Making my savory slow cooker pinto beans recipe is very simple and packs a punch! With easy to find spices and veggies, this comforting dish will become a favorite in your household. My recipe is vegetarian and can be served as a side dish to tacos, enjoyed with tortilla chips, or served on it’s own with bread.
My Japanese mother LOVES making beans.
You see, I grew up in Quebec, where the cold winds blow for a disproportionately long time each year. And my mom took breaks from crafting perfect onigiri and making miso soup from scratch to cook North American dishes as well. She loved to whip up comfort food classics for my brother and me, like the best tuna salad sandwich (ever) and – my personal favorite: rustic ham and beans, which is sort of like southern pinto beans with ham hock. I wanted to see if I could make a pinto beans recipe in the slow cooker that might approximate my mother’s ham and beans, while keeping it entirely vegetarian.
The result is a simple crockpot bean recipe that’s hearty and comforting. The flavors are quite subtle so I suggest doing a taste test once the beans are cooked and seasoning it to your own liking. Aside from my Japanese pinto bean stew, this might just be my favorite pinto beans recipe of all time.
Table of Contents
Do I Have To Soak Beans Before Cooking Them?
Now, full disclosure: I’ve usually subscribed to the overnight-soak school of thought. While not scientific by any means, I’ve found that soaking overnight sits right in the sweet spot between long enough and not too long. It seems to improve their texture and make them more palatable.
However, there are a few general thoughts on soaking beans that I’ll share with you here.
- Overnight Soak: Rinse your dry pinto beans and place in a large bowl. Cover beans with water (2-3 inches of water above the top of the beans). You can add a bit of kosher salt if you’d like. I usually don’t. Soak between 6-12 hours, rinse and cook.
- Quick Soak: Rinse your pinto beans and place in a large pot on the stovetop. Cover with water – and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat and let your beans soak in the hot water for about an hour-and-a-half. Rinse again and cook.
- No Soak: Did you know your beans don’t actually require a soak to cook up? It’s true. You can rinse and cook straight away. Typically, they will require a longer cooking time to achieve doneness. And, in the past, I’ve found beans that weren’t soaked to be slightly course in the texture department.
All of these methods work for preparing the beans for the crock pot.
How to Make This Recipe
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.
- Soak the beans overnight, then rinse. After the overnight soak and final rinse, place your pinto beans into the slow cooker.
- Sauté the aromatics. In a large pan over medium high heat, add a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and cook 4 cloves of minced garlic, a finely chopped onion and 4 chopped celery stalks for about 6-7 minutes.
- Season and slow cook. Once the veggies are done, add them to the slow cooker along with smoked paprika, chili powder and dried thyme. Toss in 2 bay leaves (remove these just before serving), a pinch of coarse sea salt and cover the whole thing with 4 cups of water or broth.
Expert Tip
Water to beans ratio: An easy way way to figure out the ratio of beans to water for a crockpot is to add enough water so it covers the beans by 1 to 2 inches. This is for beans that have soaked overnight.
How Long Does it Take to Cook Pinto Beans in a Slow Cooker?
Since I used a simple slow cooker, there was really only a high and low setting. I tried it both ways just to see if there would be a difference in taste or texture with the final dish.
ON LOW: It takes about 6 to 7 hours for the beans to be perfectly cooked. Great when you just want to set it and forget it.
ON HIGH: Around 4 hours seemed to be the sweet spot for cooking pinto beans with more intense heat.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: First, let the beans cool to room temperature. Transfer them to an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheating: To reheat the beans, microwave on medium for 2 to 3 minutes. Or, put the beans in a pot and reheat on low for a few minutes.
Bean Alternatives
I find that pinto beans are perfect for this slow cooker recipe. However, in a pinch it is possible to substitute other beans that display general similarities.
- Borlotti beans (also known as cranberry beans or Roman beans) have a very similar appearance to pinto beans. Great in soups and stews, these beans are used primarily in Mediterranean cuisine.
- Red kidney beans are a decent substitute for pinto beans in that their inner texture is similar. However, a word of warning: the skin on kidney beans can be tough and may influence the texture of the overall dish.
- Anasazi beans (also called Aztec beans) are in the same family as pinto beans – and are used in many Latin American dishes. While this ancient bean is a decent alternative to pinto beans, keep in mind that it cooks much more quickly.
What to Serve With This Recipe
I serve these hearty beans as part of a warming winter feast – or as a mid-summer BBQ side dish at the cookout. They’re super versatile! They work with anything from a strawberry, tomatillo and watermelon salad to oven baked broccoli tots to spicy cucumber salad to… well, pretty much anything. You get the idea 🙂
Bon appétit!
And here are a few other delicious bean recipes:
- 15-Minute Three Bean Salad
- One Pot Navy Bean Soup
- Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Spanish Tomato Bean Stew
- Pinto Bean Stew (Japanese Style)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes it is. In fact, this savory pinto beans recipe is completely vegan.
The most common reason for this problem is that the beans are too old. The older the dry beans, the harder it will be for them to fully soften. I suggest buying a fresh bag of beans if your dried beans are over a year old.
It’s best to cook beans on low heat because cooking them on high can harden the shell of the bean, which could make it harder for the inside to cook.
Yes you can! Before freezing them, allow them to completely cool to room temperature. I suggest freezing your beans in batches, especially if you made a big pot, using airtight containers or bags. This way, you can thaw the exact amount that you need. Cooked beans will keep in the freezer for up to 2 to 3 months.
If keeping this dish vegetarian isn’t important to you, using 2 to 3 of strips of bacon (chopped) will give the dish a smoky flavor and will also make it more salty. You can also add a little garlic powder or onion powder to add extra depth, or some cumin powder for a hint of curry flavor.
Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4hr 10min
- Yield: 8 to 10 1x
- Category: Slow Cooker
- Method: Crockpot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Savory like a traditional pork and beans recipe, my slow cooker pinto beans recipe is 100% vegan.
Ingredients
- 1 pound, dry pinto beans
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups water, chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse, soak, then drain the pinto beans. Rinse the pinto beans and soak in cold water overnight. Drain the beans, rinse and drain again and add them to the slow cooker.
- Cook the aromatics. In pan over medium high heat, add extra virgin olive oil, garlic, onion and celery and cook for 6-7 minutes, until onions are translucent. Turn the heat off and add the vegetables to the slow cooker.
- Season and slow cook. Add all the remaining ingredients and slow cook on low for 6-7 hours, until the beans are tender, or on high for 4 hours.
- Serve. Remove the bay leaves and serve.
Notes
You can store leftover pinto beans recipe in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup cooked beans
- Calories: 237
- Sugar: 1.9g
- Sodium: 166.2mg
- Fat: 4.3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37.7g
- Fiber: 9.4g
- Protein: 12.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
I just had a couple of questions…I have a 7 quart crock pot. If i double the recipe will the ingredients fit and how are you guys freezing these? What are you using for containers?
Hi Marcus! Doubling the recipe should be fine with a 7 quart crock pot. I like to freeze it using either storage bags or individual size storage containers. And please make sure to wait until the bean stew is room temperature before freezing it 🙂
I make this this recipe often. Freeze the leftovers. They freeze and reheat so well. I made this recipe for “nacho potluck day” at work. I’ve now been nominated to be the one who always brings the beans to the potluck!! Such a hit with my coworkers.
Thank you Ashley! 🙂
This is a terrific recipe. I made it yesterday, and it was a total hit. I used the dry beans I had in the house, which were cranberry beans (similar to pinto beans). To save time, I skipped precooking the veggies and instead just added them raw to my slow cooker without any oil. I was not exact in my measurements – used more garlic cloves, bay leaves, and celery.
I cooked the beans on high until they were tender, adding quite a bit more broth than listed in the recipe. When they were tender, I added a can of no-salt, petite diced tomatoes.
We served the beans over rice or cauliflower rice, depending on preference, and they were a total hit! I will be making these regularly!
Thank you so much Donna! 🙂
thank you !! d- licious !!! I added a pound of ground chuck .
I am going to cook the beans so I was wondering if I could use six cups of water, instead of four, in my crock pot? Would that make the beans too watery?
Hi Estrella! 4 cups was enough to give the beans a tender texture. 6 cups might be a bit much and make the dish watery, unless you cook the beans for much longer. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Can I add green leaf veggies like chard?
Hi Steve! Yes, you can absolutely add chard (that sounds delicious!) 🙂
These beans are SO good! And they made my house smell amazing all cold, rainy day yesterday! Made them exactly as written. Thanks so much, dinner was YUMMY!
Thank you so much Ann! 🙂
Good tip
Juat a tip- I bring my cooking water to a boil in an electric kettle and add the already boiling water as all the water in my slowcoocker. Cuts cooking time by at least an hr.