Making my savory and comforting crock pot pinto beans is very easy! I made sure this pinto beans 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. And whether you prefer to presoak your beans or not, I have different cooking options to accommodate your busy schedule.
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
What are Pinto Beans?
Aside from being commonly used in stews and smoky chili, pinto beans are also the legumes used to make refried beans – the ubiquitous mashed Mexican beans that are served alongside rice and tortillas at your favorite Mexican restaurant.
These speckled brown beans are hearty, nutrient dense – and the absolute perfect choice for this easy recipe.
Do You 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. Your mileage may vary.
- The 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.
- The 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.
- The 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 are fine for preparing pinto beans for the slow cooker.
I still say, if you’re on the fence, nail-biting and wondering how do you make the BEST beans – give them a soak!
How to Cook Pinto Beans
While a simmering pot of pinto beans is a wonderful thing in the sights-and-smells department, for this slow cooker pinto beans recipe I went with the crock-pot. Using the slow cooker gave the flavors time to fully develop and infuse all of that savory goodness to the center of the pinto beans.
- 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
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.
Easy, right? And now just let the slow cooker do its thing.
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.
Long story short: everything turned out well with both settings. The setting you use will really come down to how quickly you want to eat dinner!
Storage
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. In the freezer, this stew will keep for up to 3 months.
What Can Replace Pinto Beans?
I find that pinto beans are perfect for this slow cooker recipe. So pinto beans are my ultimate recommendation, hands down. However, in a pinch you could 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 is tougher than that of the pinto bean. That 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.
Even though these are a few great alternatives to use in a pinch, I’d still say, when it comes to this yummy slow cooker pinto beans recipe, head to the store and grab pintos if you can!
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 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.
Can I use beef broth instead
Yes you can 🙂
This sounds yummy. Most times I throw in a can of petite diced tomatoes, about 3-4 tablespoons pinto bean flavoring spice, green chilies, small can (no heat at all) onion, garlic, chili seasoning ,(about a tablespoon), 2 slices raw bacon or pork ham hock. Everything but kitchen sink.
How do you get the bean juice to be thicker a little?
My mom always added a tablespoon of sugar the last hour or so. What else works?
Hi Audrey! I would sift a little all-purpose flour in the end until you are happy with the thickness. 🙂
Sure your a great gal ! Everything but the sink
These turned out so good. Ive been cooking beans for 50 years but wanted something different. This recipe filled that bill! I cheated and used butter instead of the oil. Thank you for including the soaking part. I also think beans are better soaked plus it does get rid of some toxins all beans carry that cause gas.
How many cups beans to water?
Very good recipe. Amazing flavor and I’ve made it multiple times. Love it!!
Can you use black beans?
Hi Marianne! Yes you can but the cooking time will be shorter. I would recommend cutting down on the cooking time by about 1/3 🙂
I love pinto beans and cornbread!!
This turned out AMAZING!! My first time making dried pinto beans ever and I’ll definitely be making it again using this recipe! I know this is vegetarian, but adding cooked bacon on the last hour of cooking is so yummy. It was a little spicy for my liking but next time I’ll just use less paprika. Thank you for this!
Thank you so much Brandi!:)
Thanks for this recipe! It’s amazing and very helpful.
Great recipe with easy to follow steps. I always mess up cooking pinto beans on the stove so I decided to give it a try in my crockpot. Got a tasty flavor from all the add-ins. The beans turned out perfect using the quick-soak and 4-hour high cook time. Thank you!
Love how easy this is to make!
Really delicious recipe! My slow cooker had low setting starting at 6 hours, so I chose that and they were quite soft after 4 hours on low. Thank you!
Thank you so much Bridget! 🙂
Can you add ham to this recipe?
Hi Matthew! Yes, absolutely, the flavors will blend nicely 🙂
I made this recipe last week, and it was fantastic! Have you tried this recipe with black beans by chance?
Hi Stephanie! I haven’t tried it with black beans but that’s a great idea! I bet it would be just as yummy 🙂
Hi Caroline! It turns out this recipe is fantastic with black beans! We have been making this recipe over and over, switching between pinto and black beans, and it’s a hit every time! Thank you!
That’s so great Stephanie! I’ll have to try it your way 🙂
i preferred to presoak the beans…help the gassiness of them. also the start with a minimum of salt .just for kicks i added a splash of white wine..cooking as i write…thank you .
Thank you for sharing your tips Frederick!
Heya, I loved this recipe so sooo much dear. Thanks a lot for sharing such a super awesome recipe. Perfect recipe 🙂 Thanks much again. Regards.
Making this now in my instant pot! Hope the kids like it without having to add molasses or brown sugar, LOL! I’m putting the unsoaked beans in after sauteing the vegetables and pressure cooking on high for 30 minutes! Should work, we will see…
If i doubled this recipe, would I need to cook it twice as long?
No, I doubled and cooking time was the same 🙂
We fell in love with the recipe as soon as we saw the photo on twitter:)
Being Greeks and all, we LOVE beans (and all pulses/legumes in general), so it goes without saying (but we’ll say it) that this is happening. Soon. 🙂
You also did an amazing job sharing info about pinto beans. We actually plant some of these in Panos’ parents house in Evia, and we have some in stock from last summer. So the timing couldn’t be better:)
This variety has a more “meaty” taste than classic navy beans doesn’t it? And it does pair amazing with any meat.
We don’t have a crockpot but we often cook the beans in a pressure cooker, so we’ll adjust the recipe accordingly:) And adding smoked paprika is exactly what we always do as well when we cook these:)
We must stop here otherwise we’ll keep rumbling on with your amazing recipe:):)
Sending you our love!
You two are the best, thank you again and again for always leaving such beautiful comments. I hope we can meet in Greece someday!
This site was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something that helped me.
Appreciate it!