How to Cook Pinto Beans Quickly

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

If you'd love to be able to whip up refried beans or homemade chili at a moment's notice, learn how to quickly cook pinto beans. Decide if you'd like to simmer them on the stove top, bake them in the oven, or throw them in your pressure cooker. Any of these methods will give you perfectly tender pinto beans in a hurry.

Ingredients

Quick-Soaked Stove Top Beans

1 pound (0.45 kg) of dry pinto beans, rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons (9 g) of kosher salt
Water as needed

Makes 6 to 8 cups (1 to 1.3 kg) of cooked pintos

Oven-Baked Pintos

1 pound (0.45 kg) of dry pinto beans, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of kosher salt
Water as needed

Makes 6 to 8 cups (1 to 1.3 kg) of cooked pintos

Pressure-Cooked Pintos

1 cup (200 g) of dry pinto beans, rinsed
4 cups (0.95 l) of water
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil

Makes 2 cups (340 g) of cooked pintos

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Quick-Soaked Stove Top Beans

1
Put the beans in a pot and pour in water to cover them by 2 in (5 cm). Place 1 pound (0.45 kg) of dry pinto beans into a large pot. Pick out and discard any beans that are broken. Then pour in enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches (5.1 cm).^{[1]
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2
Bring the covered pot of water to a boil. Put the lid on the pot and turn the burner to high. Heat the beans and water until steam starts to escape from under the lid. You don't need to stir the beans as the water comes to a boil.^{[2]
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3
Turn off the burner and let the beans rest for 1 hour. Leave the covered beans to soak in the hot water for 1 hour. They'll swell and soften a little as they quickly soak.^{[3]
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- While you can soak the beans for longer, they only need a brief soaking period since you brought the water to a boil first.
4
Stir in the salt and bring the beans to a boil. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons (9 g) of kosher salt to the beans and water. Stir until the salt is dissolved and then turn the burner to medium heat so the water comes to a gentle boil.^{[4]
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5
Simmer the uncovered beans for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Keep the lid off of the pot as the water bubbles gently. Stir the beans occasionally as they cook and some of the water evaporates. The beans should be soft and tender once they've finished cooking.^{[5]
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- If the water begins to boil, reduce the burner to medium-low.
- You may need to add more water if the water completely evaporates. The beans should always be submerged as they simmer.
6
Add the pintos to your recipes or store them for later. Turn off the burner and scoop out the cooked beans to use in your recipes. If you prefer to use them later, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 to 5 days.^{[6]
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- You can also freeze the beans for up to 6 months in an airtight container.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Oven-Baked Pintos

1
Preheat the oven to 250 °F (121 °C) and put the beans and salt in a pot. Set a large pot on the stove and place 1 pound (0.45 kg) of dry pinto beans and 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of kosher salt into it.^{[7]
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- If you see any broken beans, discard them.
2
Pour in enough water to cover the beans by 1 ¹⁄₂ inches (3.8 cm). Since the size of your pot will determine how much water you need to add, pour in enough water so the beans are completely submerged.^{[8]
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3
Bring the beans to a boil before putting them in the oven. Turn the burner to high and heat the beans until the water begins to boil vigorously. Then turn off the burner and put the lid on the pot. Carefully transfer the hot pot to the preheated oven.^{[9]
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4
Bake the pinto beans for 75 minutes. Keep the pot covered so the water doesn't boil out as the beans bake. Check the beans after they've cooked for 45 minutes to ensure that there's still water covering the beans. Let them cook for another 30 minutes or until they're tender.^{[10]
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- If the beans look dry at the halfway point, pour in boiling water.
5
Use the pintos in a recipe or store them in the refrigerator. Remove the beans from the oven and eat them in your favorite recipe. If you want to use them later, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 to 5 days or freeze them for up to 6 months.^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Pressure-Cooked Pintos

1
Put the dry beans, water, and oil into a pressure cooker. Add 1 cup (200 g) of dry pinto beans to a pressure cooker and pour in 4 cups (0.95 l) of water and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil.^{[12]
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- Use a neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil.
- If you'd like to make more beans, add 3 cups (710 ml) of water and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil for every extra cup (200 g) of dry pinto beans you put in the cooker.
2
Close and pressure cook the beans for 22 to 25 minutes. Secure the lid of the pressure cooker in place and adjust the pressure to high. Pressure cook the beans for 22 to 25 minutes so they're cooked, but firm.^{[13]
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- If you'd like softer beans, add 2 minutes to the pressure cooking time.
3
Quick release the pressure in the cooker. Open the valve on your pressure cooker so the steam quickly escapes. You should see the float valve drop before the lid unlocks and then you can open it. Remember to point your hands and face away from the escaping steam to prevent getting burned.^{[14]
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4
Drain and use the pinto beans. Set a fine mesh strainer in the sink and pour the cooked beans into it so the water drains. Then you can use the beans in your favorite recipes or store them until needed.^{[15]
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- To store the beans, put them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 to 5 days. You can also freeze the beans for up to 6 months.