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Using the crock pot (aka slow cooker) is one of the easiest ways to prepare dried pinto beans. With this easy recipe, you don't even need to pre-soak them. This post provides step-by-step recipe instructions, nutritional information, storage tips, flavor variations, and more so you can make the BEST homemade pinto beans from scratch in your crock pot. Let's get started!
Why Choose Crock Pot Pinto Beans?
- Convenience: If you like to keep things simple and easy, then cooking in a crockpot is for you! It's a "set and forget" method, meaning you can dump the ingredients in and walk away without worrying about your beans getting burnt (I'm looking at you, stovetop method).
Plus you can get started in the morning and they will be ready for you in the evening! It's the easiest way to make a pot of beans.
- No soaking: Pre-soaking your pinto beans is unnecessary when using a slow cooker. With this recipe, you can make pinto beans in the crock pot without soaking.
- Cost-effective: I know a can of beans is already cheap, but if you want to save money, cooking with dried beans is even less expensive.
Using the crock pot, you can make a large batch of dried pinto beans from scratch and freeze them for later. This makes them just as convenient as cooking with a can of dry beans.
- Delicious: The slow cooker does a great job of preparing perfectly cooked beans. They are tender and creamy and you can adjust the flavor to meet your tastes. Homemade beans are the best pinto beans.
For more information on preparing beans in bulk and saving them for later, check out "How to Freeze Beans."
For more information on the pros and cons of canned beans vs dried beans, check out "Canned Beans vs Dry Beans."
Enough talk, let's get to the crock pot pinto beans recipe!
Ingredients
- Dried Pinto Beans (I usually cook 1 lb at a time)
- Water
- Salt
Optional Ingredients (see Variations):
- Broth (chicken, beef, vegetable)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Diced tomatoes
- Peppers: bell, or jalapeno peppers,
- Spices: cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, smoked paprika, black pepper
- Ham hock
Instructions
No Soaking Needed!
I do not find pre-soaking beans necessary when using the slow cooker. The main purpose of soaking your beans is to speed up the cooking process.
Since "slow" is literally in the title of the cooking process, I just accept it for what it is and don't try to speed it up.
If you'd like to presoak your beans, however, you can use the "quick soak method" or the "overnight soak method." Follow the links to find instructions for each. If you do this your beans will cook 1-2 hours faster.
Step-By-Step Guide
1. Start by rinsing your uncooked beans under cool, clean water to remove any dirt or dust that builds up during storage.
2. Add the beans and salt to the bowl of your crockpot, along with any other seasoning you would like to use (see Variations section).
3. Add enough water to cover the top of the beans with at least an inch of water (I use 5 cups of water for 1 lb).
Tip For Success
During the cooking process, if you notice that the liquid is almost gone, you will want to add more. It's unlikely your beans will burn in the crockpot, but they will start drying out if they run out of liquid.
To avoid the risk, I start with a lot of extra liquid on my beans. You can always drain it out when the beans are done cooking.
4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and set it to low or high, depending on your time constraints.
How long does it take to cook pinto beans in a crock pot?
Cook time varies based on your crockpot and how many beans you're making, but here are average cook times:
Low setting: 7-9 hours.
High setting: 4-6 hours.
5. Towards the end of the cooking time, you'll want to check in on your beans. It's ok to remove the lid and do a taste test!
How do I know when my beans are done?
- Appearance: Your pinto beans will have turned from a lovely speckled tan and brown to a deep caramel brown. They will be bigger and some of their skins may start to slightly split.
- Texture: The beans should be tender and creamy and no longer hard at all. They should be able to mash easily with a fork.
If you are making a big batch of beans to freeze for later, you should slightly undercook your beans. They will continue to soften when frozen, thawed, and reheated. If you start the freezing process with already very soft beans, you may end up with mushy beans when you reheat them.
6. When the pinto beans have reached your desired texture, drain off any remaining liquid in the crock pot and enjoy!
1 lb of dried pinto beans makes around 6.5 cups of cooked beans.
1 can of pinto beans has about 1.5 cups of pinto beans, so this recipe makes the equivalent of about 4 cans of beans.
Absolutely! Just make sure you add enough water to cover all the beans. Cook time may vary depending on the amount of beans.
More beans may take longer to cook. I wouldn't recommend cooking more than 2 lbs of beans at a time.
Variations
When making pinto beans in my crockpot, I usually keep them very plain, only using water and salt to flavor them. This way they stay versatile and I can add them to any recipe.
If you'd like to season your crock pot pinto beans, however, there are several easy flavor combinations you can try. Add these seasonings in at the beginning of the cooking process.
- Basic: 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 2 bay leaves for one pound of beans.
- Spicy: jalapenos, chili powder, or smoked paprika can be added to bring the heat to your pinto beans. The more you add, the spicier they will be!
- Savory: include a ham hock or leftover ham, bacon, or sausage for added depth. (You should cook the bacon and sausage before adding them to the slow cooker with the dry pinto beans.
- Vegetarian: Add vegetables like diced onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers. (These do not need to be cooked beforehand).
Other pinto bean seasoning ideas you could add to any of the above combinations:
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Cilantro
- Broth: substitute the water for beef, vegetable, or chicken broth for even more flavor!
How to Use Crock Pot Pinto Beans
These pinto beans can be eaten as a main dish, especially if you've used one of the flavor combinations. You can serve them over rice with a dollop of sour cream, and a delicious slice of cornbread. Mmmm, now that's a tasty dish!
These tender beans make a great side dish too. You could serve them with some grilled meat and vegetables.
Another delicious option is to wrap them in a tortilla with salsa.
They can also be added to different recipes. Here are some of my favorite pinto bean recipes from around the web:
- Pinto Bean Soup from The Cozy Cook
- Ground Beef and Pinto Bean Chili from The Spruce Eats
- Bean and Cheese Burritos from Chelsea's Messy Apron
- Pinto Bean Salad with Avocado and Tomatoes from Kalyn's Kitchen
- Homemade Refried Beans from Tastes Better From Scratch
Storage and Reheating
Storage
Any leftover crockpot pinto beans should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
They can also be stored in the freezer by following these instructions: "How to Freeze Cooked Beans."
Reheating
Reheating the pinto beans you've made in the crock pot is easy.
Stovetop
- Place the pinto beans in a sauce pot. Add a splash of water to prevent the beans from sticking or drying out.
- Heat the beans over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until they have reached desired temperature.
- Slow and gentle reheating is the key to maintaining their texture.
Microwave
- Make sure the beans are in a microwave-safe dish. Cover with a lid, leaving a small vent to allow steam to escape.
- Microwave beans for 1-2 minutes depending on the quantity and desired temperature.
- Give the beans a stir to ensure even heating.
- If they have not reached the desired temperature, continue heating in 30-second increments, stirring between.
Be careful when handling the hot dish and removing the lid as there will be steam that can burn you.
Nutrition
Pinto beans are not low in calories or in carbs. One cup has 245 calories and 45 grams of carbs. Don't let this deter you from eating them, however, because they have a lot of health benefits.
They are loaded with antioxidants and nutrients, such as iron, potassium, and the B vitamins.
They also have 15 grams of both protein and fiber in a single cup, helping you feel full longer. This can help with weight loss, and help regulate your blood sugar.
Like all ingredients, pinto beans are as healthy as the recipe they are used in. Pinto beans are often found in dishes with lots of cheese or sour cream, amping up their fat and cholesterol content.
So while they are generally healthy on their own, they can be perceived as unhealthy because of the way they are used.
For a full rundown of their nutritional values, check out the USDA's website.
Health Benefits of Pinto Beans
Delve into the numerous health benefits of pinto beans and explore why they deserve a prominent place on your plate.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
If your beans are still hard but most of the liquid is gone, you'll want to cover the pinto beans with more water and continue to cook them in the slow cooker until they reach your desired texture. Continue adding more water as needed and cooking as long as it takes.
Mushy pinto beans mean they have been cooked too long. Some crockpots run hotter than others. Next time try cooking it for a shorter time, or on a lower setting.
In the meantime, you can turn your mushy beans into delicious refried beans.
It can be tempting to skip the salt in this recipe in the name of lowering your sodium intake, but just a little bit of salt goes a long way to make your beans flavorful and delicious.
You can also add any of the ingredients in the variations section to give your crock pot pinto beans more flavor.
If you did add salt and/or seasonings and they still don't taste like anything it could be that your dried pinto beans were not stored properly or that they are too old.
Equipment You Might Need
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Bellemain 5 Qt Metal Colander with Handle
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Buy Now → More Pinto Bean Resources
Conclusion
I hope this guide has been helpful for you! I'd love to hear how your slow cooker pinto beans turned out. Did you try any of the variations?
Do you have any tips for cooking beans in the crockpot? I'm always looking for more ways to eat pinto beans, so share your favorite pinto bean recipes too.
Thanks for reading,
✌️ Ems
Recipe
Crock Pot Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried pinto beans (around 2.5 cups)
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- water (around 5 cups)
Instructions
- Start by rinsing your uncooked beans under cool, clean water to remove any dirt or dust that builds up during storage.
- Add the beans and salt to the bowl of your crockpot, along with any other seasoning you would like to use (see Variations section).
- Add enough water* to cover the top of the beans with at least an inch of water.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and set it to low or high. High takes 4-6 hours, low takes 8-10 hours to finish cooking.
- Towards the end of the cooking time, you'll want to check in on your beans. It's ok to remove the lid and do a taste test!
- When the pinto beans have reached your desired texture, drain off any remaining liquid in the crock pot and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Psst...I'm going to let you in on a little secret.
This method works for all types of dry beans. You can make white beans, kidney beans, red beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans using this same recipe. Enjoy!
Rena
Turned out great.