Description
A hearty and flavorful Crock Pot Pinto Beans recipe combining tender soaked pinto beans with ground meat, smoked sausage, and a robust blend of vegetables and spices, slow-cooked to perfection for a satisfying meal served over rice.
Ingredients
Beans and Meat
- 1 Pound Dried Pinto Beans
- 1 Pound Ground Meat
- 1 Pound Smoked Sausage
- 1 Link Andouille Sausage
Vegetables
- 1 Each Sweet Onion (diced)
- 1 Each Green Bell Pepper (diced)
- 1 Rib Celery (diced)
- 3 Cloves Garlic (minced)
Spices and Seasonings
- 3 Each Bay Leaves
- 1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Liquids
- 5 Cups Chicken Broth
Instructions
- Soak Beans: Soak the pinto beans overnight in a few cups of water until they have doubled in size and become tender.
- Brown Meat: Brown the ground meat in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked; drain excess fat and add the cooked meat to the crock pot.
- Prepare Vegetables: Chop the sweet onion, green bell pepper, celery, and mince the garlic, then add all the vegetables into the crock pot.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Include the soaked pinto beans, smoked sausage, andouille sausage, bay leaves, creole seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, and chicken broth into the crock pot.
- Mix Ingredients: Stir all contents in the crock pot thoroughly to combine the flavors evenly.
- Cook: Cover the crock pot with its lid and cook on the low setting for 8 hours to allow flavors to meld and beans to fully soften.
- Serve: Once cooked, serve the pinto beans mixture hot over a bed of steamed rice for a complete and comforting meal.
Notes
- Soaking beans overnight improves tenderness and reduces cooking time substantially.
- Draining the browned meat helps reduce excess fat in the dish for a cleaner flavor.
- Use low heat on the crock pot to ensure beans cook slowly and evenly without becoming mushy.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and taste even better the next day as flavors deepen.
- This recipe can be adapted for vegetarians by omitting the meat and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
