Crockpot Black Beans Recipe - Peas and Crayons Vegetarian Recipes (2024)

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Published: August 7, 2012Updated: February 25, 2022Author: Jenn Laughlin

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This crockpot black beans recipe is my hands-down favorite method for cooking beans. I make a large batch of crockpot black beans every few months and use them in all sorts of tasty recipes!

For those of you that already prep your beans this way, this post is not for you. [but this one is] This post is for everyone that is new to beans, strictly uses canned, or is just simply curious about a new way to prep these black beauties for quick and easy meals throughout the week.

Are you ready for it? You’re going to laugh at yourself when you realize just how easy this is. At least I did, but I’m always laughing at myself.

easy crockpot black beans recipe

step 1 grab a bag of black beans – rinse with water and pluck out any broken ones
step 2 pour intoyour slow cookeralong with any extras
step 3 fill with water: 6 cups or about 2 inches above the beans
step 4 turn on to HIGH and set a timer for 3.5 hours

Now walk away!

Your beans will be perfectly cooked in anywhere from 3.5-4 hours. (Though it will take a little longer if you live at a high altitude.)I check mine at the 3.5 hour mark and try one to see if they’re tender enough. If they’re still hard, set your timer for an extra 30 minutes and curl up with a book or catch up on that pile-o-laundry!

So. Flipping. Easy.

A 1-pound bag of driedblack beans will yield about six cups of cooked black beans. That’s three can’s worth of black beans for a fraction of the price!

Still looking for a slow cooker? [click here for a few fabulous options]

You can also season them while in the crockpot if you’re making one singular recipe, like a pot of black beans and rice for instance. I scoop mine out with a slotted spoon, portion into freezer safe containers and freeze them for the plethora of mexican dishes and savory stuffed sweet potatoes I’m always whipping up. They’ll keep for 4 days in the fridge and for months in the freezer.

Kiss the canned beans (and that nasty BPA lining) goodbye!

Black Beans freeze absolutely effortlessly and reheat tasting as good as new!

To reheat frozen beans, simply plop them in the fridge overnight and attack them the following day, or slowly defrost in the microwave, heating in small intervals so the beans don’t burst. You can also warm them up on the stove-top or take some steamy hot water to the container you’ve sealed them in. So basically… any which way! Take your pick and run with it!

Crockpot Black Beans Recipe - Peas and Crayons Vegetarian Recipes (2)

Easy Crockpot Black Beans

This crockpot black beans recipe is my hands-down favorite method for cooking beans. I make a large batch of crockpot black beans every few months and use them in all sorts of tasty recipes!

A 1-pound bag of driedblack beans will yield about six cups of cooked black beans. That's three can's worth of black beans for a fraction of the price!

5 from 32 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Crockpot Black Beans

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 hours hours 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Author: Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bag dried black beans (rinse and sort)
  • 6 cups water

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

  • 1-2 cups chopped white onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Grab a one-pound bag of black beans.

  • Rinse with water and pluck out any broken ones.

  • Pour intoyour slow cookerand add 6 cups water and any extras you'd like to add to season the beans.

  • Turn on to HIGH and set a timer for 3.5 hours.

  • Now walk away! Your beans will be perfectly cooked in anywhere from 3.5-4 hours. (Though it will take a little longer if you live at a high altitude.) I check mine at the 3.5 hour mark and try one to see if they're tender enough. If they're still hard, set your timer for an extra 30 minutes and curl up with a book or catch up on that pile-o-laundry!

Notes

Nutrition facts below are an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. 1 serving of black beans is measured at 1/2 cup cooked beans.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 9g, Sodium: 9mg, Potassium: 640mg, Fiber: 6g, Vitamin A: 5IU, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 2.2mg

Did you make this recipe?I want to see! Tag @peasandcrayons on Instagram and Facebook!

So now that you have a big pot of beans to experiment with, it’s time to put them to work! Here are a few of my favorites:

tasty black bean recipes

  • Black Bean and Sweet Potato Flautas
  • Instant Pot Black Bean Dip
  • Healthy One-Pot Enchilada Pasta
  • Cheesy One Pan Zucchini Taco Skillet
  • Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

We also make mySkillet Black Bean Queso Dip quite a bit around here for game night and impromptu gatherings. I’m also a huge fan of tossing black beans in salads and bowl recipes such as myMexican Kale SaladandQuinoa Taco Bowls. You’ve got to try them!

If you get a chance to try this crazy easy crockpot black beans recipe, let me know!Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation.

Crockpot Black Beans Recipe - Peas and Crayons Vegetarian Recipes (3)

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Crockpot Black Beans Recipe - Peas and Crayons Vegetarian Recipes (4)

About The Author:

Jenn Laughlin

Hi! I’m Jenn and I’m here to help you eat your veggies! It'll be fun, painless, and pretty darn delicious as I teach you to plan your meals around fresh, seasonal produce with a little help from healthy freezer and pantry staples.

Learn More

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Crockpot Black Beans Recipe - Peas and Crayons Vegetarian Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Crockpot Black Beans Recipe - Peas and Crayons Vegetarian Recipes? ›

Simply rinse and sort beans, add them to your crock pot, fill with enough water to cover two inches above the beans, and cook on high for about 3.5 hours — it costs less, spares you the sodium and BPA, and tastes great! I like to soak mine overnight before cooking them – feel free to follow suit!

What beans should not be cooked in a slow cooker? ›

Turns out cooking dried red kidney beans and cannellini beans in your slow cooker can make you sick. Find out how to eliminate the toxin that can make you ill and how to safely prepare and cook these commonly used legumes.

Do beans need to be soaked before slow cooking? ›

If you're the impatient, bean-hungry type, you can cook your beans from dry without any soaking at all. Here's the thing: Beans that have not been soaked ahead of time will always take longer to cook, but they will, indeed, cook.

How long to cook black beans in slow cooker danger? ›

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours (checking after 3 hours to see if the beans are done) or on low for 6-7 hours (checking after 6 hours to see if beans are done). Once the beans are done cooking, remove the bay leaves.

Have to soak black beans? ›

"Black beans cook so quickly soaking only saves 30 minutes or so. It also marginally helps keep them whole, but you're going to be pureeing some anyway. and the flavor is so much better. Just sayin."

What foods should not go in a slow cooker? ›

10 Foods You Should Never Make in a Slow Cooker
  • Raw Meat.
  • Seafood.
  • Pasta.
  • Rice.
  • Delicate Vegetables.
  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.
  • Dairy.
  • Wine and Other Liquor.
Jan 19, 2024

Do you cook beans on low or high in a slow cooker? ›

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours: Cover the pot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. If this is your first time cooking beans or you're cooking an unfamiliar kind of bean, begin checking the beans after 5 hours and then every 30 minutes until they are cooked to your liking.

What happens if you don't soak beans first? ›

But, then I learned something astonishing: You can actually skip soaking beans over night, and actually you should. Not only does it shorten the amount of time until you have ready-to-eat beans, it also produces a more flavorful end result.

What happens if you don't pre soak beans? ›

Modern cooking websites often say it doesn't matter. In a way, they're both right. Soaking beans can help improve the texture of the final product once the beans are cooked and reduce the gas produced when the food is being digested. But it isn't necessary to soak them.

What happens if you don't have time to soak beans? ›

Place 1 lb.

Add cold water until it's about 2 inches above the top of the beans. It's important for beans to remain submerged in a few inches of water throughout the cooking process so they don't dry out. Cover pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then remove from heat. Let rest 1 hour.

Can I leave beans in crockpot overnight? ›

Start the pinto beans in the morning, and they'll be ready by dinner. If you are comfortable leaving your slow cooker plugged in, you can even cook them overnight.

Why are my black beans still hard after soaking and cooking? ›

Add baking soda.

If you suspect that you may have hard water, adding ¼ of a teaspoon of baking soda per 1 pound of beans can help to soften them.

Why are my crockpot beans hard? ›

It can be a number of factors. If you have hard water that can help keep them hard the calcium ions tend to bind to the beans and keep them hard. Sodium ions from water softeners don't do that. So if you have a water softener, you should soften the water you use to soak and cook them.

What happens if you don't rinse black beans? ›

"If you rinse your beans thoroughly, you will have a consistently flavored product, but if you do not rinse them, different amounts of salt will remain in the dish each time you cook it, and it will be hard to cook consistently," he says.

Is 4 hours long enough to soak black beans? ›

To soak beans the traditional way, cover them with water by 2 inches, add 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon fine salt) per pound of beans, and let them soak for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. Drain them and rinse before using.

How many hours should black beans be soaked? ›

Step 1Rinse beans and check for stones and debris. Add beans to a large bowl and add water to cover by at least 4 inches. Cover and let soak for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.

Why are my beans still hard after slow cooking? ›

Using acidic ingredients when cooking beans

Similarly to hard water, acidic ingredients can keep your beans from softening. If you add acidic ingredients before the beans finish cooking, they will remain hard and tough.

What happens if you slow cook kidney beans? ›

Slowly heating raw kidney beans in a slow cooker may increase the toxicity of the beans. Studies have found slow cookers do not reach a high enough temperature to destroy the harmful bacteria in undercooked beans.

What are the symptoms of kidney bean poisoning? ›

nausea and vomiting, followed by diarrhoea and sometimes abdominal pain; recovery is usually rapid. Outbreaks have also been reported in Canada [4] and Australia [5], each incident involving two persons who had consumed 'chili con carne. Square, London SWIP 3MJR.

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