These homemade pinto beans are full of flavor and super simple to make! No pre-soaking is required…just get out your slow cooker and combine 4 simple ingredients. Let that slow cooker do all the work and pretty soon you’ll have yourself a tasty side dish to pair with any meal!
I was raised on homemade slow cooked pinto beans. My parents made them once a week on the stove and we paired pinto beans with chicken, meatloaf, beef, pork, and tacos. I remember my parents always buying a big bag of dry pinto beans each week at the grocery store so we could make sure we always had a bag on hand.
When it was time to make them, my parents would pour the bag on the counter and they would call me and my sister into the kitchen to pick out the "broken beans". We would take our hands and spread them into a nice even layer and pick out all the half broken ones and the little rocks you would find in the mix. From there, we'd take the beans and add them to a big bowl, rinse, and then drain them. We would then let them sit on the counter to soak for hours.
I asked my parents one day, "Why do we soak the pinto beans before we cook them?" Dad said it helped to remove some of the air so we don't get as gassy after eating them. That was always so funny to me as a kid!
As an adult, I still make so many recipes from my childhood. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of me, my mom, dad, and sister sitting down every night to a home cooked meal. Because this has left such a warm place in my heart, I've instilled this same tradition in my house with my husband and kiddos. I literally cook a homemade meal 6 days a week. It's so rare that we go out to eat because my family loves my cooking and I love to cook.
Why You Should Eat Pinto Beans
When the kiddos were old enough to get off baby food, I decided to take a stab at my parent's recipe and method for making homemade pinto beans. I would make them and smash them up with a fork for the kids to eat and lucky for me, both kids instantly fell in love with them! Which made me happy because they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need, like fiber and iron. And, they are also low in fat and high in protein.
How to Cook Pinto Beans
But there was a problem. As an adult, I was really struggling with something when I made these on the stovetop. My beans would always turn out mushy. After talking to my dad and explaining to him how I was cooking them, he told me they were getting mushy because I was probably doing at least one of the following:
- Over watering them as they cooked,
- My temperature was probably too high,
- I was probably over stirring them as they cooked.
He asked me why I was still making pinto beans the old fashioned way. I was stunned...I was like, "Daddy, what do you mean the old fashioned way? This is how you always did it." On the stove...in a huge stockpot! He softly smiled and said, "It's so much easier in the crock pot. Let me tell you how to make slow cooker pinto beans."
Hooray for this news from my dad! Ok, so here's a quick video showing you how he told me to make pinto beans in the slow cooker.
Video: Step-By-Step Instructions For Making Pinto Beans In A Slow Cooker
It only takes 4 simple ingredients to make this crock pot pinto beans recipe. Then all you have to do is walk away while your slow cooker does ALL the work for the next 7-9 hours. You need a 1 lb bag of dry pinto beans, salt, pepper, and water. A 1 pound bag of dry pinto beans equals 2.5 cups.
I've had readers tell me that they've added in bacon, chorizo, and chopped up mozzarella to this beans recipe. They RAVED about it! The red pepper flakes are optional but they do help add a little kick if you like more of a spicy pinto beans recipe. Because these are made in a slow cooker, they turn out velvety smooth and full of flavor every time! Just like my parent's pinto beans did when I was a kid.
How To Make Pinto Beans
This is what my dad told me to do to make crock pot beans. Get a 1 lb bag and pour them out on the counter. The bag below is a 2lb bag. If that's all you can find, just use ½ the bag.
He told me he doesn't soak the dry beans anymore. Just skim through them quickly on the counter and throw away any broken pinto bean and any rocks. I was also advised to throw away any dark beans.
So you're probably asking..."Why in the WORLD are rocks in my pinto beans?!?" It's a good question! Don't fret! Rocks are left over from the soil after the dried beans are harvested. Some get picked up in the harvesting process. Just don't cook them or eat them and you'll be ok!
From there, he rinses the dry beans and then puts them in the slow cooker.
Next add the salt, pepper, and water to the slow cooker and put the top on the crock pot.
7-9 hours later, they will be done and are of the perfect consistency. Let me tell you, when I learned how to make beans in the slow cooker, it was a game changer. It was not fun nursing a big pot, cooking them the old fashioned way for 4-5 hours while adding yet more water because they boiled down too low. So, I took my daddy's advice and made these the new way and oh my goodness, they turned out so AMAZING!!
What To Serve With Pinto Beans
I serve these as a side dish to so many meals. I especially love them with my Extremely Healthy Meatloaf recipe. My Pot Roast with Balsamic and Dijon also pairs well with these. And let's not forget Mexican food! If you're looking for a good Mexican beans recipe, this one goes really well with my Crock Pot Beef Carnitas Tacos, especially when you season these with the red pepper flakes! And don't forget beans and rice. That's a meal all by itself!
Most of the time, I serve the pinto beans seasoned with salt and pepper, but they are also super yummy topped with feta or cotija cheese and parsley or cilantro. Sometimes simple is so much better. I really think you are going to enjoy these pinto beans cooked in the slow cooker! Enjoy this new super easy way to make them!
Expert Tips and FAQs for Making Pinto Beans
- To Pre-Soak Or Not Pre-Soak - Let me talk a little bit about the pre-soaking and gassiness aspect. When I make these in the slow cooker, I don't pre-soak them beforehand. And I don't notice any more or less gassiness than when I used to soak them. So I have no idea if there is any science behind that pre-soaking piece, but I did read an informative article about why you don't need to soak pinto beans before cooking them. You can read about that here.
- Additional Cooking Method - My dad likes to cook his in the slow cooker for 5 hours on high and then turn the temperature to low for the last 4 hours.
- Naturally Gluten Free - They are naturally gluten free and contain so many nutritional benefits, so eat them up! They are also naturally low in fat!
- Spice It Up! - You can add a pinch of crushed red pepper if you want a kick of spice!
I can’t wait to hear how this recipe turned out for you! Leave me a comment if you make these and tag me @recipesworthrepeating on Instagram and hashtag it #recipesworthrepeating so I can see what you made!
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Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 lb Bag of Dried Pinto Beans, rinsed and picked over for stones and broken pieces
- 7.5 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
Instructions
- Pour the beans onto a counter and sort through them and discard obvious broken pieces and any rocks, as well as any dark beans.
- Rinse the dry beans and place them in the slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients into a slow cooker and stir.
- Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. You want to ensure you don't overcook them. You don't want them falling apart.
- Once cooked, turn the slow cooker off.
- They are now ready to serve. You can serve them plain or top them off with your favorite toppings such as feta or cotija cheese and parsley or cilantro.
Video
Notes
- Conversion - 1 pound bag equals 2.5 cups.
- Additional Cooking Method - My dad likes to cook his in the slow cooker for 5 hours on high and then turn the temperature to low for the last 4 hours.
- To Pre-Soak Or Not Pre-Soak - Let me talk a little bit about the pre-soaking and gassiness aspect. Ok, yes this is going to get personal for a minute so just bear with me here. When I make these in the slow cooker, I don't pre-soak them beforehand. And I don't notice any more or less gassiness than when I used to soak them. So I have no idea if there is any science behind that pre-soaking piece, but I did read a cool article about why you don't need to soak them before cooking them. You can read about that here.
- Toss The Stones - So you're probably asking..."Why in the WORLD are rocks in my pinto beans?!?" It's a good question! Don't fret! Rocks are left over from the soil after the dried beans are harvested. Some get picked up in the harvesting process. Just don't cook them or eat them and you'll be ok!
- Broken and Dark Pinto Beans - You absolutely NEED to toss those broken ones! There's a lot of reasons why these are broken. Some can split because of insect holes and the really dark ones just taste AWFUL if you cook them! So pick through those and get rid of broken, dark beans, and the rocks! It's SUPER important!
- Naturally Gluten Free - They are naturally gluten free and contain so many nutritional benefits, so eat them up! They are also naturally low in fat!
- Spice It Up! - You can add a pinch of crushed red pepper if you want a kick of spice!
- Additional Add Ons - I've had readers tell me that they've added in bacon, chorizo, and chopped up mozzarella to this recipe.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in March of 2017, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions and tips in July 2020.
Karyn
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I have always soaked my beans overnight before cooking them. Today I tried this recipe and they turned out AMAZING! I will never soak them overnight again! They are tender, moist and seasoned perfectly. Nothing fancy, they are just the way my Granny used to make them for us growing up! I used the red pepper flakes since we like them with a little spice but the spice isn't overwhelming! Such an easy meal and reminds me of my Granny, so again, Thank you!
Amanda Mason
Hi Karyn!
I'm SO glad they turned out so great for you!! And that they remind you of your granny...awe! That makes me smile!! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!!
Jaime
Hello Amanda. It’s Jaime. I’ve just made my second pot of beans but I tweaked the recipe a little and Ayyyyyyyy Caramba!!!! These beans are scrumptious. I threw in bacon, chorizo and chopped up mozzarella. Awesomeness!!!!!
Amanda Mason
Oh my goodness that sounds so amazing!!!! What a great addition! That's a meal all by itself!!! I'll update the recipe to include these as options!!!! So yummy!
Joanna Robinson
Hi I make mine similar except I use bacon and ham hocks I don’t use salt ,I use beef cubes. Crock pot is the best way to go. Great recipe
Amanda Mason
Thanks! yes - I love adding bacon or ham!! So yummy! I'm so glad you loved the recipe!!!
Jane
So fabulous! Went out on a limb & took to a cookout.
Was doubtful about not soaking & limited ingredients (used the crushed red pepper too) but awesome flavor :).
Amanda Mason
Hi Jane - I'm SO glad you loved them! Yes - it's a fabulous and simple recipe that all love! I'm so glad you love the flavor!! Thanks for writing in to let me know!!
Jaime Gonzalez
Hello Amanda,
It’s so interesting to me that as I read your story, I reminisced about my own childhood. Minus me having any involvement in the cooking process, I was able to feel as if almost smell those beans cooking. Do you recall the smell of them cooking, particularly on a cold winter evening? I’m emotional just writing to you about it.
Now here comes the greatest and please don’t read into this in any way. I almost felt as if we could be siblings as you mentioned how beans were a must in your home every week. I recall how upset my stepfather would get if there weren’t any beans cooked In our home.
I felt such a kinship with you, but then you mentioned the main dishes that you accompanied the pinto beans with and as I read the words of the food, my mind was perplexed. I read on and I didn’t anticipate that there would be a picture of you at the end of your recipe. Went that’s when I just had the best laugh since I can’t even remember. I still feel the kinship with you only that you are my sister from another mister.
The main courses that would accompany our beans will sound perhaps foreign to you. Here are some of the names of the meals: carne con chile, chilles rellenos, huevos rancheros (you may have heard of this one). And the list goes on.
I apologize if you don’t see the humor that I saw. But as a 50 year old man and living all of my life in Los Angeles, I never ever heard of a Caucasian family having pinto beans on standby like in my home. As a matter of fact I remember the few times I had friends over for dinner of a different race, they would love our food m, but they had never seen pinto beans. They always would say, “we eat beans sometimes on 4th of July, but they are not good like these”.
I’ve never cooked beans and the one thing that I asked my wife to do for me when we got married was to please cook beans for me. Well here I am after 15 years of marriage and I’ve never had a pot full of beans at home. And trust me we laugh about it all the time. But we live busy that we get home from work and we mainly eat out. I wish we had the great tradition that you have going on with your family. That’s beautiful.
Well I just had to reach out to you. I thank you so much for your recipe that you shared. I’m sure it will be great. I’m going to leave the. cooking overnight and my wife will get a kick out of it in morning when she sees a pit full of beans that I cooked.
All the best to you and your family. It’s great that through so many differences they people are going through during these times two complete strangers from different walks of like can share such a simple yet powerful memories.
Jaime
Amanda Mason
What a wonderful comment to read! Thank you for writing this! We ate beans all the time as a child because we didn't have a ton of money and beans were cheap, lasted awhile, and provided great nutritional value. I agree - it's so funny how we are on completely different paths in life but there is a commonality here - in food! Amazing! Food truly is a universal language!! Thanks so much this comment and thank you for following me! Let me know how you like the beans!!
Jaime
The beans were awesome!!!! I made breakfast in the morning and for the first time in 15 years there is a pot of beans in my fridge!!!
Thanks so much for your time and recipe.
I will browse your site for cheesecake and/or coffee cake recipes
Be
Amanda Mason
Yeah!! I'm so glad you loved them!! Yes - check out my dessert section here: https://recipesworthrepeating.com/category/recipes/desserts/. You're guaranteed to find some you'll love!!
Rick Bisbing
How much water would I add to this recipe if cooking 4 lbs of beans in a 10 qt slow cooker?
Amanda Mason
I've never made that many at the same time so if I were you, I'd put the beans into the slow cooker and add enough water to cover the beans by 2-3 inches. You're also going to need to increase the cooking time but not sure by how long since I've not made this many at once.
Tim Mantyla
I can't comment on the recipe yet but I made my own adjustments including about half a cup of lemon juice, 1.5 tbsp paprika, Tajin Clasico red pepper-and-lime-juice-seasoned salt and meat tenderizer seasoning mix (garlic powder, salt, dextrose, onion powder instead of salt. I'll let you know how it turns out!
I bet this recipe could benefit from a couple of cloves of garlic and some diced onions.
Amanda Mason
Hi Tim - your additions sound so amazing!! Yes - I created this recipe to be super so it would go with many dishes, and it is wonderful with minimal ingredients. BUT - you are so right...adding additional seasonings definately take this recipe up a notch!! I can't WAIT to hear how your additions turn out so please let me know!!!
Gabrielle
I've already soaked my beans. Approx. how long should I leave them in the crock pot?
Amanda Mason
Even though you soaked them, it really shouldn't reduce the cook time. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. I'd start checking them at 6hr in to see if they are done.
Beverly Miller
Thank you for posting the pinto beans recipe. I also grew up eating them. My mom always add a ham bone for seasoning to the beans and she had fried potatoes and corn bread with them. Extremely good and filling then with the leftover beans heat them up the next day an make a bean sandwich all you do is put the beans with your choice of condiments on one slice of bread then put the other piece of bread on top. It is really good and you dont waste any food.
Amanda Mason
Hi Beverly! That is SUCH a great idea! An excellent way to make sure no food is wasted! I love the addition of the ham bone seasoning! And yes, oh so filling!!
Samantha Pollard
I just seen this recipe but I put ham hocks and onion,garlic,salt, pepper and cooked on low for 7 hrs and I noticed they were not done... I am using a Ninja Cooking system....Should I of cooked them on high???? After 7 hrs I put them on high because they were not done??? Any suggestions???
Amanda Mason
Hi! So I've never used a ninja cooking system when making this and I'm always leary of the multi functional gadgets because I never have any luck with the cooking "normal" like they do with a slow cooker or instant pot. So - I'm not sure how to help you on this one other than do some research on Google to see what they recommend cook time be for pinto beans in their system. I love your additions of ham hock! If you can ever get them done in your ninja cooker they should taste amazing.
Terry Clifford Marsh
We always cooked pintos at work and we would always add a whole chopped up onion and a pack of ham seasoning to a similar recipe.Also added a little extra water for our corn bread.
Amanda Mason
Yum!! That sounds great! I hope you enjoy my recipe!
Evan
Lovely post, thanks so much Amanda! Just wanted to add that sorting out the pebbles and broken beans is much better done in a shallow baking tray than on the countertop. One lb. even fits a single layer deep on a typical medium-sized tray. Also, while I've never noticed a bad taste from broken beans, they cook down fast and make the water very brothy, which the whole beans can't soak up as well.
Amanda Mason
Hi Evan! Great feedback - love that idea of using a shallow dish!! Let me know how you like the recipe!!