2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion — chopped into 1/4-inch dice
1 jalapeno — cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt — divided
3 cloves garlic — minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper — optional
3 cups water
4 cups chicken broth — or vegetable broth divided
For serving: queso fresco or shredded Monterey jack cheese — diced tomatoes, diced red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, avocado (optional)
Place the pinto beans in a large colander. Thoroughly rinse them. Pick the beans over, removing any damaged or clearly misshapen beans and discarding them. Transfer the rinsed beans to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, jalapeno, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and let cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the slow cooker. Add the sautéed vegetables, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and remaining teaspoon salt. Pour the broth and water over the top. Cover and cook on HIGH for 8 to 10 hours, until the beans are tender. All slow cookers are different and can heat things differently, so if yours tends to run hot, check it earlier on. Depending upon your model, there may be some liquid still in the slow cooker. Discard the bay leaves. Drain the liquid if you like, or leave the liquid in the crock pot and serve the beans with it (I like them a bit soupy over rice), or use a slotted spoon for serving and drain the beans at the end prior to storing. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.