Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans

Jul 14, 2023Updated Mar 27, 2024

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This cowboy baked beans recipe is so delicious and super easy to make. All you need is a large can of baked beans, lean ground beef, a sweet yellow onion, and a few popular seasonings for the best beans packed with incredible flavor.

Pair these cowboy beans with my Hot Tub Beer Brats or Slow Cooker Hot Dogs for a well-rounded meal.

cooked cowboy baked beans in a slow cooker.

What are cowboy beans?
Recipe Ingredients
Step-by-Step Directions
How to serve
Recipe FAQs
Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans Recipe
More Slow Cooker Baked Beans Recipe

What are cowboy beans?

These beans are called cowboy beans because of all that’s added to them. It’s a hearty side dish packed with ground beef, chopped onions, and in most recipes, applewood smoked bacon or other ingredients that provide a smoky flavor. This is a hearty recipe you’ll want to cook up for feeding large groups at summer cookouts.

Recipe Ingredients

Ground Beef: You’ll only need a pound of lean ground beef, which will be browned before adding it to the crock pot.
Pork and Beans: Grab a large can of this type of beans in any brand that you prefer. You can also use Bush’s original baked beans.
Sweet Yellow Onion: The sweetness of this onion will add to the flavorful sauce as well as the heartiness of the overall dish.
Barbecue Sauce: There are many flavors of bbq sauce you can use. If you want a tangy sauce, go with a Memphis style. And if you want a smokier flavor, add a dash of liquid smoke into your bbq sauce.
Seasonings: Onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper are the only flavors you need to make the perfect beans.
Worcestershire Sauce: Added to enhance the flavor.

Step-by-Step Directions

Four images showing how to make cowboy beans in a crockpot.

Step One – Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain the fat. , and add to the slow cooker.

Step Two – Add ground beef to the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients.

Step Three – Stir everything together.

Step Four – Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours. Serve and enjoy!

cooked cowboy baked beans in a crockpot with corn muffins on the side.

How to serve

Of course, this hearty side dish can be served with all your cookout favorites like hot dogs, hamburgers, and grilled chicken.
This is also a dish that pairs perfectly with cornbread or cornbread muffins.
You can also serve the cowboy baked beans with toppings such as crumbled bacon, additional diced onion, chopped fresh veggies, ketchup, and yellow mustard.
If you are serving these for game day, a potluck, or a summer cookout, you can keep them in the crock pot. Just be sure to turn it to the KEEP WARM setting.

Pot of baked cowboy beans with a wooden spoon in them.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use a different kind of canned baked beans?

Yes! Pork and beans typically has a little extra flavor; however, you can use regular canned beans and/or a combination of butter beans, black beans, white beans, navy beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans. You’ll want to sweeten them a bit with brown sugar.

Can I substitute the ground beef?

Of course! Instead, try ground turkey, ground chicken, or a ground pork combination. It will still yield the best cowboy baked beans.

How do I store leftover cowboy beans?

Pour the leftovers into an airtight container and store cowboy beans in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you want to reheat them, do so on the stovetop over medium heat.

Are there other ingredients I can add to make these beans even heartier?

You can always add diced bell pepper, cooked bacon, extra beans like mature lima beans, fresh garlic, and tomato sauce. Anything you add will make it a great recipe to share with others!

What other seasonings can I add for more flavor?

You can’t go wrong by adding chili powder, minced garlic, and a splash of apple cider vinegar.

Bowl of cowboy beans in front of a crockpot.

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