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There’s just something about fresh beans in a slow cooker that makes returning home after a long day worth it. The smokiness from the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce is combined with beer and various spices to make up for the loss of liquid that evaporates when the beans are cooking. A perfect side dish to serve on taco night, or in enchiladas!
This was my first time ever cooking beans from scratch (meaning not in a can!), and I would forever make beans like this! Since the beans require a good amount of water to cook in, I made sure that the flavor wasn’t sacrificed by adding some garlic and spices. The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce gave the beans the smoky aspect while that tiny bit of brown sugar balanced it out. This recipe came out so good for an experiment and I highly recommend you give this a go! It’s not as much work as you think it is.
You need to pick over the beans and rinse them. This just means to make sure there are no rocks or other debris in your dried beans. You don’t want to chew on anything hard!
How to make Slow Cooker Chipotle Pinto Beans
All this recipe needs is 8-10 hours of cooking with little instructions and can be kept on the keep warm setting for 2 hours. Adjust the consistency with hot water as needed before serving, and to prevent the beans from drying out on the setting.) Think making beans from scratch is a handful plus more? Think again because this recipe is super short, but has a lot of flavor to it!
- Onion
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Fresh Oregano: You can used dried if you want.
- Chili Powder
- Canned Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce: This ingredient is key. Do not skip out on this!
- Salt
- 1 Pound Dried Pinto Beans: Do not buy canned for this recipe. You need dried beans. If you use canned, it’ll turn to mush.
- Mild Lager: I used Stella Artois because that’s all I have in the house, plus it’s all my fiance drinks. You can use Budweiser for this too!
- Fresh Cilantro
- Brown Sugar
- Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
Pick over the beans and rinse them. Allow them to drain completely. In a small bowl, combine the onion, oil, garlic, oregano, chili powder, chipotle, and salt. Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onion is softened (The smell is wonderful too.) Transfer to the slow cooker. Stir in 5 cups of water, beans, and beer. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, 8-9 hours on high. I don’t recommend doing it on low, as it would take overnight. Drain the beans, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Return the beans to the empty slow cooker with the reserved cooking liquid, then stir in the cilantro, sugar, lime juice, and more oil. Season with salt, pepper, and extra lime juice to taste.
Tips & FAQs
- Do I need to drain the liquid completely? You don’t need to, but it might be soupy. I didn’t drain them, and I regret doing it! It was a mess trying to put them away, and the liquid was only thrown away anyway after the beans were gone.
- You can add other ingredients to this. You can saute up some jalapenos for extra spice. Throw in some cotija cheese at the end. Add some cumin for that extra pinch of flavor.
- Can I use black beans instead? Is it healthier? Yes, you can use black beans! It’ll cook the same way. As for the healtier part, let’s look at the facts I looked up:
- Both black beans and pinto beans are a rich source of protein and fiber.
- Both have a similar calorie count.
- Pinto beans contain slightly more carbs and are a bit higher in fat than black beans.
- That being said, compared to other foods, both black beans and pinto beans are extremely low in fat. Both are filling, healthy options and an excellent addition to your diet.
- These beans make perfect meals with:
- Tostadas served in crisp corn tortillas topped with salsa, a chopped salad and crumbled cotija cheese.
- Baked sweet potatoes topped with chili
- Huevos rancheros
- Nachos
- Turn them into refried beans!
Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Follow my Facebook page for updates as well! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.
Slow Cooker Chipotle Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, separated
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb (about 2 cups) dried pinto beans, picked over and rinsed
- 1 cup mild lager, such as Budweiser
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp packed brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice, plus extra for seasoning
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine onion, 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic, oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, chipotle chile, and salt. Microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Stir into the slow cooker 5 cups of water, beans, and beer. Cover and cook for 8-9 hours on high until the beans are tender.
- Drain the beans, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Return the beans to the empty slow cooker along with the reserved cooking liquid. Stir in the cilantro, brown sugar, lime juice, and remaining olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper to your liking and extra lime juice to taste.
Notes
Beans can be held on the keep warm setting for 2 hours; adjust consistency with extra hot water as needed before serving.
Do not cook on low. This recipe is only for the high setting.
Recipe slightly adapted from America’s Test Kitchen.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
347.63Fat (grams)
5.9Sat. Fat (grams)
0.88Carbs (grams)
55.08Fiber (grams)
13.26Net carbs
41.8Sugar (grams)
4.71Protein (grams)
17.02Sodium (milligrams)
454.03Cholesterol (grams)
0I did my best to research! Let me know if these are correct!
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