Cook The Best Dry Pinto Beans On The Stove

Name: Cook The Best Dry Pinto Beans On The Stove
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 lb dry pinto beans; water

Karen and Denny's Kitchen November 27, 2022

To Use In Other Meals And Recipes

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Dry Beans Save You Money

Every 15 or 16-ounce can of pinto beans equals about 1½ cups of cooked beans, drained.

2 cups of dry pinto beans = 1 pound of dry pinto beans.

1 pound of dry pinto beans = about six cups (or 4 cans) of cooked beans, drained.

The cost of 1 pound of dry pinto beans is roughly the same (or less) than that of a single can of cooked pinto beans.

Officially, dried pinto beans have a minimum shelf life of one to two years, according to the USDA. Unofficially, they keep pretty much forever. Dried beans are considered non-perishable

2 Ingredient Pinto Beans

All you really need are just two ingredients to cook pinto beans

Dry Pinto Beans

Water

Cooking pinto beans on the stove is easy to do, tastes so much better than canned beans from the store, and as a bonus, it’s cheaper as well.

There are literally hundreds of other ingredients you can add to this simple bean recipe to make your special dish but not only are they completely optional, but they also don’t have to be added right away.

Not only are beans easy to make, but they are also nutritious, filling, and incredibly versatile! They can be used as a side dish or added to other dinner recipes like burritos, tostadas, soups, stews, and so much more.

I have been making this very simple pinto bean recipe for years. Then once I have the beans cooked up and ready to go, I can use them later in other recipes. This way I have all the convenience of those canned beans from the supermarket but for a fraction of the cost.

Once you start getting into a routine of making and having pinto beans cooked up and ready to go, they will quickly become a staple around your kitchen.

Optional Seasonings

Of course, there are a number of seasonings you may want to routinely add to your basic pinto bean recipe, (especially if you plan to eat the pot of beans right away) the most obvious being salt.

Salt helps to bring out and enhance the natural flavors of just about any food but it is not necessary for this basic pinto bean recipe. They will cook up and store just fine without a single grain added. Then you can simply add salt according to your other recipes later.

But, You Could Add:

1 teaspoon of salt and then adjust as needed.

1/2 onion diced or minced

3 or 4 cloves of minced garlic

How To Cook Dry Pinto Beans

Start By Sorting Your Beans

The easiest way to sort your beans that I have ever found is to spread a towel across the countertop. A plain white tea towel is ideal for this but any towel will work.

Then spread your beans out into a single layer on the towel and pick out any rocks, shriveled up, or even split beans and discard them.

My simple rule is if it doesn’t look like the other 500 beans laying there, it’s out of there.

Rinse Your Beans

Pour your beans into a strainer or colander and rinse with cold water to remove any small unseen debris from the beans.

Soak your beans

Place your rinsed beans into a jar or bowl and cover them with at least two or three inches of water. Cover the jar and leave it on the counter in a cool place out of any direct sunlight for at least 8 hours. Overnight works great. If you prefer to soak them in your refrigerator you can but the soaking time will take longer.

Soaking your beans not only allows them to rehydrate, but soaking also helps them to cook more evenly and cuts down on the overall cooking time.

Discard The Soaking Water

Once your beans have been soaked overnight you will see that they have just about doubled in size. Pour them back into a strainer or colander and discard the water they soaked in. I usually give them a quick second rinse at this point.

To Cook Your Beans

Rinse your soaked pinto beans, place them into a large pot and cover them with add about 2 1/2 quarts of fresh clean water. (This is also the perfect time to add any of those additional seasonings if you’re just planning to eat them tonight.)

Bring the beans to a boil, reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer, cover and cook for 2 or 3 hours checking the water level and stirring occasionally.

After about 2 hours give them a quick taste. They should be tender with a soft smooth texture. If not, let them cook for another 30 to 60 minutes or until they’ve cooked through to the level you are looking for.

Storing Cooked Pinto Beans

Short Term Storage

Your cooked pinto beans will keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator. For best results let beans cool completely and use an airtight container.

Long Term Storage

Your cooked pinto beans will easily keep in the freezer for at least 4 to 6 months. For best results in the freezer use freezer-safe containers or freezer bags removing as much air as possible.

A Few Ideas For Using Cooked Pinto Beans

Refried Beans

Add to Burritos

Taco Salads

Beans and Franks

Ham and Beans

Use as a side dish

Add To Salads

Add to Soups

Chili

More Side Dish Ideas

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