Crock pot pinto beans are humble, but when they're cooked right, they're absolutely delicious-creamy, brothy, flavorful, and far better than anything from a can. Start with soaked dried pinto beans, add aromatics and spices, then let the slow cooker do the work. They're inexpensive, mostly hands-off, and perfect for bowls, tacos, smashed beans, bean dip, or an easy side dish.
While I keep canned beans in the pantry (they are so convenient), crock pot pinto beans gives you a big, flexible batch with better texture and flavor than canned. Two cups of dried pinto beans makes about 6 cups soaked and roughly the equivalent of 4-5 cans of beans. That gives you lots of creative options.
↓ Recipe
Crock Pot Pinto Beans Recipe Highlights
- Better than canned - Creamy, flavorful, and no metallic taste or excess sodium.
- Mostly hands-off - Soak overnight, then let the slow cooker do the work.
- Budget-friendly - One pound dried beans makes about 4-5 cans worth.
- Flexible flavor - Keep them simple or add warm Mexican-style spices.
- Use them all week - Serve brothy, mash into refried beans, puree into dips for snacking, add to soups, tacos, and bowls.
For another beans recipe, try this easy 3-bean salad with canned beans.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Dried pinto beans - Soak overnight for even cooking and creamy texture.
- Onion - Adds savory flavor.
- Garlic - Cloves flavor the broth as they cook.
- Bay leaves - Add subtle herbal depth.
- Optional herbs & spices - Cumin, Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, and ancho chili powder add warmth and gentle Mexican-style flavor.
- Filtered water - Best if your tap water is hard, which can slow bean softening.
- Broth - Use chicken broth or vegetable broth for half of the liquid, or use all water.
Please see the recipe card for measurements and salt.
Chef's Tip - It's OK to Salt Your Beans
Salting beans during soaking and early cooking does not make them tough. In fact, soaking beans in salted water helps season them from the inside out, improves texture, and keeps the skins intact so they cook up creamy instead of split. I soak my beans with a tablespoon of kosher salt, then drain and rinse before cooking. The real culprits behind tough beans are old beans, hard water, or acidic ingredients added too early. Use filtered water if your water is hard.
Substitutions & Variations
- Keep them simple - For a more neutral pot of beans, skip the cumin, smoked paprika, and ancho chili powder. Cook only with onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt.
Chef's Tip - Don't Skip the Soak (Quick Soak if Needed):
For crock pot pinto beans, I don't recommend skipping the soak. Cooking time becomes much less predictable, especially with older beans or hard water. If you forget to soak them overnight, use the quick soak method: add beans to a large pot with 6-8 cups water and 1-1½ tablespoons kosher salt. Bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes, turn off the heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Drain, rinse, and proceed with the recipe. If your water is hard, use filtered water for soaking and cooking to help the beans soften properly.
How to Make Crock Pot Pinto Beans
Testing Note: I tested these pinto beans on both LOW and HIGH, in a slow cooker and in the Instant Pot on the slow-cook setting. Both work, but I prefer cooking them lower and slower for the best texture. I also tested all water versus half broth and half water; the broth version had better flavor. Use the timing and liquid option that works best for your kitchen.
- Add soaked dried beans, garlic, spices, bay leaves, and onion wedges to the crock pot.
- Pour in water and broth to just cover. Cook on LOW, checking at 5-6 hours. Timing will depend on your slow cooker.
- Beans are done when they are tender and creamy to the bite but still holding their shape. Remove the onions, garlic, and bay leaves. Strain beans from liquid, saving the bean broth.
- Serve brothy pinto beans with a little of their cooking liquid (bean broth), topped with white onion, cilantro, and jalapeño slices if desired. See more serving ideas below.
Serving Suggestions
Serve crock pot pinto beans as a simple side dish, or use them as a base for easy meals all week.
- Bean bowls - Spoon into bowls with rice, avocado, salsa, ranchero sauce, and cilantro.
- Tacos or tostadas - Add beans to tortillas or tostada shells with cheese, lettuce, salsa, or shredded chicken.
- Soups and stews - Add to tortilla soup, chili, or simple bean soup.
- Side dish - Serve with salsa verde chicken, grilled steak, shrimp, or enchiladas.
- Breakfast - Serve with eggs, tortillas, and ranchero sauce.
Chef's Tip: Refried-Style Pinto Beans
Despite the name, refried beans are not fried twice; they're cooked again and mashed. Sauté a little finely chopped onion in olive oil or another fat until soft, then add garlic and cook briefly. Add cooked pinto beans with a splash of bean cooking liquid and mash with a potato masher until thick and creamy. For a smooth bean dip, briefly pulse in a food processor or puree with extra bean broth until spoonable.
Storage and Freezing
Store cooked pinto beans with some of their cooking liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze, cool the beans completely, then freeze them with enough bean broth to keep them moist. Use freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth if needed.
More Recipes With Beans
From soups to salads and sides, beans are so versatile. Try a few of these beans recipes, and there are more in the recipe index, just type in bean or beans.
Please Leave Your Comment
I love to hear from you, so please let me know how you serve crock pot pinto beans. Your comments help other readers too.
📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt for soaking, plus a little for seasoning
- 1 small white onion peeled and quartered
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- ¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder optional
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups filtered water
- 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
Instructions
Soak pinto beans
- Rinse and drain the beans, discarding any broken beans. Add them to a 2 quart container and cover with water to fill the container. Beans soak up a lot of water. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Add the beans and aromatics
- Add soaked pinto beans, onion wedges, garlic, spices, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
Add the liquid
- Pour in the water and broth, adding just enough liquid to barely cover the beans. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, checking at 5-6 hours.
Serve the beans
- Serve brothy pinto beans with a little of their cooking liquid, topped with white onion, cilantro, and jalapeño slices.
Notes
Nutrition
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