Slow Cooker Pinto Beans and Sausage
Dried beans, turkey sausage, and lots of veggies make for a delicious and cheap meal for the family.
Equipment
- l Colander
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 slow cooker 5 or 6 quarts
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried pinto beans (about ⅔ pounds)
- water
- 14 ounces turkey smoked sausage or polish sausage chopped
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 large green bell pepper diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground white pepper or ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 green onions optional, chopped
Instructions
- On the night before you plan to eat, pick through your beans for rocks. Rinse the beans and put them in a large container. Cover with enough water for the beans to have 2” of water over the top of the beans and soak overnight.
- The next morning, drain and rinse the beans. Put the beans in the slow cooker followed by all the ingredients except for the green onions. Stir to mix. Arrange beans so they are submerged by liquid.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on high heat for 9 hours. This way, if your beans are old or near the best by date, your cooked beans will not be hard and it will be tender.
- Once cooking is done, stir until well combined.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Do I have to soak the beans overnight?
If you forget to soak the beans or are short on time, this recipe will still work. Soaking the beans makes them more tender and might make you less gassy after you eat the beans. You might have to increase the cook time to 10 hours if you do not soak them.
Does this work with other types of sausage?
Yes, you can use other types of polish or smoked sausage, chicken or turkey sausage, or even Portuguese sausage.
What can I serve the beans and sausage with?
They taste great with rice. You can also eat it with cornbread, naan, or pita bread.
How long do leftovers last?
Leftovers last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this after cooking for up to 3 months.
Can I make this a freezer meal?
Yes. Cut up the vegetables and sausage and put them in a freezer bag to freeze for up to 3 months. The night before you’re ready to cook, put the freezer bag in the refrigerator and soak the beans. Then follow the remaining steps the next day.