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Home · Recipes · Slow Cooker · Crock Pot Pinto Beans

Published: Sep 16, 2024 by Kelly Anthony · 30 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Crock Pot Pinto Beans

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No can of beans could ever compare to this Crock Pot Pinto Beans recipe! I've been serving these pintos to crowds for years, and the people always rave about how delicious they are. They are shocked to find out just how easy they are to make!

A close-up image of crockpot pinto beans topped with cheese, sliced jalapeños, and cilantro. The beans are in a white bowl with a spoon off to the side.

Savory, saucy, and a tad bit zesty, these pinto beans in a crockpot deliver a Western flavor profile similar to chili with the creamiest texture. They are an ideal side for any game day, BBQ, or potluck; however, dinner time screams their name, too! If you love crock pot recipes, check out our crock pot green beans too.

Crock pot pinto beans in a white bowl with Cilantros, a blue and white napkin, and four jalapeños in the background.

Table of Contents

  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Do You Have to Soak Pinto Beans Before Cooking?
  • Best Seasoning for Pinto Beans
  • How to Cook Pinto Beans in the Crock Pot
  • Storing Leftover Pinto Beans
  • Delicious Ways to Eat Pinto Beans
  • 5 More Crock-Pot Recipes You'll Love

Why This Recipe Works

If you've ever been intimidated by cooking dried beans in a slow cooker, now's the time to stop. This recipe is so simple and doesn't even require a soaking period.

The bacon/spice-blend combo sets these beans apart and keeps our guests coming back for more. They're just as delicious leftover, and there are so many ways to enjoy them.

You can enjoy them as is--a great big bowl of comfort--or as the perfect potluck or game day side. They feed a crowd, are easy to store and reheat, and pair with many tons of main dishes.

Enjoy them in, over, or on the side of many Mexican dishes! Below, we've listed over 14 ways for you to enjoy them, but the sky's the limit when it comes to this versatile bean recipe.

Do You Have to Soak Pinto Beans Before Cooking?

The necessity of soaking the beans before they're added to the cooking vessel depends on the cooking vessel. An article from the L.A. Times backs up this finding, declaring that the only thing soaking them does for your recipe is shorten the cooking time.

So, in the case of crock-pot beans, there's no soak required because of the extended cook time. However, if you wanted to cook them in just 3 hours' time, you indeed need to soak them beforehand.

Best Seasoning for Pinto Beans

This dish has a bit of a Mexican flare, similar to our homemade charro beans. This pinto bean recipe most definitely favors the flavors of Ranch-Style Beans found amongst Texas grocery shelves, only way better.

For the seasoning, you need chili powder, Kosher salt, black pepper, and cumin. If you do not have Kosher salt, you'll need to adjust the quantity and rather, add the salt to taste.

How to Cook Pinto Beans in the Crock Pot

For this crockpot pinto bean recipe, you need a 6-quart slow cooker. If you want to double the recipe, you'll need a larger slow cooker. The ratio of beans to water depends on the cooking method but typically ranges from around 1 pound of beans to 4-6 cups of water. However, if you are doubling a recipe, this ratio may no longer apply.

It is important to keep in mind that the beans should be covered by water as they are cooking, so if you see the top of your beans is bare, just add a splash of water or two until they're submerged once again.

Sort Beans | Sort through the dried beans and discard of any rocks or pebble fragments, and rinse in a colander under running water.

Pinto beans in a colander

Add Everything to the Crock-Pot | Add the dried beans, onion, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir and cover with 5 cups of water.

Steps to add ingredients to slow cooker for Crock-Pot Beans.

Slow Cook the Beans | Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours. Note: how long it takes to cook will depend on freshness of beans. It can take up to 8 hours.

Serve and enjoy!

Slow cooker pinto beans in a slow cooker with a wooden spoon full of pinto beans over the slow cooker.

Storing Leftover Pinto Beans

Keep and enjoy leftovers from the fridge for up to 3-5 days. You can also allow them to cool and transfer to a freezer-safe quart-size bag and freeze for 2-3 months.

We recommend freezing in 1-2 cup servings; one can of beans is about 1-¾ cup. These crock pot pinto beans can certainly be subbed for just about any recipe calling for canned pintos!

Delicious Ways to Eat Pinto Beans

As Comfort Food | The most obvious way to enjoy these slow cooker pinto beans is in a bowl with a big slice of cornbread on the side. You can add it to chili (and completely undo a proper Texas chili) or, better yet and very Texan of you, add it to a Frito pie!

With Mexican Food | We love Tex-Mex recipes! Enjoy pinto beans over chicken nachos or taco salad or on the side of tacos de Camaron. They work great inside a steak burrito or paired with beef enchiladas and Mexican chicken casserole.

Make Refried Beans | You can also make refried beans by mashing with a potato masher. The beans will mash easier if you remove the liquid before mashing. Remove and reserve the liquid, mash the beans, and then stir in the cooking liquid a little at a time until you've reached the desired consistency.

Game Day Addition | This dish is great as a game day or BBQ dish to claim a spot in this lineup: bacon-wrapped armadillo eggs, slow cooker pulled pork, twice baked mashed potatoes, and shells and cheese.

A close-up shot of pinto beans in a white bowl with a topping of cilantro, cheese, and jalapeños.

5 More Crock-Pot Recipes You'll Love

  • Slow-Cooker Spare Ribs
  • Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos
  • Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker
  • Rotel Dip with Taco Meat
  • Crock Pot Cheesy Potatoes
Crock Pot Beans
Print Recipe
4.49 from 52 votes

Crock-Pot Beans

No-Soak Crock-Pot Beans take only 10 minutes to prep and are the most delicious pinto beans you'll ever taste thanks to smoky bacon, onion, and spices.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time5 hours hrs
Total Time3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Crock-Pot Beans
Servings: 10 Servings
Calories: 227kcal
Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried pinto beans
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt (Kosher salt ONLY)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 6 cups water

Instructions

  • Sort through the dried beans and discard of any rocks or pebble fragments, rinse and transfer to the slow cooker.
  • Add the bacon, onion, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir and cover with 6 cups of water.
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 947mg | Potassium: 708mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 480IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2.7mg

Sources

"Don't soak your dried beans! Now even the cool kids agree" - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

PInterest Image for Crock-Pot Beans (Pinto Beans Cooked in a Slow Cooker)

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Comments

  1. Cindy Gordon says

    June 24, 2019 at 10:07 pm

    Always looking for amazing crock pot recipes and this one fits the bill! Perfect!

    Reply
  2. Emily says

    June 24, 2019 at 10:20 pm

    These beans are so easy to make! Thanks for posting this recipe.

    Reply
  3. boastfulfood says

    June 24, 2019 at 10:23 pm

    You had me at bacon and beans:) Great summer recipe to go with all those great bbq's.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  4. Krissy Allori says

    June 24, 2019 at 11:06 pm

    These will make my family happy at the next family reunion.

    Reply
  5. Roxana says

    June 24, 2019 at 11:36 pm

    Such a quick and easy recipe. Beans cook so well in a slow cooker. And I like the spices used here.

    Reply
  6. Cindy Gordon says

    September 09, 2019 at 1:34 pm

    Always on the hunt for new crockpot recipes and this one is a winner! So easy and so delicious, even without the bacon!

    Reply
  7. Cathy says

    September 09, 2019 at 1:44 pm

    I'm so ready to make these today! These look so delicious, creamy and so inviting! Yes! Making these today!

    Reply
  8. Toni says

    September 09, 2019 at 1:50 pm

    This was a huge hit at my house!

    Reply
  9. Traci says

    September 09, 2019 at 2:02 pm

    I'm loving the savory comfort food vibes in this recipe! The everyday ingredients keep it simple and affordable. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  10. Jeanne says

    December 11, 2019 at 3:33 pm

    Instructions do not say what to do with the bacon.

    Reply
    • Kelly Anthony says

      December 11, 2019 at 5:53 pm

      Hi Jeanne! The bacon goes in with the onions and other ingredients. Happy cooking!

      Reply
      • Carol says

        February 09, 2021 at 12:07 am

        Is the bacon cooked prior or uncooked placed in crock pot?

        Reply
        • Kelly Anthony says

          March 30, 2021 at 4:55 pm

          Uncooked 🙂

          Reply
      • Petra says

        March 12, 2021 at 8:57 pm

        cooked or uncooked bacon?

        Reply
        • Kelly Anthony says

          March 15, 2021 at 9:54 pm

          Uncooked 🙂 It will cook in the crockpot!

          Reply
  11. K says

    December 27, 2019 at 1:05 pm

    The point of soaking the beans is not for reducing cooking time. It is so that they don’t make you gassy!

    Reply
  12. Catherine says

    January 20, 2020 at 7:15 pm

    Love this from-scratch recipe! It looks and sounds so good..great idea to make them in the crockpot!

    Reply
  13. Taylor Kiser says

    January 20, 2020 at 7:54 pm

    So easy to make in the crock pot! Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!

    Reply
  14. Tara says

    January 20, 2020 at 8:15 pm

    Yum! These beans sound incredible with those spices and the bacon. Such a great crock pot recipe.

    Reply
  15. Maike says

    January 20, 2020 at 8:57 pm

    My husband and I loved this recipe and I can't wait to make it for us again. The flavors are so good. Perfect crock pot recipe.

    Reply
  16. Jacqueline Meldrum says

    January 20, 2020 at 9:21 pm

    I am ashamed to say i have never made beans in my slow cooker. You have inspired me to give it a go. What have I bean waiting for?

    Reply
  17. Liz says

    April 28, 2020 at 7:21 pm

    Ooh so cozy and easy!

    Reply
  18. Charla says

    April 28, 2020 at 8:06 pm

    I used to cook my beans on the stovtop but since testing them in my slow cooker I have never looked back. I need to try this recipe very soon.

    Reply
  19. Tristin Rieken says

    April 28, 2020 at 8:19 pm

    Great tip on how much water to add. I always double recipes and have a hard time with adjusting the servings of bean recipes.Thanks!

    Reply
  20. Sisley White says

    April 28, 2020 at 9:00 pm

    Brilliant easy and now a family favourite. What a great way to cook beans.

    Reply
  21. Jovita says

    April 28, 2020 at 9:11 pm

    Oh my, these beans look absolutely mouth-watering! And so easy to make. Definitely making them soon, thank you!

    Reply
  22. A says

    November 30, 2020 at 7:36 pm

    So I cook bacon. Or does it go in raw?

    Reply
    • Kelly Anthony says

      November 30, 2020 at 8:27 pm

      There is no need to cook the bacon first 🙂 It will cook to a safe temperature in the crock-pot!

      Reply
  23. Tim says

    November 03, 2024 at 9:26 pm

    Would it be ok to replace the water with a broth of some kind or, maybe a broth/water mix?

    Reply
    • Kelly Anthony says

      November 11, 2024 at 2:26 pm

      Absolutely!

      Reply
4.49 from 52 votes (35 ratings without comment)

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I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

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