Transform a cheap bag of pinto beans into a pot of spicy delight by adding jalapenos! These creamy 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 spicy whole beans or even refried beans!
Have you ever cooked dried beans in your crockpot? This recipe for Slow Cooker Spicy Pinto Beans is a great recipe to start with only takes a few ingredients.
It’s a great side dish though is hearty enough to serve as a main topped with cheese and tortillas or cornbread on the side.
How to make pinto beans in the crockpot
Ingredients
- Pinto beans – No need to presoak. Cooking the beans on high will tenderize them just fine.
- Chicken broth – Seems like a strange ingredient but adds flavor and saltiness to the beans.
- Onion – Sweet yellow onion is best.
- Jalapenos – One or two depending on how spicy you want the beans.
- Spices – Chili, onion, and garlic powder.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Go through the beans quickly to make sure there are no rocks or dirt clumps. Rinse and drain them if you desire. Add pinto beans along with everything else to the slow cooker.d
Step Two – Cook 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 they do just fine. The long cook time will make for tender beans.
How do I make creamy pinto beans?
- The slow cooker doesn’t simmer hard enough to break down the beans to make them creamy.
- To make them 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 in a shallow bowl. Mash with a fork and add back to the slow cooker.
Can I add meat to this recipe?
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. Uncooked bacon is not flavorful in the slow cooker
- Ham hock – add 1 ham hock
- Diced ham – about 2 cups
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.
Use half a jalapeno and remove the seeds, or use canned fire-roasted chiles instead of fresh jalapenos.
You do not have to soak the beans before cooking in the crockpot, just be sure to cook them on high so they tenderize. If you prefer to soak the beans overnight, this recipe will still work fine. Drain off the soaking water and continue with this recipe.
Black beans will work wonderful in this recipe, you won’t need to cook quite as long since they are smaller. 5-6 hours on high will work great.
Top with cheddar cheese, avocado and diced onions if you desire. Cornbread or tortillas pair with cornbread as well.
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Slow Cooker Spicy Pinto Beans
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 16 oz. dried pinto beans no need to presoak
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1-2 jalapenos sliced
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 32 oz. container chicken broth
- 2 cups water
Add at the end:
- 1/4 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!
How to Video:
Recipe 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. Uncooked bacon is not flavorful in the slow cooker
- Ham hock – add 1 ham hock
- Diced ham – about 2 cups
- Yes, but add one more cup of water
- Omit the salt if you use their seasoning packet.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
We have never had pinto beans so good!!! However, I did cut back on the peppers and spice also added ham hocks. My cooker cooks fast so it only took 6 hours and I added more broth if the beans came to the top. So good, making this a regular meal at our house. Thanks.
Anyone try adding a kielbasa sausage link? Add it at the beginning or closer to the end?
Wow! This is SO great! Since some of my family don’t like things too spicy, I used one jalapeno, seeds removed. I also added 3-4 pork hocks (from WalMart). I serve with yellow rice. Then my daughter has leftovers with tortilla chips. This is a regular now. Thanks for such a great recipe!
I was always taught to add salt pork to my pinto beans (Hispanic) so I added that protein uncooked at the beginning, it was amazing. No need to use any salt at the end. I also only had chicken bone broth instead of regular chicken broth and it still came out great! Thank you!
Anytime I cook spicy beans in a crock-pot, I’ve found that adding about 12 to 14 oz of boudin always makes it better. It falls apart in the crock-pot and makes the texture better with a small amount of rice and its flavorful.
These are currently cooking in my crock pot for dinner tonight and I can’t wait!!
Made as written, first time couldn’t be easier or more tasty! Made these again with 32 oz of chicken broth but only one cup of water as I got distracted while making. Turned out great anyway hubby loves them 🙂