Slow Cooker Pinto Beans With Ham Bone - A Southern Favorite Recipe (2024)

During these long winter months, it’s not possible to run out of awesome slow cooker recipes. I was shocked at how much I really actually loved this Slow Cooker Pinto Bean recipe and can’t wait to share it with all of you.

This Slow Cooker Pinto Beans with ham bone recipe is simple, hearty and delicious! This recipe with some homemade cornbread is certainly a southern favorite in our house.

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans With Ham Bone - A Southern Favorite Recipe (1)

It’s a great meal for families that is hearty and delicious, and also provides a warmth in your tummy that keeps you staying full longer throughout the night. There’s nothing worse than eating a meal and feeling hungry less than an hour later!

While it’s no secret that beans are a great source of protein, the basis of this recipe is truly crazy simple.

If you’ve been racking your brain looking for a hearty meal that takes minimal effort, this Slow Cooker Pinto Beans is perfect! You’ll even have enough time left over to whip up a batch of cornbread or two!

What goes with pinto beans?

Oh, so many things go with pinto beans! They make a terrific side dish for any recipe, including my Instant Pot Beef Brisket and Instant Pot Ham.

If you’ve been looking for a hearty meal that takes minimal effort, this Pinto Beans and Ham Bone recipe is perfect! You’ll even have enough time left over to whip up a batch of cornbread or two!

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans – Hearty & Delicious

Pinto beans are such a great addition to soups for that added boost of nutrition. Anytime I can sneak in a few more healthy bites for my family to enjoy, I’m 100% game to make that happen.

Related Article | Are Pinto Beans A Complete Protein

What I really do love most about this dish is that it has an amazing and unique flavor that seems to only get better as it’s continued to be eaten. How is it possible for a soup to improve after each and every bite?

That parts a mystery but you can bet that I’ll continue trying bowl after bowl to figure it out.

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Do the pinto beans need to be soaked overnight?

Yes. In order for the beans to be ready to be added into this Slow Cooker Pinto Bean recipe, the pinto beans do have to be soaked in water overnight. Once the beans have been soaked, you can discard the water and get started on the other steps of the recipe.

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans With Ham Bone - A Southern Favorite Recipe (5)

How long to cook ham hock in a slow cooker?

You’ll want to cook the ham hock in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours to be sure it’s perfectly flavorful and tender.

What other vegetables can you add to this slow cooker pinto beans recipe?

Honestly, that choice is up to you! While the recipe below is written as a suggestion, you hold the key to making the final decision. You can spice it up and add jalapenos or keep it mellow without. Whatever you and your taste buds want, you can make it happen.

How long do you cook the pinto beans in the slow cooker or crock-pot?

Make sure to soak the beans overnight. After you have drained the beans, add them to the crockpot with the ham bone, celery, seasoning, and water. Heat on high for 5 hours. My mom would say to cook them overnight on low but I find that the pinto beans are overcooked and mushy.

Can you use canned pinto beans in the slow cooker?

Yes, you most definitely can. I personally prefer to use dry Pinto Beans because they have much less sodium and are much more flavorful!

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This recipe is one recipe that you’ll actually crave! Perfect for a chilly day, or just when you have the hankering for a delicious and hearty meal!

Related: You may also like this Cast Iron Skillet cowboy Pinto Beans Recipe:

What goes with pinto beans?

Oh, so many things go with pinto beans! They make a terrific side dish for any recipe, including my Instant Pot Beef Brisket and Instant Pot Ham.

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans With Ham Bone - A Southern Favorite Recipe (7)

Print

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans

This Slow Cooker Pinto Beans with Ham Bone recipe is a southern favorite! Pair with some homemade cornbread and you will have a hearty and delicious meal!

Course Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword slow cooker pinto beans

Calories 717kcal

Author Life, Family Fun Team

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dry pinto beans
  • ham bone
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Place beans in slow cooker and fill with water. Soak beans overnight.

  • Drain beans and discard liquid.

  • Return beans to crock

  • Add ham bone, celery, onion, and spices and 8 cups of water.

  • Heat on high for 5 hours. Before serving, remove ham from bone and serve with cornbread.

Notes

*Nutrition facts are calculated by a third party actual values may vary.

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans With Ham Bone - A Southern Favorite Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why shouldn't you cook beans in a slow cooker? ›

Since most slow cookers do not reach the boiling point (212°F), beans prepared in them without soaking and cooking them first will carry the toxic lectin. (And no need to worry about canned beans; they've already been prepared properly.)

How to cook ham beans in a slow cooker? ›

Directions:
  1. Sort through the beans and discard any debris. ...
  2. Add the diced ham, carrots, onion, celery, dried thyme and pepper with the beans in the slow cooker. ...
  3. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 6-7 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
Dec 17, 2019

Do you need to soak beans before cooking in slow cooker? ›

Beans freeze beautifully! I freeze them in two-cup portions, which makes it easy to pull out just what I need for a recipe. With beans made in the slow cooker, pre-soaking them is far less important than with other cooking methods. The long cooking time means that those beans will definitely soften!

Is it better to cook beans on low or high? ›

Cook low and slow—patience is key. To cook on the stove, bring the pot of beans (soaked or unsoaked, with olive oil, salt, and any seasonings plus 2 to 3 inches of liquid covering them) to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat so that your beans are barely but steadily simmering and cover with the lid.

What not to do when cooking beans? ›

13 Common Mistakes Everyone Makes With Beans
  1. Only eating canned beans. Ilia Nesolenyi/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Sticking to one type of bean. ...
  3. Not rinsing canned beans. ...
  4. Not rinsing and soaking dried beans. ...
  5. Cooking with hard water. ...
  6. Using acidic ingredients when cooking beans. ...
  7. Not adding aromatics. ...
  8. Overcooking your beans.
Jan 30, 2023

How long to soak beans before slow cooker? ›

Add water to cover beans by 3 to 4 inches. Let beans soak overnight or 6 hours covered on the counter. Use colander to drain and rinse beans before cooking. Place soaked beans in crock pot.

How do you thicken slow cooked beans? ›

5 Ways to Thicken Bean Soup
  1. Reduce the soup. Simmering your soup over low heat on the stovetop or in a slow cooker will cause the water in the soup to evaporate and the soup to naturally thicken. ...
  2. Add a thickening agent. ...
  3. Purée the beans. ...
  4. Prepare a roux. ...
  5. Add puréed vegetables.
Jan 25, 2022

What is in the Hambeens flavor packet? ›

Each package contains 20 oz. of dry beans with one seasoning packet. Hydrolyzed soy protein, maltodextrin, salt, natural and artificial flavors (includes vanillin).

What happens if you don't rinse beans before cooking? ›

Canned beans are packed in a solution of water, salt, and starch. That solution can leave a glossy film on the beans, interfering with not only mouthfeel (slimy beans are a little off-putting), but also the ability of the beans to cling to other ingredients in the dish and absorb those flavors.

What happens if you don't soak pinto beans before cooking? ›

Short answer: They take longer to cook. Long answer: Many people claim that soaking beans is not necessary. The argument for this method is while it does take longer to cook, unsoaked beans end up having better flavor.

Can I leave beans in crockpot overnight? ›

I usually make a pound of black beans in the slowcooker overnight and freeze them for recipes.

How much water do you need to cook pinto beans? ›

Rinse. Place rinsed beans in a large cooking pan. Cover with 3 cups of water per 1 cup of beans. Use 10 cups for a 1 pound bag.

Why are my pinto beans still hard after cooking? ›

If your water is acidic, the beans will remain hard. You can add some baking soda to the water to eliminate the acidity.

Why do restaurant beans taste better? ›

While lard has been replaced with vegetable oil or shortening in many households, the distinct richness and velvety texture it imparts to a skillet of refried beans is hard to beat. The closest substitute for lard is bacon grease, which is another form of rendered pork fat that's arguably even more flavorful.

What happens if you slow cook beans? ›

Slow cookers may not reach a high enough temperature and hold it for long enough to kill the toxin. If you have a slow cooker recipe that calls for kidney beans, either cook them first or use canned beans, because they are pre-cooked before canning.

Is it OK to cook dry beans in a slow cooker? ›

Put beans into the slow cooker and add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Turn cooker to HIGH and cook beans until they're tender and cooked through, about 5-6 hours for unsoaked beans. (You can also cook the unsoaked beans on low, which would take about twice as long.)

What should you not cook in a slow cooker? ›

​11 things you shouldn't put in your slow cooker
  1. Lean meats. ...
  2. Raw meat. ...
  3. Too much liquid. ...
  4. Delicate vegetables. ...
  5. Too much spice. ...
  6. Dairy. ...
  7. Too much booze. ...
  8. Meat that has the skin on.
Oct 12, 2022

Does cooking beans in slow cooker remove lectins? ›

Canned beans are cooked and packaged in liquid, so they are also low in lectins. However, raw beans simmered at low heat such as in a slow-cooker or undercooking the beans will not remove all the lectins. The body can produce enzymes during digestion that degrades some lectins.

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