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Home > Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes > Beans > Slow-Cooker Pinto Beans

Slow-Cooker Pinto Beans

LAST UPDATED: April 22, 2020 PUBLISHED: Apr 3, 2020 18 Comments
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Slow-cooker pinto beans are affordable, flavorful and versatile!  Learn how to soak and cook dry pinto beans the easy way. 

For more slow-cooker favorites try this Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken or this Slow-Cooker Balsamic Roast Beef. 
 
white bowl filled with slow-cooker pinto beans
 
Hundreds of thousands of pounds of dried beans are hiding in back corners of dark pantries around the world. For some reason, many people feel intimidated by them.
 
Despite everyone knowing how delicious they are and the benefits of eating them, they remain there. Hiding in those pantries until finally, they are thrown out.
 
Well, the time has come for your beans to shine! So open up that pantry, bring them into the light, and get ready to create the most amazing beans you’ve ever tasted!
 
This recipe is fuss-free and easy, thanks to your slow cooker.
 

About Pinto Beans

Pinto beans range in color from light tan to dark brown. 
 
They’re called “pinto” because they look like they’ve been splattered with paint (pinto comes from the Spanish word paint). 
 
They’re members of the legume family, meaning they grow in pods. They are related to other veggies like peas, peanuts, and even clovers.
 
 Why are pinto beans so popular? Here are a few reasons:

  • Inexpensive: Dry beans are one of the most inexpensive foods you can buy. They have protein and fiber, so they’re great for making meatless meals. They really give quite a bang for your buck! To save even more money, you can buy them in bulk.
  • Long shelf life: Dry pinto beans (and any other dry beans for that matter), stay fresh for many months, and sometimes up to a year or more. You can continue to use them until they begin to sprout. To avoid this from happening, keep them in a dark, dry location.

looking down on bowl of cooked pinto beans

Sorting dry beans

Before you can make slow-cooker pinto beans, you need to sort them. Sorting dry beans just means that you look through them for any debris or pebbles that may be in the package with them.
 

  1. Place the beans onto a plate to sort through them. 
  2. Remove and discard any foreign objects.
  3. Place the beans into a strainer and rinse them under cold water to remove any dirt.

 
soaking dry pinto beans in a large steel pot
Soaking pinto beans

 Next, place the beans into a large mixing bowl or pot. Cover with cold tap water and allow them to soak overnight. 
 
Soaking pinto beans is important because it helps to break down some of the complex carbs that cause excess gas. It also removes some of the phytic acid, which can keep you from absorbing the iron. 
 
Probably the most important reason for soaking pinto beans is to reduce the cooking time. Soaking them in water for several hours first softens them. If you cook them without soaking first, they will need to cook at least twice as long.
 
making Mexican beans in a crock pot
 

How to make slow-cooker pinto beans

After sorting and soaking the beans, drain them and rinse them thoroughly. Add them into the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients, which are:
 

  • Chicken Stock or vegetable stock
  • Onion – White, yellow, and red onion are all great choices.
  • Jalapeno – For less heat, you can use banana peppers, or leave the peppers out entirely.
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Garlic
  • Cumin
  • Chili Powder
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper

 
Stir everything to combine. Then, cook the beans with the lid on, at low power for 6-8 hours.
 
After cooking, remove the onion and jalapeno, season the slow-cooker pinto beans to taste, and enjoy!

close up shot of cooked pinto beans in white bowl
 

Uses for pinto beans

While slow-cooker pinto beans are delicious on their own, they’re also super versatile! Give them a try in these different ways: 

  • For any easy meal, fry some bacon or chorizo in a pan, drain the grease, and mash some of the beans with them. Serve with Gluten-Free Corn Muffins.
  • Add sliced jalapeno, chopped bacon, diced tomatoes, and cilantro for some authentic tasting Mexican charro beans.
  • Use them instead of kidney beans in my Skillet Southwest Chicken and Quinoa for even more Mexican flavor.
  • Drain and mash them, then mix with some guacamole for an amazing dip.

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up close shot of pinto beans in white bowl with serving spoon

Slow-Cooker Pinto Beans

Author: Erin Collins
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
soaking time 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 5 mins
Slow-cooker pinto beans are the stress-free way to prepare a pantry essential. Learn how to soak and cook them from dry for a delicious, nutritious meal!
5 from 5 votes
Servings: 6 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound pinto beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 onion, left whole
  • 1/2 jalapeno, left whole
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • The night before, place the pinto beans in a bowl and cover with water. The water should be a few inches above the beans as they will absorb water.
  • The next day, drain and throughly rinse the pinto beans. Add the remaining ingredients to the slow-cooker and stir to combine.
  • Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove the onion and jalapeno halves and season to taste before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Slow-Cooker Pinto Beans
Amount Per Serving
Calories 180 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Cholesterol 4mg1%
Sodium 665mg29%
Potassium 575mg16%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 420IU8%
Vitamin C 3.6mg4%
Calcium 60mg6%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Calories: 180kcal

 

Erin of Meaningful Eats

Hi, I'm Erin!

BS Food Science, MS Nutrition
I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I'm here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you! More About Erin

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Mindy says

    May 08, 2014 at 10:46 am

    Have you tried making dried black beans this way? I was thinking the black beans from your previous post might be good prepared this way….

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      May 13, 2014 at 4:22 am

      I haven’t tried my pinto bean recipe with black beans but I think it would work great! Let me know if you try it 🙂

      Reply
  2. MrsJennyK says

    August 18, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    So tasty and so easy! I made a really big batch and froze half. Yum!

    Reply
  3. ashley daugherty says

    March 21, 2016 at 10:50 am

    Making these bean again tonight. We love how the beans come out and taste. I plan on freezing extra to use next week in recipes. Thank you for sharing your recipe!

    Reply
  4. Ann says

    May 03, 2016 at 8:29 pm

    Super yummy and super easy! Thank you so much for this easy recipe!!!

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      May 03, 2016 at 8:34 pm

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  5. Dawn Moore says

    May 30, 2016 at 7:06 am

    do you make your own worctechire sauce ?

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      May 30, 2016 at 7:36 pm

      No! I use Lea and Perrins worcestershire sauce which is gluten-free.

      Reply
  6. Mayra Gudino says

    July 25, 2018 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    Hi Erin! I was wondering if there is any specific brand of beans you use?

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      July 26, 2018 at 10:14 am

      No specific brand! Usually just what my local grocery store carries.

      Reply
  7. Brenda Vititoe says

    November 03, 2018 at 1:57 pm

    Can this recipe be made in the Instant Pot using the pressure cooker function? When I prepared this recipe in the slow cooker they beans weren’t fully cooked but the flavor was awesome. (I’m sure it was user error). The pressure cooker method seems full proof.

    Reply
  8. Madison says

    January 31, 2019 at 4:36 pm

    5 stars
    So simple! We love making these for Taco Bars. A perfect recipe!

    Reply
  9. Angelica says

    April 06, 2020 at 2:53 pm

    5 stars
    Yummy, there’s a good reason we have a saying that to be “full of beans” is to be ready for anything. I do very much the same thing with lentils. Always picking them over for safety, before use. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
  10. Ida Silgueroi says

    April 19, 2020 at 2:15 pm

    5 stars
    Hi!
    I add a tomato cut in four slices, chopped cilantro, a whole cut up onion, and the meat part of salt pork to mine ( along with a couple of your spices) The salt pork gives it an awesome taste.
    Ida

    Reply
  11. Norma P Beltran says

    May 21, 2020 at 9:08 am

    Morning Erin, I wanted to know if the pinto beans recipe you have, are they gluten free?

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      May 25, 2020 at 5:31 pm

      Yes this recipe is gluten-free 🙂

      Reply
  12. Jill McCullough says

    January 10, 2021 at 9:18 am

    This recipe sounds DELICIOUS! Can I freeze these cooked beans?

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      January 19, 2021 at 6:21 am

      Yes! That will work great 🙂

      Reply

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Erin of Meaningful Eats

Hi, I'm Erin!

BS Food Science, MS Nutrition
I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I'm here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you! More About Erin

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Join my free email list to receive this Gluten-Free Dinners cookbook!

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