1 Quick soak: Place the pinto beans into a saucepan. 2  Fill with 2-3 cups of water per 1 cup dried beans. 3  Bring to the boil for 2 minutes. 4  Remove from the heat, cover with the lid and let stand for 2 hours before cooking. 5  Slow soak: Add the beans to a saucepan and water, at a ratio of 2-3 cups water per 1 cup dried beans. Cooking time may vary depending on the size and age of the beans, the humidity and other unknowns. 2  Generally, pinto beans require at least 1 1/2 hours and can even take up to 4 hours to fully cook.