1. Cover pinto beans with cool water in a big pot (let the water be a few inches above the beans as they will inevitably expand). Soak the beans at room temperature for at least 6 hours or overnight. Don’t cover.
2. Drain and set aside the soaked beans.
3. Over medium heat, heat your large pot. When the pan is heated, pour in the olive oil, then add the diced onion, and garlic, and season with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper (amount as specified in this recipe, you may modify if your batch size changes). Sauté this mixture for 3-4 minutes, or until onion becomes tender and transparent, stirring to coat.
4. After that, pour in the drained beans followed by the bouillon cube. Afterwards, cover with water approximately 2 inches above the beans, remember that the beans will expand during the cooking process. If you’re replacing a bouillon cube with veggie broth, add the vegetable broth first, then the water to avoid adding too much liquid.
5. Stir in the chipotle pepper and diced tomatoes, then bring the mixture to a low boil. Reduce heat to a low or medium-low level and cook for 40-50 minutes. Cook until beans are cooked (use the duration specified in this recipe or modify according to any changes in your batch size).
6. Add the remaining seasonings once the beans are soft and cooked through (this is an optional step, skip if you please). Stir the mixture to combine the flavors and continue to simmer on low for another 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle.
7. Season with extra salt to taste, add cumin for smokiness, chili for flavor depth, cinnamon for heat, or adobo sauce (and minced adobo peppers) for spice if desired.
8. Now it’s time to eat your beans! Burrito bowls, burritos, tacos, nachos, taco salads and vegetarian burgers are just some examples of recipes that can benefit from the addition of cooked pinto beans. You could also use them in a chili recipe.
9. Cooked pinto beans can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if properly covered. It should also last a month in the freezer (oftentimes longer).

This recipe for pinto beans takes a total of 7 hours and 15 minutes to cook, with a cook time of 1 hour and a prep time of 6 hours and 15 minutes. If you want more ideas on how to cook pinto beans, you may check this video recipe.