Description
These Slow Cooker Pinto Beans are tender, hearty, and full of flavor — the perfect comfort food made easy in your crock pot. With simple pantry ingredients like onion, garlic, cumin, and a bay leaf, this recipe transforms dried beans into a creamy, protein-packed dish. Great as a side, main, or meal prep staple, these beans are versatile, budget-friendly, and ideal for Southern or Mexican-inspired meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- 6 cups water
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoons salt (add at the end)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- Optional: ½ teaspoon chili powder or smoked paprika
- Optional toppings: chopped cilantro, green onions, lime wedges
Instructions
- Rinse and sort the beans, removing any debris or broken beans.
- Add beans, water, onion, garlic, cumin, black pepper, bay leaf, and optional chili powder to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 7–8 hours or LOW for 10–12 hours, until beans are tender.
- Stir in salt at the end of cooking to keep beans creamy and tender.
- Remove bay leaf, garnish with cilantro, green onions, or lime juice, and serve hot.
Notes
- Add salt only after beans are cooked to avoid tough skins.
- Check water levels during cooking — add more hot water if needed.
- For extra flavor, use vegetable broth instead of water.
- To make spicy, add jalapeños, chipotle peppers, or extra chili powder.
- Top with cotija cheese, avocado, or olive oil drizzle for richness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican, Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 11g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Slow Cooker Pinto Beans, Crock Pot Beans, Pinto Bean Recipe, Mexican Pinto Beans, Vegan Pinto Beans