A Big Pot of Simmered Pintos

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated March 9, 2026

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
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Total Time
2 hours 15 minutes (includes 2 hours unsupervised simmering)
Rating
5(1,246)
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This pot of beans was Step 1 for the other Recipes for Health this week. If I know that I’m going to use these beans for a Mexican dinner I season them with cilantro and, if I can find it, epazote. If I want Italian or Provençal flavors I make a bouquet garni with bay leaf, thyme, parsley, maybe sage, and most definitely a Parmesan rind. This week, since I am using my beans as a starting off point for other dishes, I season them only with onion, garlic, bay leaf and salt. The dishes that will follow throughout the week will introduce more flavors: pasta e fagioli, vegetarian chili, bruschetta with beans and kale, and tostadas.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6

  • 1 pound (about 2 ¼ cups) pinto beans, washed and picked over for stones, soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight in 2 quarts water

  • 1 medium onion, cut in half

  • 2 to 4 large garlic cloves (to taste), minced

  • 1 bay leaf

  • Salt to taste (I think beans need a lot, at least 1 teaspoon per quart of water used)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

50 grams carbs; 274 calories; 1 gram fat; 12 grams fiber; 224 milligrams sodium; 17 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place beans and soaking water in a large, heavy pot. Add halved onion and bring to a gentle boil. Skim off any foam that rises, then add garlic and bay leaf, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add salt and continue to simmer another 1 to 1 ½ hours, until beans are quite soft and broth is thick and fragrant. Taste and adjust salt. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove and discard onion and bay leaf. For the best flavor refrigerate overnight.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: The cooked beans will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and freeze well.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,246 user ratings
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Comments

Lena C.

Thanks for adding this recipe. Although I already cook beans this way, but I've noticed that a lot of cookbooks and recipe sites don't provide a basic way to cook beans from scratch that are simply flavored. I learned this method from a Mexican cookbook.

The only thing I would recommend is adding a some olive or vegetable oil to the pot.

Regarding the salt, I generally add 1.5 tsp.

Metrically Speaking

For refrigeration and freezing, is it better to store the beans in the cooking water or drained?

Anne

1 pound dried beans = 3 to 4 - 15oz cans or 57 ounces

Johnnycomelately

I'm a believer! Truly simple and delicious as written.

Ben

I used these for the pasta e Fagioli recipe, but I didn't read that I should only make half the beans. However, I ended up with extra beans and they were delicious on their own.

PTFogarty

No, you did right. She said to make the full pot of beans, but only use half the beans (plus all of the liquid) to make the pasta e fagioli. The remaining beans could be used for something else.

Elin

Absolutely delicious!! Followed the recipe to a “T.” Thank you!!

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