This is how to cook slow cooker black beans soaked to tender using dry beans. It is a healthy flavorful Crockpot side dish, perfect with Mexican food for dinner. Low and slow vs. our popular pressure cooker black beans but just as easy.
Slow cooked black beans are incredible! Going from a bag of dry beans to cooked with very little prep time has been a game changer for us to make this easy Crockpot recipe for Cinco de Mayo this year!
After making Instant Pot baked beans from scratch I was totally hooked and now love to cook legumes from scratch. Guests are always asking me for the recipe for that too and say it is amazing. Couldn’t believe how much better than canned they were.
I know you have seen them at the store piled upon one another and thought uh no way. Grab a bag of those and all you need to do is soak overnight and then cook them all day in your Crock. Yes, not only are these amazing but Pinto, Northern, Navy and all the others are just as easy to get nice and tender.
Do you need to soak beans before slow cooking?
Whether you use these dark legumes or make our mayocoba beans recipe, it is highly recommended that you do so, overnight. There are several reasons why I too suggest this but number one on the list is that they cook faster. Next to this I do think that the texture when done is better, more tender, and creamy inside. Last but not least help your tummy digest them when consumed, reduces the gas mainly so that is a huge win.
Made with Ham
This is a great way to use up some of your leftover ham after the holidays, diced or add ham hocks to cook all day with them. If you wanted to use white or Northern beans instead, you can follow our slow cooker ham and beans recipe instead. Both are really cheap and will make a second meal out of the meat you have in the fridge.
Tips and Tricks
First thing when you cook them from fresh is to rinse in a strainer. It’s a must because many times there are little rocks mixed in there that didn’t get caught and discarded in the processing steps in the factory. Then once you do you can make all the things where you may just add seasonings or puree for refried beans!
If you want a vegetarian option of course you would omit that portion. I would highly suggest you use broth instead of water to cook them. It adds a lot more flavor to the overall dish. I prefer chicken or vegetable broth for that. If sodium is an issue you can choose a lower sodium option or just don’t add additional salt to the seasonings.
How Long to Cook Canned Black Beans in Slow Cooker
You would only need an hour or two on high for this. All you would be doing in this case would be warming them up since they are already cooked, and softening a bit too. Low setting would work as well for 3-4 hours, great if you want them to keep warm for a long time.
Slow Cooker Black Beans Recipe
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
- 1 Bowl to soak
Ingredients
- 1 lb black beans, dry
- 6 cup water, or broth
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 small jalapeno, diced, optional
- 1 cup ham, leftover ham, diced, optional
Instructions
- It is recommended to soak in water overnight before cooking to help with digestion and shorten the cook time. To do this rinse beans, pour into a bowl with twice as much water, so at least 3" above top of beans and sit on countertop overnight or for at least 6 hours. Then proceed with rest of steps.
- Rinse beans and pour into slow cooker with water or broth, onion, ham, ham hock if you desire. Add a pinch of salt and garlic. Mix together.
- Close lid and cook on high for 6-8 hours or until they are tender to your liking.
- Serve once tender with diced jalapenos and/or feta cheese on top.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I show you how to cook Great Northern beans this way too. You can choose your favorite variety and get them tender in this pot. Want to make this more into black bean soup? Just add a few more cups of broth 20 minutes before serving to thin it out. Jump to recipe and get started friend.
Stove top Method
If you want to know How to Cook Black Turtle Beans a bit faster you can use a pot. You need to pay more attention to it this way though. You’ll add the same ingredients into a large pot on the stove top except increase the liquid so beans are covered with 4″ of liquid above them. Bring to a low boil, cover and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours or until they are tender.
Whichever you choose they are a healthy choice filled with fiber and nutrients. Most enjoy these whole but I suppose you could mash them too for a smoother texture.
How to save leftovers
This is easy. Just like other foods allow it to reach room temperature first. Then use a slotted spoon to transfer into a sealed container. Spoon enough of your liquid into the container to barely cover them so they don’t dry out. Store in fridge and reheat in microwave for 2 minutes stirring halfway thru time.
I would not freeze these if you have any left over. When they thaw out and are reheated they will have a kinda’ strange texture to them I think. You can easily half this amount, or double it if your pot was larger and could handle that amount. It may take longer if you do that though since they are stacked and a thicker amount to soften.
Once these are done you could add them into another dish or enjoy them as is as an easy side dish. Instant Pot black beans and rice is a great one to start with. It can easily be a complete meal with some protein thrown in there too.
Serving a crowd? Just leave these right in the pot when done and set to keep warm for most of the day. Yes they will continue to soften just a bit but not much and it’s easier for people to just serve themselves throughout the day if all the Crocks are set out to serve from. A slotted spoon is a must for serving these though, for sure.
