This simple and frugal recipe for Crock-Pot Mexican Red Beans is the perfect side dish for any Mexican meal. Or serve over cooked rice for a great entree!
Crock-Pot Mexican Red Beans
If you need a delicious side dish to go with any Mexican or Southwest inspired dish look no further than this recipe for Mexican red beans cooked in your slow cooker.
The recipe starts with dried red beans that have been soaked overnight and then the beans are slow cooked for hours in water with onion, tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, salt and the kicker…BACON.
The bacon adds such a nice smoky flavor to the beans and really makes this dish fantastic.
I usually make these beans, as I mentioned, as a side dish for when we have Mexican food like enchiladas, burritos, tacos, etc. But I will admit that I also really love the beans as a main dish too and just served over some cooked white or brown rice. Beans and rice are a classic meal and frugal too!
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| Servings | 6people |
| Cook Time | 2hours on HIGH then 8 hours on LOW |
- 1 Lb. Dried Red Beans (Soaked overnight - kidney beans or pink beans work too)
- 4 Cups Water (Cold)
- 1 Whole Onion (Chopped)
- 1 Lb. Tomatoes (Canned - I use whole tomatoes but you can use diced or crushed)
- 2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
- 2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1/4 Lb. Bacon (Chopped)
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Ingredients
Servings: people
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- Put soaked and drained beans into a 6 quart or larger slow cooker.
- Add water and all remaining ingredients.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours then turn down to LOW and continue to cook for 8 hours.
- Stir and serve alone or over rice or add to your favorite chili in place of canned beans.
Serves four if used as an entree but will serve more if used as a side dish or added to chili. My family enjoys this over rice. I don't cook my bacon first but I did wonder if it would come out crispier and add more flavor if I did. You could also lose the bacon to make this a vegetarian recipe. Do not double this recipe.
Your recipe for Red Beans & Rice is actually a Cajun staple. Yummy, but not Mexican. I was raised on both staples, being born & raised 3 miles from Mexico & about 250 miles from La.
For authentic Mexican bean, called Charro beans,(translating to Cowboy Beans) try using pinto beans, add some green chilis, (or Rotel in place of the tomato & chilis) use ham hocks, or a ham bone, and omit the chili powder. Add a bit of cilantro too. You can add a few chopped jalapenos too if you like. Add salt & pepper after the beans are completely soft to flavor.
Thanks KimH! For the clarification.
Add the onion, garlic, & water you mention above. Thought I’d clarify that.. that is an authentic Mexican pot of beans.
Hi
KimH that’s great! I adapted this recipe from an old Rival recipe and I am sure back in the 60’s (when my crockpot was born) they didn’t know a Cajun from a Mexican. Tastes good -that’s all I know!
LOL Tara.. I agree completely.. tastes totally yummy! Enjoying your site!
When cooking beans in a crockpot, if you are using red or kidney beans, you need to boil your beans rapidly on the stove for at least 10 minutes to kill a possible toxin lurking in the beans. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Good to know, thanks Rachel!
Wow your recipe had lots of flavor very was reading the comments below had to put my 2 cents in small red beans as well as the kidney beans are belived to have start6in Peru about 8000 years ago they are in the groupe called common beans black beans red beans pinto beans all similar species came through mexico and did not make it to Louisiana untill the 1700.
Good to know!