Texas Pinto Beans Recipe in the Crock-Pot

Texas Pinto Beans smothered with cilantro and crema, served out of a crockpot

4.75 from 4 votes

Texas Pinto Beans Recipe in the Crock-Pot

There's nothing more comforting thing a juicy batch of pinto beans simmering away. Make them effortlessly in your crock pot or slow cooker with this easy recipe!

Course Side Recipes

Cuisine Tex Mex

Keyword beans, crock-pot, mexican food, pinto beans, side dish, tex-mex recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 15

Servings

Calories 273kcal

Author Sarah Penrod

Ingredients

¼ c. bacon fat
1 lb. bag pinto beans
½ white onion diced
2 ½ T. fresh garlic minced finely (about 5 cloves)
2 long green chiles such as hatch or anaheim, diced with seeds
2 c. salted chicken stock
2 t. New Mexico chile powder
1 t. onion powder
1 t. black pepper
½ t. salt add more to taste if needed
Optional: After the beans are tender a pop of acidity can be added with 2 t. hot pepper sauce or fresh lime juice.
Garnish: Freshly chopped cilantro or queso fresco

Instructions

Place the pinto beans in a stockpot and fill with water until it just covers the beans.
Bring to a rolling boil. Boil 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour while preparing the crockpot.
Turn the crockpot to high and add in ¼ c. bacon fat.
Dice the white onion, green chiles, and garlic up and add to the crockpot as you chop them up.
Add in all the spices, but do not add the chicken stock yet. The veggies will slowly cook in the bacon fat as the beans complete their 1-hour soak. Stir occasionally.
After 1 hour, pour in the beans and the bean juice. Add in the chicken stock.
Cook for 2-3 hours, until tender. Finish with additional salt and the optional acidity ingredients once the beans are cooked. Beans can be held hot in this crockpot, just add a little water or chicken stock to thin as needed.

Notes

Note about bean water: Some people who experience digestive issues remove the initial juice the beans are cooked in and replace it with fresh water. I have always found that this does affect the wonderful flavor of the beans and should be avoided unless you experience major discomfort from beans. Most restaurants do not replace the bean water because it is loaded with rich flavor from the pinto beans.

Nutrition