Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
Slow Cooker Pinto Beans simmer with Black Forest ham, onions, peppers, and warm spices until the beans are tender and the broth turns rich and savory. The gentle heat melds oregano, cumin, and bay leaves into a comforting pot that’s perfect for weeknights or make-ahead lunches. Serve as a hearty main with cornbread or as a satisfying side.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook5 hrs
- Serves8
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Slow Cooker Pinto Beans, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 59 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 17 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 100 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 39
- Heart Health
- 87
- Metabolic
- 52
- Digestive
- 29
- Inflammatory
- 56
- Performance
- 55
- General Wellness
- 1
Put the beans in a large bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak for 8 hours to overnight. Drain.
- 2
Gather all ingredients.
- 3
Place the soaked pinto beans in a slow cooker. Add the ham, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, oregano, lard, cumin, and bay leaves. Pour in enough chicken broth to cover all the ingredients.
- 4
Pour in enough chicken broth to cover all the ingredients.
- 5
Cook on High until the beans are very tender, 5 to 6 hours.
- Calories 274.36 kcal Moderate 14%
- Protein 18.76 g Good Source 38%
- Carbohydrate 31.7 g 12%
- Total Fat 7.82 g Moderate 10%
- Saturated Fat 2.08 g Moderate 10%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 41.22 mg Moderate 14%
- Sodium 1508.88 mg High 66%
- Dietary Fiber 7.63 g Good Source 27%
- Total Sugars 6.21 g --
- Added Sugars 0.14 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 154.24 mg Moderate 12%
- Iron 2.99 mg Moderate 17%
- Potassium 856.48 mg Moderate 18%
- Vitamin A 76.53 mcg Low Source 9%
- Vitamin C 15.59 mg Moderate 17%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Celery
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Slow Cooker Pinto Beans is made with 11 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 5 hrs 15 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Celery, Chicken Broth, Dried Bay Leaves, and Dried Oregano. Each serving provides about 274.36 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Slow Cooker Pinto Beans made of?
- The main ingredients are Celery, Chicken Broth, Dried Bay Leaves, Dried Oregano, Garlic. The full list of 11 is above.
- How long does it take to make Slow Cooker Pinto Beans?
- About 5 hrs 15 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 5 hrs to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 274.36 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Slow Cooker Pinto Beans easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 11 ingredients and 5 steps.
- Is Slow Cooker Pinto Beans healthy?
- Slow Cooker Pinto Beans has an easyChef Pro health score of 55/100. Per serving, it provides 274.36 calories and 18.76 g of protein, or 38% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1508.88 mg (66% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 2.08 g (10% of the Daily Value). It contains Celery, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required