How to Cook Perfect Pinto Beans in a Crock Pot

Based on what I see outside my window, I plan to spend a lot of time inside this weekend. If you are too, I have a tasty idea for making the most of our time indoors: Crock Pot Pinto Beans! This simple recipe for healthy crock pot pinto beans will make you rethink every can of beans you’ve ever bought. Not only is the flavor superior—the texture is incredible.

This simple and healthy crock pot pinto bean recipe can be used for nachos, burritos, as a healthy side dish, or any other recipe that calls for canned pinto beans.

BONUS: You can mash them to create easy slow cooker refried beans too. One recipe, so many tasty possibilities.

Pinto beans are a versatile, nutritious, and budget-friendly staple that can be used in soups, stews, tacos, burritos, and more. While cooking dried beans on the stovetop is simple, using a slow cooker takes the work out of preparing beans and ensures they turn out tender every time. In this article, I’ll walk through the easy process of making delicious pinto beans in a crock pot, as well as share tips for soaking, flavoring, and storing your homemade beans.

Benefits of Cooking Beans in a Slow Cooker

A slow cooker is the perfect appliance for cooking dried beans. Here are some of the main benefits:

Even cooking: The low, steady heat of a crock pot cooks beans gently and evenly over several hours. This prevents uneven cooking that can lead to crunchy or mushy beans.
Requires little effort: Once you add beans and other ingredients to the slow cooker, the appliance does the work for you. No need to monitor pots on the stove.
Recipe flexibility Feel free to experiment with seasonings, vegetables, meats, broths, etc. The crock pot handles it all!
Makes large batches A 6-8 quart slow cooker easily accommodates 2-3 pounds of dried beans, enough for multiple meals throughout the week.

Ingredients Needed

Cooking pinto beans in a slow cooker requires just a few simple ingredients

1 pound dried pinto beans
6-8 cups liquid (water, broth, or a combo)
Aromatics like onion, garlic, celery, bell pepper, etc.
Seasonings such as cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt
Meats like smoked ham or bacon (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these simple steps for perfect crock pot pinto beans every time:

1. Rinse and Sort the Beans

Rinse dried beans in a colander under running water. Look through and remove any stones, debris, or damaged beans.

2. Soak the Beans (Optional)

Soaking beans shortens the cooking time, but is not mandatory. To soak, place beans in a large bowl and cover with 2-3 inches of water. Let soak 8-12 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before using.

3. Add Beans and Liquid to Slow Cooker

Place drained beans in a 6-8 quart slow cooker. Pour in 6-8 cups of water, broth, or a combo. The beans should be covered by 1-2 inches of liquid.

4. Include Aromatics and Seasonings

Add chopped aromatics like onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper. You can also include a ham hock, bacon, or other smoked meat for flavor. Season with cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and any other desired spices.

5. Cook on Low Setting

Cover and cook the beans on the low setting for 8-10 hours, until soft and tender. Cooking time depends on soaking and the age of the beans.

6. Adjust Seasoning and Serve

When done, taste the beans and adjust seasoning as needed. Discard the ham hock or aromatics. Beans can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Flavor Variations

One of the great things about cooking beans in a crock pot is how easy it is to customize the flavors. Consider these tasty options:

Mexican – Cumin, oregano, garlic, chili powder, cayenne
Cajun – Onion, celery, bell pepper, smoked sausage, thyme, bay leaves
Italian – Rosemary, crushed tomatoes, Parmesan rind, pancetta
Asian – Ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, five spice powder
Mediterranean – Olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, mint

Tips for Perfect Crock Pot Beans

Follow these tips and tricks for making stellar slow cooker pinto beans:

Don’t fill slow cooker more than 2/3 full. Beans expand as they cook.
Stir beans once halfway through cooking to distribute seasonings.
Add more liquid if needed during cooking to keep beans submerged.
Acidic ingredients like tomato, wine, or molasses can toughen beans if added too early. Stir in towards the end.
Salt too early can prevent beans from softening. Season at the end.
Let beans natural release for 10-15 minutes before opening lid, to prevent blowing out.

Storing and Freezing Leftover Beans

The large batch size of crock pot beans means you’ll likely have leftovers. Here’s how to store them:

Let beans cool completely before storing. Transfer to airtight containers.
Beans keep 4-5 days refrigerated and 6 months frozen.
To freeze, portion beans into usable amounts. Leave 1 inch headspace in containers.
Thaw frozen beans overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stovetop.

With the simple process outlined above, you’ll be able to whip up tender and flavorful pinto beans with ease using a slow cooker. This inexpensive pantry staple makes for hearty, nutritious meals and side dishes the whole family will love. Experiment with different seasonings and aromatics until you create your perfect crock pot bean recipe.

how to cook pinto beans in a crock pot

How Do I Make Instant Pot Refried Beans?

I’m glad you asked! Here is my recipe for Instant Pot Refried Beans. They taste the same and can be made without using your hands, but they are made in an Instant Pot. There are more recipes like these Instant Pot Black Beans that you can try.

Can I Double This Recipe for 2 lbs of Pinto Beans?

People have said that this worked well! I’ve only made the 16 ounces of pinto beans that the recipe calls for, but someone recently said that they made 2 pounds of pinto beans in the crock pot and they liked it! Because adding twice as much liquid would make the crock pot too full, she only added what would fit and then checked on the beans often to add more as they needed it.

Slow cooker pinto beans

FAQ

How long does it take for beans to cook in the crock pot?

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours: Cover the pot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. If this is your first time cooking beans or you’re cooking an unfamiliar kind of bean, begin checking the beans after 5 hours and then every 30 minutes until they are cooked to your liking. Beans generally finish cooking in 6 to 8 hours.

What happens if you don t soak beans before cooking in crock pot?

If you’re the impatient, bean-hungry type, you can cook your beans from dry without any soaking at all. Here’s the thing: Beans that have not been soaked ahead of time will always take longer to cook, but they will, indeed, cook.

Do dry pinto beans need to be soaked before cooking?

Here’s a secret you may not know: You don’t actually have to soak your beans at all. Just add them to your pot and plan on cooking your recipe for another hour or two beyond the usual cooking time. Keep an eye on the level of liquid, adding more water, broth or stock if the pot looks dry.

Do you cook pinto beans on high or low?

Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 2 hours. Cook Until Tender and Seasoned: After 2 hours, check the pinto beans. Their texture should be creamy and tender.