the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Then, flip the vent to "releasing" and quick-release the remaining pressure.

Stovetop Pinto Beans

  • Check the beans for any stones or broken beans. Rinse well.
  • In a large pot, combine dried pinto beans, water, and salt.
    1 cup dried pinto beans, 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt
  • Place the pot on the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer with the lid off until the beans are tender - about 50-70 minutes.

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans

  • Check the beans for any stones or broken beans. Rinse well.
  • Transfer the pinto beans along with 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to your slow cooker.
    1 cup dried pinto beans, 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt
  • Slow cook the beans for 4 hours at high, 6 hours on low, or until the beans are tender.

Notes

  • Nutrition values are an estimate only, and are based on 1 cup of dried pinto beans serving four people. 
  • *If you're cooking beans in the Instant Pot, you can reduce the water to 3 cups. 
  • This recipe can easily be scaled up or down depending on what quantity of beans you want to cook. 

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 599mg | Potassium: 672mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg