Description
This Hearty Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans recipe is a comforting one-pot meal packed with ground beef, bacon, and a trio of beans simmered in a smoky-sweet BBQ sauce. Perfect for weeknight dinners, potlucks, and cold weather comfort food. Easy crockpot cowboy beans that freeze well and serve a crowd!
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
6 slices bacon
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned. Drain the excess fat.
2. In the same skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove and crumble once cooled.
3. Sauté the diced onion and minced garlic in the bacon drippings until soft and fragrant.
4. In a slow cooker, combine the cooked ground beef, bacon, onion, and garlic.
5. Add the kidney beans, pinto beans, and butter beans. Stir gently.
6. Pour in the BBQ sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
7. Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until beans are tender and flavors are blended.
8. Stir before serving and enjoy hot.
Notes
This recipe is even better the next day after flavors meld.
Use canned beans to save time, but feel free to substitute with cooked dry beans.
For a spicy kick, add chopped jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 45mg