By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 3, 2026
Serves 6
105 min
Cooking Dried Beans
Recipe GLPR341473c9cdd35a
A foundational cooking method for dried pinto beans that yields tender, perfectly cooked beans ready for soups, salads, and other dishes. This simple preparation uses only beans and salt to create a versatile, nutrient-rich ingredient. The beans cook until they are soft enough to easily break between your fingers, making them ideal for any recipe calling for cooked beans.
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Ingredients
1 pound dry pinto beans
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Spread the dry pinto beans on a clean surface and pick through them carefully, removing any small stones, debris, or discolored beans. Discard any beans that appear shriveled or damaged.
Rinse the sorted beans under cold running water in a colander, stirring gently with your hand to ensure thorough cleaning. Drain well.
Transfer the rinsed beans to a large pot and cover them with 6 to 8 cups of cold water, allowing plenty of room for the beans to expand during cooking.
Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and maintain a gentle, steady simmer.
Simmer the beans uncovered for 60 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed to keep the beans submerged. The beans are fully cooked when they are tender enough to break easily between your fingers but still hold their shape.
Add the kosher salt during the last 5 minutes of cooking, stirring gently to distribute it evenly throughout the pot.
Drain the cooked beans in a colander if desired, or serve them with some of their cooking liquid depending on your intended use. The beans are now ready to use in soups, salads, or other recipes.
Comments
This is a reliable foundation for weeknight cooking, but the stated time is misleading: dried pinto beans need overnight soaking, then 1.5 to 2 hours of simmering, so plan for 24+ hours total or add 30 minutes if using the quick-soak method. Pinto beans are dirt-cheap at any Charlotte chain—about $1 per pound—and yield six generous servings for under $2 total. The dish itself demands no attention once simmering; the real cost is knowing you need to start the day before, or block off extra time on the stovetop. Leftovers freeze beautifully and reheat in minutes, making this an excellent bulk-cooking choice for meal prep.
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