Slow Cooker Spicy Pinto Beans
96 Comments Mar 07, 2022
Updated Feb 11, 2025
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Transform a cheap bag of pinto beans into a pot of spicy delight by adding jalapenos! These Slow Cooker Pinto Beans can be a side or even a main meal if you top with cheese and have cornbread on the side.
Pinto beans are meant to be slow-cooked! We love to make these crockpot pinto beans or even slow cooker refried beans!
Have you ever cooked dried beans in your crockpot? This recipe for Mexican pinto beans is a great recipe to start with only takes a few ingredients. Homemade beans taste much different than canned beans, and you won’t believe how easy it is!
It’s a great side dish, though it is hearty enough to serve as a main topped with cheese and tortillas or cornbread on the side.
Recipe Ingredients
- Pinto beans – No need to presoak. Cooking the dried beans on high will tenderize them just fine.
- Chicken broth – It seems like a strange ingredient but adds flavor and saltiness to the beans. You can of course use vegetable broth if you want your beans to be vegan.
- Onion – Sweet yellow onion is best.
- Jalapenos – One or two depending on how spicy you want the beans. I alway go with two myself.
- Spices – Chili, onion, and garlic powder are important flavors in this pinto bean recipe.
- {The full recipe is in the recipe card below the images}
How to make Spicy Pinto Beans
Step One – Go through the beans quickly to ensure no rocks or dirt clumps. Rinse and drain them if you desire. Add pinto beans along with everything else to the slow cooker.
Step Two – Cook pinto beans on HIGH for 6-7 hours. Yes, this seems like a long time to cook on high, but cooking the beans in plenty of liquid like this recipe does just fine. The long cook time will make for tender beans.
Variations
- Black beans will work wonderfully in this recipe; you won’t need to cook quite as long since they are smaller. 5-6 hours on high will work great.
- You can add protein to this dish. Add one of these meats at the beginning of the cooking time. You may not need to add any extra salt to this recipe if meat is added.
- Cooked bacon – cook, drain, and crumble the bacon, though you can add some bacon grease for more flavor. Uncooked bacon is not flavorful in the slow cooker; it needs to be browned to get the caramelized flavor.
- Ham hock – add one smoked ham hock at the beginning of cooking.
- Diced ham – two cups of ham will work well in this recipe. You can use leftover ham if you have it.
- Smoked meats– you can add diced smoked brisket or smoked turkey for a beautiful twist.
- To make creamy pinto beans:
- The slow cooker doesn’t simmer hard enough to break down the beans to make them creamy.
- To make crockpot pinto beans have a creamy sauce, take a potato masher and mash about 1/4 of the beans at the end of the cooking time.
- Or you can take a scoop out and put it in a shallow bowl. Mash with a fork and add back to the slow cooker.
- To make less spicy; use half a jalapeno and remove the seeds, or use canned fire-roasted chiles instead of fresh jalapenos.
My Serving Suggestions
- Toppings – These beans are great alone but can be even better topped with cheddar cheese, avocado, cilantro, diced onions and a squeeze of lime juice.
- Tortillas – Skillet warmed flour tortillas are a classic side for Mexican pinto beans. You can dip your tortillas in the beans or make yourself a small burrito.
- Cornbread – Make a large pan of cornbread to go with the beans, or make mini muffin cornbreads. If you don’t have time to make cornbread, many stores have small pans of cornbread in their bakeries. If you have an extra slow cooker make up a batch of Slow Cooker Cornbread.
- Rice – Spanish rice or plain ole steamed white rice is great with these pinto beans, serve on the side or pour your beans over the rice.
Recipe FAQs
Pinto beans can be put in the freezer for up to 6 months. They taste great after thawing and make an easy last-minute side dish. Freeze in small portions so you never will have to buy canned beans again.
You do not have to soak the beans before cooking in the crockpot; be sure to cook them on high so they tenderize. This recipe will work fine if you prefer to soak the beans overnight. Drain off the soaking water and continue with this recipe.
If you want smashed refried beans, remove most liquid (reserving some in a dish). Mash the beans with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon. Add some of the reserved liquid if the refried beans are too dry.
More bean recipes:
Spicy Pinto Beans Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 16 oz. dried pinto beans, no need to presoak
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 32 oz. container chicken broth, (can use vegetable broth)
- 2 cups water
Add at the end:
- ¼ tsp. salt, or more to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the beans, discard any dirt clumps or rocks. Add to the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, jalapenos, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, chicken broth and water to the slow cooker with the beans. Wait to add the salt.
- Cover and cook on HIGH 6-7 hours. Do not open the lid while they cook, or they will not get tender.
- When the cooking time is done mash about 1/4 of the beans with a potato masher right in the slow cooker. Or you can put a scoop in a bowl and mash with a fork and add back to the slow cooker. This will make the beans creamy, which the slow cooker can't do since the simmer is so low. Add salt to taste, I usually use 1/4 tsp.
- Serve as a side dish or as a main with tortillas or cornbread. Enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- Use half a jalapeno and remove the seeds
- Use jarred jalapenos
- or use canned diced fire-roasted chiles
- Cooked bacon – cook, drain, and crumble the bacon, though you can add some of the bacon grease for more flavor. Uncooked bacon is not flavorful in the slow cooker, it needs to be browned to get the caramelized flavor.
- Ham hock – add one smoked ham hock at the beginning of the cooking time.
- Diced ham – two cups of ham will work well in this recipe. You can use leftover ham if you have it.
- Smoked meats– you can add diced smoked brisket or smoked turkey for a wonderful twist.
- Yes, but add one more cup of water
- Omit the salt if you use their seasoning packet.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Love this recipe and have passed it along to friends, who also love it. It makes a large batch but I see that it’s only 8 servings in the description. How big is a serving? I’m trying to put the details in Cronometer for the macros and the calculations are a little off. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
The serving size is just an estimate. I apologize for lack of information.
Thank you. I was more curious if you knew what the serving size was? 1/2 cup? 1 cup?
THIS RECIPE IS ABSOLUTELY FREAKING AMAZING!!! I ADDED CHORIZOTO THE BEANS AS WELL AS POBLANO CHILES & CREAM CHEESE….OFF THE HOOK!!!!
This reminds me of my late mother’s recipe.
I halved the recipe (there’s just the two of us) for a perfect amount
and used half the chili. I’m sure I will use this often.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it!!
The BEST pinto bean recipe! I followed the recipe exactly and took your recommendation and added cooked meat (bbq brisket). O-M-Gee—this was a huge hit at our gathering! Our guests loved the perfect amount of spiceness and creaminess! My beans didn’t burn at all in my CusinArt Crockpot, cooked on High for 8 hours. I will never have to buy beans at our favorite BBQ joint again! Thank you Sarah!! *HUGS*
Is it ok to presoak the beans or just not necessary? I had a bad experience with failing to presoak long enough (almost crunchy) and now I’m overly cautious about it.
Make sure your beans are fresh from the store and cook them on high. You don not need to presoak.
Awsome . GREAt flavor
Brooth added no meat.
Thank you.
,.
Blanche
Arizonap
About how much bacon fat would you recommend adding?
2-3 tablespoons.