Hamdi Saidani This Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Pinto Beans recipe is a savory and tender recipe, which is made with smoky bacon and chili powder. It’s the ultimate ‘fix it and forget it’ comfort food, ready after a long, slow cook.
Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Pinto Beans Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
- 3 thick-cut slices of bacon, cut into thirds
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8-10 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
How To Make Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
- Soak the Beans (Optional but Recommended): Place the rinsed beans in a large bowl, cover with cold water by several inches, and let them soak overnight. Drain and rinse the beans before using.
- Cook the Bacon: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until they are crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet with the bacon fat. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the drained and rinsed beans, the cooked bacon, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and bay leaves.
- Slow Cook Until Tender: Pour in enough water or chicken broth to cover the beans by about 2 inches. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours, until the beans are very tender and creamy.
- Season and Serve: Before serving, remove the bay leaves. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Tips
- How to get the most flavorful beans? The most important step for a deep, rich flavor is to cook the bacon first and then sauté the vegetables in the rendered bacon fat. This creates a savory foundation that you can’t get from just adding raw ingredients to the pot.
- Do I have to soak the beans? Soaking the beans overnight helps them cook more evenly and can reduce the overall cooking time. However, if you’re short on time, you can use the “no-soak” method: simply add the rinsed, unsoaked beans to the slow cooker and increase the cooking time on LOW to 10-12 hours.
- Can I make these vegetarian? Absolutely. To make a vegetarian version, simply omit the bacon. Sauté the vegetables in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil instead of the bacon fat, and use vegetable broth instead of water or chicken broth for a more flavorful result.
- How can I make the bean broth thicker? The beans will naturally thicken the liquid as they cook. For an even thicker, creamier broth, you can take about 1 cup of the cooked beans, mash them with a fork into a paste, and then stir that paste back into the slow cooker for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
What To Serve With Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
These are a classic Southern and Tex-Mex side dish, but they are also hearty enough to be a main course. They are perfect served with:
- A big slice of warm, buttery cornbread for dipping
- As a side for BBQ pulled pork or brisket
- Alongside a simple serving of white rice
- As a filling for burritos or tacos
How To Store Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
- Refrigerate: Let the beans cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavor is often even better the next day.
- Freeze: Pinto beans freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely, then transfer them to freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Slow Cooker Pinto Beans Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 cup
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Protein: 18g
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Sodium: 850mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Why are my beans still hard after 8 hours?
This can occasionally happen if your beans are a bit old, or if your slow cooker runs at a lower temperature than average. If the beans aren’t as tender as you’d like, simply continue cooking them on the LOW setting, checking them every hour until they reach your desired softness.
Can I make these on the stovetop?
Yes. Follow all the same prep steps. In a large Dutch oven, bring all the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to a very low simmer, cover, and cook for 2 to 3.5 hours, until the beans are tender.
Can I use canned beans for a quicker version?
You can, but the flavor will be very different. The long, slow simmer with the aromatics and bacon is what creates the deep, rich flavor of classic pinto beans.
Try More Pioneer Woman Recipes:
- Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs Recipe
- Pioneer Woman Sloppy Joe Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Pioneer Woman Italian Sloppy Joes Recipe
Pioneer Woman Slow Cooker Pinto Beans Recipe
Description
A classic, comforting pot of slow-cooked pinto beans with smoky bacon, onions, and peppers, made incredibly easy in the slow cooker for a perfect side dish or hearty main.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Sauté the onion and bell pepper in the bacon fat until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables, the cooked bacon, and the soaked and drained beans to a large slow cooker.
- Add all the spices and the bay leaves.
- Pour in enough water or broth to cover the beans by 2 inches.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours, until the beans are tender.
- Remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Notes
- u003cliu003eThe most important tip for this recipe is to sauté the bacon and vegetables before adding them to the slow cooker; this develops a deep, rich flavor that you can’t get from just adding raw ingredients.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eSoaking the beans overnight is highly recommended for the best texture and a more even cook.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eDon’t add the salt until the very end of the cooking time, as salting beans too early can sometimes prevent them from becoming fully tender.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eThis recipe makes a large batch, perfect for feeding a crowd or freezing for future meals.u003c/liu003e
