Description
These no soak Slow Cooker Pinto Beans cook until tender, creamy, and full of smoky flavor. They make an easy, hands off dinner, a budget friendly side dish, or a flexible filling for tacos, burritos, nachos, chili, and rice bowls.
Ingredients
2 cups dry pinto beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano or dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
3 cups water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional: chopped cilantro
Optional: sliced jalapeños
Optional: halved cherry tomatoes
Instructions
1. Rinse the dried pinto beans under cool water. Discard any damaged beans or small stones, then place the beans in the slow cooker.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
3. Add the chopped onion and jalapeño. Cook until softened, stirring often.
4. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano or basil, and coriander. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
5. Transfer the cooked vegetable mixture to the slow cooker with the beans.
6. Add the stock, water, and bay leaves. Stir gently.
7. Cover and cook on High for 8 to 9 hours, or until the beans become tender. Begin checking for tenderness after about 6 hours.
8. Remove the bay leaves.
9. Season the cooked beans with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
10. Serve warm with chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeños, and halved cherry tomatoes, if desired.
Notes
No soaking is required.
Add salt only after the beans finish cooking, since early salting may slow the cooking process.
Cooking time may vary by slow cooker, so begin checking the beans after about 6 hours.
The beans should feel tender while still holding their shape.
Keep some cooking liquid with the beans so they stay moist and flavorful.
For a creamier texture, stir in 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil before serving.
To thicken the beans, mash about 1 cup of cooked beans and stir them back into the slow cooker.
You may also thicken the beans with a small cornstarch slurry.
Use the cooked beans in tacos, burritos, nachos, chili, rice bowls, salads, or homemade refried beans.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze cooled beans with some cooking liquid for up to 3 months.
Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally for even heating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 266
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 642 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg