Crock Pot Pinto Beans

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how far it stretches. I make a big batch, portion it into individual containers, and freeze them so I always have pinto beans ready to add to soups, tacos, chili, and rice bowls without any extra work. In a house with 8 kids having a freezer full of budget-friendly protein is a game changer.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

• Just $0.64 per serving — $3.83 total
• No soaking required — dry beans go straight into the slow cooker and come out perfectly tender
• Set it and forget it — 8–10 hours on low with no checking or stirring
• Made with simple pantry ingredients

If you love easy budget-friendly slow cooker recipes like this one you will also love our instant pot pinto beans, Slow Cooker Black Beans or Crockpot Refried Beans. They are all affordable, hands-off, and perfect for meal prepping a big batch to use all week long.

Ingredients

• Dry Pinto Beans – For best results, make sure beans are fresh and have not expired
• Yellow Onion – Dice onion into bite size pieces. We have even used dried minced onions
• Salt – You can use kosher salt or regular salt
• Minced Garlic – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves
• Ground Cumin – If you are out, see Best Substitute for Cumin
• Low Sodium Chicken Broth – See Chicken broth substitutes if you are out

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.

How to Cook Pinto Beans in the Crock Pot

Step 1 – Rinse and drain the dry beans in a colander and remove any damaged beans or any debris from the package.  Then put the beans in a 6 quart crock pot. 

Step 2 – Add the remaining ingredients to the crock pot and cover with liquid.  Stir to combine all the ingredients. 

Step 3 – Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the beans are tender and soft texture. Each slow cooker runs differently so adjust the cook time based on your slow cooker. 

Step 4 – Remove the bay leaves from the crock pot. 

Step 5 – Serve warm with your favorite toppings with a side of Southern Cornbread Recipe and Pan Fried Potatoes and enjoy.

High or Low — Which Setting Is Better?

We recommend cooking pinto beans on low for 8–10 hours for the most even creamy result. The gentle low heat gives the beans time to soften gradually all the way through without the skins breaking apart.

If you are short on time cook on high for 4–5 hours — the beans will still be tender but the texture is slightly less creamy than the low and slow method. Either way works but if you have the time low is always the better choice for the best result.

Seasoning

The great thing about pinto beans is the seasoning changed to what you have on hand. We used simple seasoning such as garlic, cumin and oregano.

• Sauted Jalapeno and Chopped Onions – For added flavor to the pinto beans, try sautéing jalapeno and onions before adding them to the slow cooker. You can even add in celery and green bell peppers for added flavor.
• Southwest Spices – Mix in seasoning such as cayenne pepper, cumin, and chili powder. This seasoning mixture bring so much flavor to the beans.
• Extra Seasoning- You can easily just season the pinto beans with salt and pepper. You can also add cloves of garlic, paprika, garlic powder, or onion powder.
• Leftover Ham or Bacon – pieces of leftover ham or chopped up bacon are great to cook with the pinto beans.
• Ham Hock – If we make a ham, we like to freeze the ham hock (or ham bone) to cook with slow cooker pinto beans. It adds so much flavor to the pinto beans.

Storage

Refrigerate the leftover beans in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Store in individual containers in the refrigerator for an easy lunch the next day. Reheat in the microwave in 30 seconds intervals to heated thoroughly.

Freezing

Freezing pinto beans is easy to do. This is great way to prep your pinto beans to mash and make refried beans.

• Cool Completely – After cooking the pinto beans, allow them to cool completely before storing.
• Place in Container – Separate the pinto beans in a freezer safe container or a zip lock bag. I like to store in small portions so that I can use as a side dish.
• Remove Air – If you storing in a zip lock bag, make sure to squeeze any air out before storing in the freezer.
• Freeze – If pinto are stored properly they will last up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

How to Use Crock Pot Pinto Beans

Crock Pot Pinto Beans are one of the most versatile recipes you can make — here are our favorite ways to use a big batch throughout the week:

• Over Nachos – Make a plate of nachos and spoon pinto beans over the top.
• Make Burrito or Tacos – Make your favorite taco meat and mix some cook pinto beans.
• Mix in Rice – Make a delicious budget friendly meal and mix beans and rice together.
• Chili – Make your favorite chili recipe and add pinto beans in the mix.
• Bake Potato – We like to make bake potatoes and spoon some pinto beans over the time. Filling and healthy meal idea.
• Soups – We love to make taco soups and adding fresh pinto beans to the batch makes for the best soup. That is why I like putting pinto beans in individual containers to easily add to soups and chili.

Frequently Asked Questions