Crock Pot Pinto Beans and Ham

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 07/15/21
Pinto beans

Lisa Hubbard / Getty Images

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 9 hrs 30 mins
Soak: 8 hrs
Total: 17 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 8 servings

These easy crockpot pinto beans are cooked with ham and a variety of chopped vegetables and seasonings. The dish is hearty and satisfying.

Serve these pinto beans with freshly baked cornbread and a tossed salad or fresh sliced tomatoes. In the South, sweet or hot pepper relish or chow-chow is often served along with beans.

Beans sometimes stay firm when cooked in the slow cooker, so in this recipe, they're cooked on the stovetop first until they're tender. If you decide to cook them in the slow cooker without soaking or simmering in advance, put them in the slow cooker with 6 cups of water and all ingredients except salt. Cook them for about 6 to 7 hours on low, or until tender, and then add the salt and continue cooking for an hour or two. Or cook them on high for about 3 hours, or until tender. Add the salt and continue cooking on low for an hour or two.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry pinto beans, sorted, washed

  • 3 cups water

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 4 to 8 ounces cooked ham, chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Put the beans in a large bowl and cover them with water to a depth of about 2 inches above the beans.

  3. Let stand overnight then drain.

  4. Place the beans in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Cover with fresh water, and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until just tender. Drain.

  5. Place the beans in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker with the 3 cups of water and remaining ingredients, except the salt.

  6. Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 4 to 6 hours, or until beans are soft. Stir a couple of times during cooking and add more water if necessary. Add salt, to taste.

  7. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Variations

  • Instead of diced ham, cook the peas with a large meaty ham hock or two small ham hocks.
  • Replace the diced ham with about 12 ounces of diced browned smoked sausage. Add it near the end of the cooking time.
  • Add a few teaspoons of minced jalapeno pepper or about 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Add 2 medium dried bay leaves to the beans.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
258 Calories
3g Fat
40g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 258
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 16mg 5%
Sodium 522mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 40g 14%
Dietary Fiber 10g 36%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 12mg 61%
Calcium 86mg 7%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 942mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)