When it comes to comfort food that never fails, the Best Beans Ever truly live up to their name. This hearty side dish combines perfectly tender beans with a savory, smoky sauce that’s slow-cooked to perfection. Featuring ingredients like brown sugar, bacon, onion, and a splash of tangy vinegar, these beans strike the ultimate balance between sweet, spicy, and rich umami flavors. Whether you’re serving them alongside grilled meats or as the star of a meatless meal, their depth and warmth make them unforgettable.
What sets these beans apart is the careful layering of flavors. Starting with sautéed aromatics and crisped bacon, then adding molasses, mustard, and a touch of chili powder, each spoonful packs a punch. These beans aren’t just for summer cookouts—they’re perfect year-round, offering a taste of comfort on a cold evening or a flavorful kick to your picnic spread. Once you try them, you’ll understand why they’ve earned their title.
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb pinto beans
- 1 onion (small)
- 1 can ROTEL Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
- 2 jalapeños (large)
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- water (enough to cover the beans in the crockpot)
Optional
- sausage or bacon hot spicy
Instructions
- Sort and rinse the pinto beans to remove any debris or damaged beans
- Chop the small onion and 2 large jalapeños
- Place the rinsed pinto beans in a small crockpot
- Add enough water to cover the beans by about 2 inches
- Turn the crockpot on high and cook for 4-6 hours
- After 4-6 hours of cooking on high, add the chopped onion, can of ROTEL Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, and chopped jalapeños to the crockpot
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of comino (cumin) powder
- If using, add the hot spicy sausage or bacon at this stage for extra flavor
- After adding all the ingredients, reduce the crockpot setting to low
- Continue cooking the beans on low overnight (approximately 8-10 hours)
- Check the beans in the morning. They should be tender and flavorful
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste if needed
Nutrition
Too spicy for me! I should’ve used less jalapeños. But the beans were still good. 🤯
For real! Jalapeños can be super spicy. I usually just put one in and see how it goes! Glad the beans were still good tho! 🌟
Crockpots are the best! This is now one of my favorite meals to make, thank you!!! 🍽️
I love pinto beans, but this recipe seems a bit much for just beans. Can anyone recommend a good side? 🤔
You could serve them with cornbread! Perfect combo. 😋
For sides, maybe some rice or a simple salad? But I don’t know, this seems like too much work just for beans. 😅
LOL! I thought Rotel was a person. Turns out it’s just a can. 🤭 1 star for confusion.
I followed this recipe and they turned out better than any restaurant! Yum! ❤️
Beans are beans, they all taste the same to me. Meh. 😐
But wait! They aren’t all the same. Different beans have different flavors! You gotta try this recipe! 😋
Honestly, you just haven’t had the right beans. Pinto beans can be amazing if cooked well! 🙌
Y’all, I just put everything in the crockpot without the soaking and it still turned out fine. 🥴
Are you sure it was fine? I thought you had to soak beans for them to cook right. 🤔
That’s awesome! I don’t always soak beans either, and they turn out fine too. Cooking should be easy and fun!
What if you don’t have cumin? Can I just use something else? 🤷♀️
You could try using chili powder or paprika instead! It will change the flavor a bit, but still yummy! 😊
These beans are amazing! The flavor is incredible, and my family loved them. Will definitely make again. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I’m glad your family loved it! I can’t wait to try it myself. Do you have any tips for making them even better? 😊
The recipe says to cook for 8-10 hours, but mine were mushy at 6. What did I do wrong? 🤔