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    Home > Side Dishes > Crockpot Cowboy Baked Beans

    Crockpot Cowboy Baked Beans

    Published: Aug 31, 2022 by Lea Ann Brown · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Cowboy beans recipe.

    This is a recipe for Cowboy Baked Beans made oh-so easy in the crockpot. Pinto beans with bacon and garlic, kicked up with some heat from jalapeno peppers. Cowboy beans are a creamy, healthy side dish for any Western entree.

    Cowboy Baked Beans recipe served in a white oval dish.

    Using a slow cooker is an easy way to make any type of dried beans recipe. And this easy recipe for Cowboy Beans will have friends and family asking for the recipe.

    I’ve seen many recipes that add ground beef, barbecue sauce and brown sugar. This is a simple Mexican-style Cowboy Baked Beans recipe that keeps seasonings minimal to showcase those pinto beans.

    This is a Rick Bayless recipe, from his cookbook Mexican Everyday.

    Have you ever taken a bite of a straight forward simple ingredient dish and asked yourself, “why is this so darn good?” As with about any Bayless recipe I’ve tried, this is one of those dishes.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Ingredients to make cowboy beans.
    • Dried Pinto Beans
    • Canned Tomatoes
    • Onion: Sweet or yellow onion.
    • Bacon Thick cut good quality preferred. It will be meatier.
    • Jalapeno
    • Lard
    • Garlic
    • Dried Chile Peppers: I use Arbol chile peppers.

    Ingredients Subs and Swaps

    • Pinto Beans: Swap out navy beans, cannellini beans, black beans, or
    • Tomatoes: If you’d like to use fresh tomatoes, use 3 – 4 chopped tomatoes. Add any liquid from the tomatoes.
    • Jalapeno Pepper: If jalapeno peppers are simply too spicy for you, substitute a poblano pepper. Seeded and chopped.
    • Lard: Crisco will work well here.
    • Dried Peppers: Use any dried chile pepper here. Guajillo peppers are a good choice here.

    Step by Step Instructions – It’s Easy

    Cooking bacon and vegetables for Cowboy Beans.
    Cooking Cowboy Beans in the Crockpot.
    • Step 1: Cook the chopped bacon several minutes, stirring regularly, until bacon starts to brown and renders its fat. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeños and cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.
    • Step 2: Transfer the mixture from the skillet to the slow cooker. Add the beans, a scoop of lard, and 7 cups of water. Cover and turn the slow cooker to high. Cook for 3 – 4 hours. Add the tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are hot.

    Pro Tip: Remove about 2 cups of the beans and process in a blender or food processor. Return the beans to the crockpot for a creamier and thicker end result.

    Cowboy Beans FAQ’s

    Can I Make This Recipe In The Oven?

    Yes. Use a 6 – 7 quart Dutch oven. Just follow the instructions below on the recipe card and bake them at 350 degrees for about 3 hours or until beans are tender.

    Can I Make Cowboy Beans with Canned Beans?

    You could, but I don’t advise it. Canned beans are already cooked and simply won’t absorb the flavors like dried beans. Dried beans make all the difference in this recipe. Dried beans turn out more deeply flavored and more complex experience.

    What Are The Best Dried Beans?

    Whenever possible purchase dried beans from the bulk section rather than bags of beans on the shelf. There’s just no way to tell how old they are and you risk purchasing beans that just won’t soften up as well when they cook.

    Do You Need To Soak Beans Overnight?

    I usually do, but it’s not completely necessary. Rick Bayless tells us that in Mexico, beans are not soaked overnight as doing so bleeds the color from the bean. 

    The beans I used from a new crop of Colorado grown beans. They were tender in the first four hours of cooking on high. The freshness of the bean will dictate the cooking time. 

    The fresher the bean, the less time to reach a tender state. I’ve read that some of the dried beans we purchase off the shelf at our super market can be 2-3 years old. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just a “thing” and they can take longer to cook.

    How to Serve

    A bowl of Cowboy Baked Beans are good simply served with a warmed flour tortillas or Cornbread. Here are some more ideas:

    • Side Dish: This is a hearty side dish that will go well with BBQ Chicken Sliders, Grilled Steak, or a great burger like these Silver Spur Ranch Blue Cheese Burgers.

    Storage and Reheating

    • Leftover Cowboy Beans should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll last about 5 days. Reheat them in the microwave for smaller portions. And reheat stove top for larger portions.
    • Freezing: Cowboy beans freeze well. Just store them in an airtight container. Let the side dish cool completely before freezing. I like to use a zip lock freezer bag so I can push the air out. And they can lay flat so they don’t take up much space. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat.

    Recipe for Crock Pot Cowboy Baked Beans

    I hope you give this this Cowboy Baked Beans recipe a try. It’s a great side dish recipe for potlucks, parties and barbecues. Forget the canned beans, making this recipe with dried pinto beans is more cost effective, more flavorful and healthier.

    And if you’re looking for more side dish recipe ideas, don’t miss my side dish category. You’ll find lots of ideas, including the most popular on my site for Smoked Mozzarella Penne Pasta Salad.

    Cowboy Baked Beans recipe served in a white oval dish.

    Crock Pot Cowboy Baked Beans

    Easy and flavorful. Beans made delicious thanks to your Slow Cooker
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Southwestern Mexican
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 4 hours
    Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 364kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 4 ounces bacon 4 slices, thick cut, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
    • 1 medium onion cut into ½-inch pieces. Yellow or sweet onion.
    • 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
    • 2 jalapeño peppers seeded and veins removed if you wish to reduce heat, and cut into slices.
    • 1 pound dried pinto beans about 2 1/2 cups, rinsed in a collander
    • 2 dried chile peppers
    • 1 Tablespoon lard heaping (optional)
    • 15 ounce diced tomatoes canned, preferably fire-roasted, undrained
    • Salt
    • 1 cup cilantro roughly chopped
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In a skillet cook the bacon pieces several minutes, stirring often, until bacon starts to brown and renders its fat. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 6-8 minutes. Add the jalapeños and cook for 1 minute, then add garlic until garlic becomes fragrant. About 1 minute.
    • Transfer the mixture from the skillet to the slow cooker and add the beans. Cover with 7 cups of water. Add the lard. Drop in the dried chile peppers. Cook on high 3 – 4 hours. Cooking time will depend on the freshness of the beans.
    • Add the tomatoes and continue to cook for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are hot.
    • Remove 2 cups of the beans and process in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the smooth beans back to pot and stir in the cilantro. Taste and season with salt. Remove the dried chile peppers. Ladle into bowls and serve.

    Notes

    Before placing beans in the crockpot, sort through them and remove any that look dark and dried up. 
    Pro Tip: Remove about 2 cups of the beans and process in a blender or food processor. Return the beans to the crockpot for a creamier and thicker end result.
    Buying Beans: Whenever possible purchase dried beans from the bulk section rather than bags of beans on the shelf. There’s just no way to tell how old they are and you risk purchasing beans that just won’t soften up as well when they cook. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 1275mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Vitamin C: 20.1mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 4.7mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!

    Crockpot Cowboy Beans Recipe  …They’re What’s for a Side Dish.

    Looking for more ways to cook with beans? You won’t want to miss:

    • Cheesy Mexican Style Instant Pot Refried Beans
    • Southwestern Beans and Chicos
    • Bolita Beans with Red Wine, Smoked Paprika and Jalapeño
    • Calico Beans, The Best Pot Of Beans You’ll Ever Tango With

    And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

    If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. And write a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback.

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    • Southwest Pasta Salad With Black Beans

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. John / Kitchen Riffs says

      September 07, 2022 at 8:25 am

      I love beans! These look like just my thing — loaded with flavor. Thanks!

      Reply
    2. Larry says

      September 01, 2022 at 6:33 am

      I guess I saw these in 2010 but don’t recall trying and they look like a great alternative to plain ole pinto beans so they are now on the list to go with some Mexican cornbread.

      Reply
    3. Karen says

      December 29, 2010 at 4:55 pm

      Can’t get any easier than this. I love a really good pot of beans. I’ve been buying my beans from Rancho Gordo and they are outstanding. I’m glad you made the garlic knots – aren’t they great?? It took me 3 tries in making them before I was satisfied with the texture. Making the dough the night before is best for me because then I have no choice but to let it rise. Otherwise I’m too impatient!!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        December 29, 2010 at 6:42 pm

        I should have made the dough the night before. I will do that the next time. I’ve got to learn how to make them. I know the end result is amazing. Thanks Karen. I’ll let you know how batch #2 turns out. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Barbara | VinoLuciStyle says

      December 27, 2010 at 9:50 am

      I’m with the other Barbara too…simple but with garlic and bacon. Anything is good if it’s cooked with garlic and bacon!

      Have you ever done them in a crockpot? I wonder if they would return similar results?

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        December 27, 2010 at 12:56 pm

        Garlic and bacon and onions and bacon…yum

        Reply
    5. tasteofbeirut says

      December 27, 2010 at 9:02 am

      These beans are wonderful especially due to their simplicity.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        December 27, 2010 at 9:11 am

        Thanks Joumana! As always thanks for stopping by and the comment.

        Reply
    6. Karen Harris says

      December 27, 2010 at 6:33 am

      You are right, some of the simpliest dishes are the best. My dad liked nothing better than a big pot of pinto beans on the stove and now so does my son. I’ll have to score some of those farmers’ market beans next year. You have me convinced.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        December 27, 2010 at 8:13 am

        Thanks Karen. You’ve GOT to score some of those beans. You won’t believe the difference.

        Reply
    7. Chris says

      December 27, 2010 at 6:06 am

      I could eat those for breakfast right now! The thing about making simple dishes excellent is all about quality ingredients and execution. Seems like you nailed both!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        December 27, 2010 at 6:24 am

        Thanks Chris. I could eat them for breakfast too, and topped with a little ChowChow…yum.

        Reply
    8. Zia Liz says

      December 26, 2010 at 7:09 pm

      Yum! They sound fab.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        December 27, 2010 at 5:28 am

        Creamy goodness Liz.

        Reply
    9. larry says

      December 26, 2010 at 5:35 pm

      I’m with Barbara.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        December 27, 2010 at 5:29 am

        Me too! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Steph@PlainChicken says

      December 26, 2010 at 5:21 pm

      these beans sound amazing!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        December 27, 2010 at 5:29 am

        Thanks Stephanie!

        Reply
    11. My Kitchen in the Rockies says

      December 26, 2010 at 4:53 pm

      Lea Ann, my husband eats beans every day for lunch. That is true! He would LOVE this side dish. Especially since it is a Chef Bayless recipe.

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        December 26, 2010 at 5:00 pm

        We should have stocked up on beans while we were at Polombos market that day. I think we were a little starry eyed over the organic Berry Patch Farm experience. 🙂

        Reply
    12. Barbara says

      December 26, 2010 at 3:09 pm

      Lard? Bacon? And you wondered why it was so good??
      Yum, LeaAnn!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann says

        December 26, 2010 at 3:41 pm

        Well you do have a point. 🙂

        Reply
        • Gloria says

          April 28, 2019 at 11:43 am

          Being fro m Arizona & now living in Mexico I love pinto beans. My recipe is very similar I find they cook better in the crock pot. Instead of using canned tomatoes I add a can or 2 of HERDEZ salsa casera , it gives it a delicious flavor & you can buy the Herdez in U.S. markets. Try it Y will love it!!

        • Lea Ann Brown says

          May 02, 2019 at 12:05 pm

          I’ve seen that salsa! Next time I’m making beans you bet I’ll give that a try. Great idea.

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    I'm Lea Ann, A Culinary School Grad bringing you Wild West Colorado inspired recipes. You'll find lots of Southwestern, and Mexican food recipes, and some favorites from Culinary School along with pro cooking tips. If you're an adventurous home cook looking to spice up your meal plans, you'll find plenty of inspiration and reliable, approachable, easy to follow recipes.

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