Big Crock Pot Full of Pinto Beans
Get ready to fill your kitchen with the irresistible aroma of hearty comfort food with this Big Crock Pot Full of Pinto Beans recipe. Perfect for feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week, this dish combines tender, slow-cooked pinto beans with smoky spices like paprika and cumin, plus an optional ham hock or smoked turkey leg for an extra layer of savory depth. With just 20 minutes of prep and the ease of a slow cooker, you’ll have a flavorful and protein-packed dish that’s versatile enough to enjoy as a side, over rice, or with warm cornbread. Garnish with fresh cilantro for a pop of freshness, and savor the cozy, home-cooked goodness in every bite.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 pounds dried pinto beans
- 10 cups water
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 0.5 teaspoons thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 0.5 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 1 piece ham hock or smoked turkey leg (optional)
- 0.25 cups chopped cilantro (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Rinse the dried pinto beans thoroughly under cold water. Remove any debris or stones.
In a large bowl, soak the beans in enough water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let them soak for 8–12 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse again before cooking.
In a large crock pot, combine the soaked and rinsed beans, water, diced onion, minced garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin, thyme, bay leaves, and the optional ham hock or smoked turkey leg if using.
Stir the mixture to distribute the seasonings evenly.
Set the crock pot to low and cook for 8 hours, or set it to high to cook for 4–5 hours. Stir occasionally if possible.
About 1 hour before the end of cooking, add salt and black pepper. Stir and continue cooking until the beans are tender and the flavors have melded.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Remove the bay leaves and ham hock or smoked turkey leg before serving.
Serve the beans warm, garnished with chopped cilantro if desired. Enjoy them as a side dish, over rice, or with cornbread.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
197 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 4.7 g | 6% | |
| Saturated Fat | 1.6 g | 8% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.4 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 20 mg | 7% | |
| Sodium | 971 mg | 42% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 26.0 g | 9% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 8.5 g | 30% | |
| Total Sugars | 0.8 g | ||
| Protein | 14.0 g | 28% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 80 mg | 6% | |
| Iron | 2.7 mg | 15% | |
| Potassium | 553 mg | 12% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
