Pinto Beans made in a slow cooker are the easiest way to enjoy a delicious dish!
Get ready, y’all, because I’m about to share with you the easiest technique EVER for making pinto beans at home. If you’ve got a slow cooker and a few pantry staples, you’ll have delicious, flavorful, and perfectly cooked pinto beans in no time. Well, maybe some time, but with no effort at all!
When I was growing up, and probably still to this day, my mom was the queen of slow cooker meals. She worked full-time, and I was always in school, sports, or rehearsals for plays, so we had a lot of late-night and last-minute dinners. Mom got really creative with throwing a bunch of random things in the slow cooker in the morning, so that we could come home to a delicious-smelling house and a delicious-tasting meal at night! One of her staple no-effort dishes was her slow cooker pinto beans, and I still make them with my own slow cooker to this day.
Slow-cooker pinto beans make for a great side dish or dip served with chips, but my mom and I would most commonly make them on Nacho Nights. Nacho Nights were a tradition in my house; on particularly busy weeks when we couldn’t find the time to cook, we would prep our slow cooker pinto beans, quickly mix up some ground beef and taco seasoning on the stove, and make our own nachos with cheese and toppings! It was so much fun as a kid, and a memory I’m still fond of as an adult.
Are Slow-Cooker Pinto Beans Healthy?
These pinto beans in the slow cooker make for a simple recipe with little additives, and pinto beans are an amazing source of protein! That’s why they make such a great substitute for meat in dishes if you’re pursuing a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Pinto beans can serve as a low-calorie side dish, or the main source of protein in your meal. They also help with digestion and – well, you know the song! Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat, the more you…
What Is A Slow Cooker?
These pinto beans are great for their convenience, and that’s thanks to the use of the slow cooker! A slow cooker is pretty much exactly what it sounds like; it’s an appliance that cooks food slowly. It does so by using low heat to cook the food for a long period of time.
Slow cookers (also widely referred to as crock-pots) are great for those like my mom and I who live booked and busy lives! You can throw your food in before you start your day, and it will be ready to eat when you end your day.
FAQs & Tips
You can store your leftover slow cooker pinto beans in the fridge in an airtight container. They will keep for about 4 days. For longer storage, wait until your slow cooker pinto beans are cooled completely, then store them in the freezer in a tightly sealed bag or container. Reheat over the stove.
Due to their high levels of carbohydrates, pinto beans are not considered keto-friendly. This is the case with most beans. If you can find them, black soybeans are a low-carb alternative which can be used in recipes in place of pinto beans or black beans.
If you are on a vegan, vegetarian, or otherwise meatless diet, these slow-cooker pinto beans make a great meatless option for many dishes. Use them as your protein source in burritos, enchiladas, rice bowls, soups, and more!
Serving Suggestions
Aside from Nacho Nights, I enjoyed pinto beans with so many other meals growing up! With a side of Spanish Rice, these beans made a great companion to dishes like these Chicken Enchiladas, these Thai-Inspired Pork Tacos (also made easily in a slow cooker), and my favorite Menudo soup!
Next time you want to put minimal effort into cooking with an outcome of maximum flavor, try these slow-cooker pinto beans!
Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 cups water
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Instructions
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Rinse the dried pinto beans and soak them overnight in a large bowl of water.
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In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and then sauté the chopped onion until softened and the minced garlic until aromatic.
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Drain and rinse the beans, then transfer them to a slow cooker. Add the sautéed onion and garlic, cumin, oregano, black pepper, salt, water, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until the beans are tender.
Nutrition
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