Here’s how to make the most DELICIOUS, pinto bean crockpot recipe—tender beans in a complex and flavorful broth with lots of comforting goodness. Enjoy as a soup, a side dish, or mash and turn into refried beans. Vegan and gluten-free!
This recipe was first posted on September 17, 2014 and last updated with new crockpot instructions on January 25, 2024.
The first time I made this recipe was probably 20 years ago. Now I make it on an almost weekly basis.
I got it from my friend Tomasa who I worked with during my days as a pastry chef at Firefly in San Francisco. She would chop up a huge pile of onions, get them nice and soft then add loads of spice. They are an absolute classic and now I’ve adapted them into crockpot pinto beans.
Quick Soak? How About No Soak!
This pot of beans takes very little effort to make, but yields big rewards. Tender beans with complex earthy flavor floating in a rich broth. You don’t even have to soak them! Because it is a slow cooker recipe, the beans don’t require any soaking.
This crock pot pinto beans recipe comes out initially soupy and we do eat it as a main dish like bean soup with a squeeze of lime and maybe some sautéed beet greens on top—yum!
But if there are leftovers we will scoop out spoonfuls, letting the liquid drain back into the container and fry them with oil or bacon grease, mashing to a perfect refried consistency. Let’s take a closer look at how to make this stellar recipe.
By the way, if you don’t have a lot of time and are looking for a quick canned beans recipe, check out my easy and quick canned black beans recipe (you can always swap canned pinto beans for the black beans).
Why You Must Try These Simple Crock Pot Pinto Beans
Packed with protein and fiber. This simple vegan recipe is a powerhouse of nutrition: low in calories, an excellent source of calcium and potassium plus so much flavor. One of my favorite ways to serve them is with sautéed dark, leafy greens for a complete (and super healthy) meal.
One pot. Multiple meals. This recipe is a soup, a side dish, or a main course all in one. The flavor gets better as it sits, so make a pot and eat it all week!
Kid friendly. The next time you are looking for a healthy side dish that your kids will actually eat, this pinto beans recipe is it! With lots of rich spices, they are packed with flavor (but don’t worry) aren’t spicy at all. They go great with enchiladas, tacos, rice, grilled fish, you name it.
Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
This pinto bean crockpot recipe makes a lot but these beans are one of those things that are better the longer they sit so making a huge batch is to your benefit.
- Dry pinto beans. Buy a pound of beans from a store that sells a lot of them (like a Latin market). Older beans that have been sitting around forever may never soften or get tender. For the most incredible beans of your life look to specialty producers like Ranch Gordo.
- Avocado oil
- White onion. Like all other delicious recipes, onions are the key to a flavorful base.
- Jalapeños or swap for bell pepper if you are sensitive to heat.
- Garlic
- Chili powder or cayenne pepper if you like them spicy.
- Ground cumin
- Ground coriander
- Dried oregano
- Bay leaves
- Kosher salt
- Water. Some recipes call for chicken broth, but I don’t think that’s necessary. They have a lot of flavor on their own.
How To Make This Recipe
Step one
Rinse the beans. Place the dry beans in a colander or large bowl and rinse the beans in fresh water. Remove any dirt or pebbles that may be hiding in the beans. Drain if they are in a bowl.
Step two
Make sofrito. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno peppers and cook until soft, but not brown. Add spices including the tablespoon of salt and let toast in the oil.
Step three
Cook pinto beans. Place beans in the slow cooker pot. Scrape the sofrito into the pot and add 6 cups of water. Set to high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours and let the slow cooker do all the hard work. This is the minimum cook time, you can set the crock pot for longer if you’d like.
Step four
Salt and serve. After you’ve cooked the beans, taste and add additional salt as needed.
Any leftovers can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to a week. To reheat bring the beans to a boil on the stove, reduce the heat and simmer until warm.
Variations
Stove Top: This is obviously a pinto bean crockpot recipe. If you want to make them on the stove top, check out my sofrito black beans recipe, and swap the black beans for pinto beans.
With Meat: Add a ham hock or leftover ham for smoky flavor or even a ham bone if you’d like. Or check out my slow cooker borracho beans recipe that has beer and bacon for another variation on pinto beans.
Instant Pot: I also have a bean recipe that is cooked on high pressure in the Instant Pot in my cookbook, Plant Powered Mexican, in bookstores now!
What To Do With Your Beans
You’ve made this slow cooker pinto beans recipe, now what to do with it? Like I’ve said before, you can easily serve it as pinto bean soup topped with sour cream and maybe cheddar cheese. One of my favorite meals is this chipotle beef and bean enchilada casserole or try my simple recipe for molletes both call for cooked pinto beans.
Or serve in small bowls with the broth as a side dish. They taste delicious with:
- Chicken Mole Verde
- For breakfast with Migas {vegetarian}
- Summer Squash Tacos {vegan}
- Chile Colorado
- Chicken Mole Poblano
- Calabacitas and Arroz Blanco {vegetarian}
- Mushroom and Cheese Enchiladas {vegetarian}
- Another breakfast or brunch idea: Chilaquiles {vegetarian}
- Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos
Top 5 Most Popular Bean Recipes:
- Kate’s Favorite Frijoles Charros Recipe {Cowboy Beans}
- Quick and Easy Canned Black Beans
- Slow Cooker Borracho Beans
- Sofrito Black Beans
- Vegan Refried Beans
Here’s To Perfect Beans Every Time
If you have never been able to get them just right, try this pinto bean crockpot recipe and let me know how it goes by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, make sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Crockpot Mexican Pinto Beans
Just your classic Perfect Pot of Beans made with pinto beans, onions, garlic, jalapeños, a few spices and love. Get all my secrets right here!
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- 1/4 cup avocado oil, lard, or bacon grease
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 1-2 jalapeños, cored, chopped, and seeds removed if you'd like it less spicy
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Rinse beans. Rinse beans in a colander to remove and dirt, while rinsing them be sure to run your fingers through them to check for small pebbles or rocks.
- Saute sofrito. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and jalapeños and cook until starting to become tender, but not brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, chile powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, and salt. Let spices toast for a minute or two. Remove from heat.
- Cook beans. Add beans to the crock pot along with the sofrito and bay leaf and 6 cups of water. Cover and set crockpot to high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
- Serve. Taste and add more salt as needed. Serve
Notes
- Spice Level: Feel free to substitute ground chile de árbol or cayenne pepper for the mild chili powder. Or leave out both for a milder version. Or experiment with other fresh chiles like serrano peppers for a spicier kick.
- Freezing Instructions: The beans freeze wonderfully for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then heat in a large pot on medium heat for 20-30 minutes.
- Stove Top: Follow the instructions for my Sofrito Black Beans recipe, swapping the black beans for pinto beans.
- Ham hock: Feel free to add a smoked ham hock to slow cooker. After it’s tender, shred the meat and stir into the beans. Or use chopped ham or cooked bacon.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 175Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 475mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 6gSugar: 1gProtein: 6g
In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allow me to run the site. Thank you for reading!
NicoleD says
Mmmm…this looks good! I actually have a pot simmering at home in the slow cooker right now and I’m making cornbread, too. This recipe looks like a keeper. I followed a recipe from The Kitchn and they say to salt a little in the beginning and add more when the beans have softened. I hope it works! I like thinking of your daughter as the bean ninja, ha!
Kate Ramos says
Thanks so much Nicole! Yes, cornbread is a must….so good with beans! I think Louisa enjoys her role very much too! 🙂
Dave says
Such a good recipe, thank you! I added some oxtail and the flavor was amazing.
Kate Ramos says
Thanks Dave! The oxtail addition sounds great—so much flavor in good oxtail.
Oliver says
Say it with me now… Cilantro.
Not coriander. Here in the western USA it’s never called coriander, even the produce departments label it Cilantro. It’s a Mexican recipe, so call it what they do! 🙂 Cheers!
Kate Ramos says
Hi Oliver, thanks for bringing that up. What I’m referring to in the recipe is the spice not the fresh herb. The ground cilantro seeds (aka ground coriander) is the ingredient you need for the recipe.
Zula says
Hi, your recipe does not tell when to add vegetables and spices. Thanks
Kate Ramos says
Hi Zula, I just changed it. Thanks so much for pointing that out. Hope you love the recipe! Kate