Make a batch of Slow Cooker Pinto Beans and you will enjoy an easy vegetarian side dish with smoky flavor thanks to chipotle peppers and other spices. These pinto beans are perfect as-is or can be added to soups, stews, and chilis, burrito bowls, enchiladas, or quesadillas. These beans are prepped in minutes and the cooking is hands-off but your mouth will be watering as you walk in the door to the fragrant beans later.
These beans need no soak time before cooking and can be used all week long for easy meals. I make big batches of simple pinto bean, rice, and cheese burritos for parties, building a freezer stash, or feeding crowds of middle schoolers at competitions and they are always a hit.
Serve these beans as a side to Beef Chuck Tacos, in a rice bowl with Salsa Chicken, or layer them with soyrizo in these baked Soyrizo and Sweet Potato tacos.
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Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Pinto Beans - Dried pinto beans are economical and easy to find in the world foods section of larger grocery stores. Check the expiration date on the packaging! Beans that are older will take longer to cook than the time called for in the recipe.
- Garlic - Use two large peeled and trimmed cloves of garlic for the seasoning mixture. You can also substitute frozen minced garlic cubes or jarred garlic in this recipe.
- Chipotle in Adobo - Chipotle peppers are smoked and dried jalapeno peppers that have been canned in an adobo sauce with tomatoes and other spices. They are smoky and have a medium spice level but add loads of flavor to these pinto beans.
- Smoked Paprika - Smoked paprika is one of our favorite spices to add a sweet and smoky note to the beans.
- Cumin - Cumin adds an earthy flavor to compliment the hearty beans.
Instructions
Rinse the dried beans in a colander. Check for and remove any broken beans, small pebbles, or wrinkled beans.
Add the garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, chipotle pepper, cumin, and one cup of water to a mini blender, immersion blender cup, or food processor.
Blend the seasoning mixture until it is smooth.
Add the rinsed and sorted beans to the slow cooker along with the seasoning mixture.
Add 4 cups of water and stir the beans, water, and seasoning until well combined.
Cover and cook the beans for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low, depending on how soft and broken down you want your beans to be.
If desired, you can mash a portion of the beans or the whole batch for a smoother texture. Use a potato masher to do this right in the slow cooker before serving.
Chipotle Tip
Save extra chipotle peppers by freezing them into small plastic wrapped bundles! Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce usually come in a small can with 7-8 whole peppers. Rather than wasting the extra peppers or scrambling to use them up in a few days, they will last for months in your freezer if wrapped separately.
Substitutions and Variations
The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!
- Refried Pinto Beans - Once your beans have been cooked in the slow cooker, you can make an extra flavorful batch of refried beans. Saute 1 cup of chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves along with one finely diced jalapeño or serrano pepper in neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once these vegetables are lightly browned and tender, add the beans and any broth and start mashing the beans. Cook until the beans and vegetables are tender and smooth.
- Add Meat - Add cooked and crumbled chorizo, cooked and chopped bacon, or use a beef, ham, or chicken broth in place of the water when cooking the beans. Any of these options will add extra savory flavor to the pinto beans.
- Add Spice - With just one chipotle, these beans are mild and a bit smoky. Add a couple more chipotle peppers to the blended mixture for a spicier recipe. Alternatively, add a diced jalapeño to the slow cooker pot along with the beans and spice mixture.
Equipment
Here are the basic kitchen tools we use to make a tasty pot of slow cooker pinto beans:
- Immersion Blender - An immersion blender or stick blender will make quick work of the seasoning mixture. Immersion blenders are also great for smoothies, dressings, marinades, and making homemade aioli. If you don't have an immersion blender, use a mini blender or a food processor.
- Single-Serve Blender - A small blender is a great tool for the seasoning mixture and other sauces and marinades that might get lost in a larger blender pitcher. Bullet blenders or smoothie blenders are perfectly sized and offer great power for breaking down ingredients into a smooth puree.
- Slow Cooker - A 7- to 8-quart slow cooker has plenty of capacity for all of your favorite recipes. Slow cookers vary in their cooking time, so keep that in mind. The model I use switches from cook mode to warming after the time has elapsed, which is a great feature. If you have a vintage slow cooker, you may find that it heats to a lower temperature on a "low" setting than newer versions and you may need to cook for more time to reach the same level of doneness.
- Potato Masher - A heavy duty potato masher will make quick work of mashing the beans, potatoes, or ripe bananas for banana bread. You can find wire ones or flat disks with a grid for the food to work its way through.
Serving Suggestions
These tender pinto beans can be used in so many ways throughout the week to feed the family. Mash them for topping nachos, add them to rice for a burrito bowl, layer them with cheese in a quesadilla, or simply plate them up as a hearty side. We often serve them with a carnitas-style twist on this slow cooker pork shoulder.
Make This Recipe Kid Friendly
These pinto beans are a kid staple in our house. We serve them with rice and shredded cheese, roll them into simple burritos, or smash them into quesadillas. The chipotle in the recipe doesn't add enough spice to bother our family but if you have particularly spice-sensitive kids you can omit it. Simply add an extra half teaspoon of the smoked paprika and a tablespoon of chili powder to the seasoning mixture in its place.
Storage
The beans will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator when sealed in an airtight container. You can also freeze smaller portions of the beans for easy additions to weeknight meals. Frozen beans should be thawed in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours and will break down a bit more after thawing.
FAQ
Black beans will cook very similarly to pinto beans, so they are a good choice to swap in place of the pinto beans for flavorful slow cooker black beans.
If you want beans that are tender but not broken down and mushy, you'll need to check them about an hour before the suggested cooking time is up. Give them a stir and test a few with a fork. Pulling the top off of the slow cooker will extend the cooking time, but you'll need to monitor the beans and check for doneness once or twice in the last 60-90 minutes of cooking to avoid having the beans break down more than you like.
Dried beans that have been stored for a very long time will lose moisture and take significantly longer to cook. Check the expiration date on the package of your dried beans and select the freshest beans for purchase. Only purchase dried beans in bulk at a store where you know the product turnover is high. To continue cooking beans that are still hard after 8 hours, add an additional cup or two of salted water and cook for 2-3 more hours.
More Bean Recipes
Beans are great for salads, soups, and main courses and offer great nutrition at a low cost. Check out any of the recipes below to add more beans to your meals:
Tex-Mex Flavors
You'll always find some Tex-Mex or Mexican-inspired cuisine in our weekly meal plan rotation because these recipes are some of our favorites! Try something new from the collection below:
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans (rinsed)
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (ground)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and trimmed)
- 1 chipotle in adobo
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin (ground)
Instructions
- Rinse the beans and strain them. Check for any broken or shriveled beans or stones and remove them. Set the beans aside.
- Using a mini blender or immersion blender, combine the salt, pepper, garlic cloves, chipotle, smoked paprika, cumin, and 1 cup of water and blend until smooth.
- Add the spice mixture and the beans to the crock of the slow cooker. Add 4 cups of additional water.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours, depending on the desired final texture of your beans. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed once the beans are cooked.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
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