Get ready for the richest, most flavorful Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans you’ve ever tasted. This recipe is packed with savory ground beef, smoky bacon, and a blend of tender beans, all simmered to perfection in a sweet and tangy BBQ-style sauce. It’s the ultimate comfort food, perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or game day. Let your crockpot do all the work and prepare for rave reviews!
This dump-and-go meal is incredibly easy to prepare, making it a perfect weeknight dinner solution. Just a few minutes of prep in the morning, and you’ll come home to a house smelling absolutely divine and a delicious, hearty meal ready to serve. It’s a dish that’s both rustic and satisfyingly complex in flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans Recipe
If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing dish that’s big on flavor and low on effort, this is it. These crockpot cowboy beans are a game-changer for busy families.
- Incredibly Easy: Simply brown the meat, then dump everything into the slow cooker. It’s a true set-it-and-forget-it meal that saves you time and stress.
- Rich and Hearty: Loaded with two types of meat and three kinds of beans, this dish is a complete and satisfying meal all on its own.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you need a simple weeknight dinner, a dish for a summer BBQ, or a warm meal for a chilly evening, these cowboy beans fit the bill perfectly.
- Amazing Flavor: The sauce is a perfect blend of smoky, sweet, and tangy ingredients that seep into every bean and piece of meat, creating an irresistible flavor combination.
Key Ingredients for the Perfect Cowboy Beans
This recipe uses simple, pantry-friendly ingredients to create its signature robust flavor. Here’s what you’ll need to gather.
The Hearty Base: Beans and Meat
The foundation of this dish is a trio of beans and two types of savory meat, creating a wonderful texture and depth.
- Ground Beef: We use lean ground beef for its rich, meaty flavor that forms the heart of the dish.
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon adds a smoky, salty flavor that is absolutely essential for authentic cowboy beans.
- Pinto Beans: A classic choice, pinto beans provide a creamy texture that holds up well during the long cooking time.
- Kidney Beans: These add a slightly firmer texture and a pop of color to the mix.
- Great Northern Beans: Smaller and more delicate, they add another layer of creamy texture.
The Signature Sauce
The magic is in the sauce! This simple combination creates a tangy, sweet, and smoky flavor that brings everything together.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite brand; a hickory or smoky flavor works wonderfully here.
- Ketchup: Adds a classic tangy and sweet base.
- Brown Sugar: Provides a deep, molasses-like sweetness that balances the savory elements.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Cuts through the richness with a bright, tangy note.
- Worcestershire Sauce: A key ingredient for adding a deep, umami flavor.
- Spices: A simple mix of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and dry mustard powder rounds out the sauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans
Making these delicious beans is as easy as 1-2-3. Follow these simple steps for a perfect result every time.
- Brown the Meats: In a large skillet, cook the chopped bacon until it’s crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the drippings in the pan. Add the ground beef and a chopped onion to the skillet and cook until the beef is browned. Drain any excess grease.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer the cooked ground beef and onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the crispy bacon, along with the drained and rinsed pinto, kidney, and Great Northern beans.
- Mix the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and all the spices. Pour this sauce mixture over the ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Cook Low and Slow: Stir everything together gently to combine. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the beans are tender and the flavors have melded beautifully.
Pro Tips for the Best Cowboy Beans
Want to take your beans from great to unforgettable? Here are a few expert tips.
- Don’t Skip Browning: Browning the beef and crisping the bacon is a crucial step for developing deep, savory flavors. It makes a huge difference in the final taste.
- Low and Slow is Best: While you can cook these on high, the best flavor comes from a long, slow simmer on the low setting. This gives the ingredients time to truly marry.
- Adjust Sweetness: Feel free to adjust the amount of brown sugar to your liking. If you prefer a more savory bean, reduce the sugar slightly.
Delicious Variations to Try
This recipe is a fantastic starting point, but it’s also incredibly versatile. Feel free to customize it to your taste!
- Make it Spicy: For a little kick, add a diced jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce mixture.
- Different Meats: Try substituting the ground beef with ground turkey or even adding some smoked sausage for another layer of flavor. If you’re looking for more slow cooker meat ideas, this Texas-style chili recipe is another winner.
- Bean Swaps: You can easily swap the beans for what you have on hand. Black beans or cannellini beans are also great options.
What to Serve with Cowboy Beans
These Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans are hearty enough to be a main course, but they also make an amazing side dish. For a complete and comforting meal, serve them alongside some fluffy butter swim biscuits to sop up all that delicious sauce. They also pair wonderfully with grilled chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, or even some fun cheeseburger sliders for a true feast.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Cowboy beans are fantastic for meal prep as the flavors get even better the next day!
- Refrigeration: Store leftover beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezing: These beans freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw frozen beans in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. To make vegetarian cowboy beans, simply omit the ground beef and bacon. You can add a can of black beans for extra protein and a teaspoon of liquid smoke to replicate the smoky flavor from the bacon.
Yes, but you must soak and cook them first. Using canned beans is recommended for this recipe to keep it quick and easy. If you use dried beans, you would need to soak them overnight and cook them until tender before adding them to the slow cooker.
To add some heat, you can include one or two diced jalapeños (with seeds for more spice), a 4-ounce can of diced green chiles, or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce mixture before cooking.
When stored properly in an airtight container, leftover cowboy beans will last for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. The flavors often taste even better the next day!
Cowboy beans are typically heartier than traditional baked beans. They almost always include ground beef and often bacon, making them more of a main course. Baked beans are usually a simpler side dish with a sweeter, tomato-based sauce.
More Hearty Recipes You’ll Enjoy
If you loved the ease and flavor of this slow cooker meal, you’re in for a treat. These beans are just the beginning of a delicious journey. We hope this Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans recipe becomes a new family favorite. If you make it, please leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out. We love hearing from you! For more recipe inspiration, be sure to follow us on Pinterest.
Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans Recipe
Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans: The Ultimate Hearty Crockpot Meal
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the ground beef and chopped onion to the bacon drippings in the skillet. Cook until the beef is browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain off any excess grease.
- Transfer the cooked beef and onion mixture to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the cooked bacon and the drained and rinsed pinto, kidney, and Great Northern beans.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and dry mustard powder until well combined.
- Pour the sauce over the ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir everything together until well combined. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Stir the cowboy beans once more before serving. Serve hot as a main course or side dish.
Notes
Make-Ahead: You can brown the meats and prepare the sauce the night before. In the morning, just add everything to the slow cooker and turn it on.
