If you love Chipotle’s pinto beans, look no further because now you can make them at home. Dried pinto beans cook all day in the slow cooker with bacon, onion and garlic to make these flavorful Bacon Pinto Beans. Perfect for rice bowls, nacho night or even on their own.
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Update: photos and text have been updated since original post date in 2017. The recipe remains the same.
We did a ton of yard work on Saturday and somebody (hello, me) didn’t think to put any sunscreen on. My back looks lobster-esque and sleeping and wearing clothes has been rather uncomfortable.
I’m normally very careful and cautious in the sun so I haven’t gotten burned like this in years and I’m definitely paying for it.
But on a happy note, our yard looks infinitely better. We still have more outdoor work to do as we prepare to sell the house but it feels nice to get a huge chunk of it done.
Next on the list is filling in some rock in our flower beds and giving the shutters a fresh coat of paint.
I don’t know about you but when I’ve spent all day in the sun my energy is zapped and I have zero motivation to cook dinner. Right?
So even with summer weeks away, I still keep my slow cooker in the regular dinner rotation. It doesn’t heat up the house and we can spend more time at the pool.
These Bacon Pinto Beans may be a humble, simple dish but please don’t pass them by because they are so tasty. I was hoping the bacon would draw you in, especially since I’ve been on a bacon kick this month. Did it work?
These are a copycat recipe of sorts from the beautiful time when Chipotle still put bacon in their pinto beans. I miss them so I decided to make my own.
They are all kinds of simple to make so let’s talk about how to do it. First, soak the beans overnight. This is the hardest step people. The remembering and planning and everything.
In the morning cook up some bacon then throw it in your slow cooker. Saute the onions and garlic in that bacon grease until they are soft and giving off their delicious aromas.
Then that goes in the slow cooker along with the drained, rinsed beans and enough water to cover everything. Then walk away.
The bacon, onion and garlic give so much flavor to an otherwise bland dish.
The first night we used these to make simple rice bowls with chipotle chicken and cilantro lime brown rice. I’ve also made baked bean and cheese burritos slathered in homemade enchilada sauce and cheese.
And when I needed a quick, easy lunch I warmed them up and threw on a few dashes of my favorite hot sauce. All good, all simple.
This recipe makes a large batch of beans so if you have a big family, you’ll have plenty. If you only have a few to feed, they freeze really well (find my favorite freezer safe containers here) which makes for an easy meal on a busy night.
More Delicious Side Dishes:
Bacon Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 16 oz. dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
Instructions
- Soak beans overnight. In the morning, rinse beans and drain beans. Add to slow cooker. Add enough water to cover beans (about 6 cups for my slow cooker).
- Dice bacon into small pieces and cook over medium heat until crisp. Add bacon to slow cooker. Add onions to pan with bacon grease and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, salt and pepper and cook another minute. Add everything to the slow cooker and stir.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
