I’ve gotten a couple requests to share my favorite slow-cooked bean recipe. Ask and you shall receive, friends! If you ever have a request or question, never hesitate to DM me on Instagram. I love to chat and will always take your ideas and requests into consideration (and will 99% of the time fulfill them).
Making my own dried beans has really changed the game lately. Not only are they more budget-friendly, but they are tastier and creamier (in my opinion). Let me know if you feel the same way.
The thing is, you need to soak them the night before before making. This steps turns a lot of people off. And trust me, I have canned beans in my pantry for a quick fix. I use canned all the time (especially for my mashed white bean salad sandwiches). But there is something satisfying about soaking your own and then letting them slow cook the entire next day, seasoned to your liking. It takes 2 seconds to soak them and just 5-10 minutes in the morning to toss everything in the pot. If you can remember and don’t mind waiting, I promise that the results are worth it. Creamy, dreamy.
This makes a huuuuge batch of beans so you’ll have a ton for the week. You can prep all your lunches and/or dinners, for sure. I will also sometimes purée some of the batch and make refried beans. So many options.
Just a reminder: this recipe calls for the dried beans to soak overnight. This softens them up and preps them for cooking. Set a reminder on your phone the night before so that you won’t forget!
Recipe
You will need:
- 1 bag dried beans (I like pink, but choose your preference)
- Water
- 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon vegetable base (or sub veggie stock for water)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To make:
- The night before, grab a large bowl, add dried beans, and cover with cold water. Allow to soak overnight.
- The next morning, drain and rinse your beans. They will still be hard, but a bit softened. Add beans to Crock-Pot.
- Fill crock pot up with enough water to cover the beans – maybe an inch or so above beans.
- Add the rest of your ingredients (not salt and pepper), give a quick stir, and turn your Crock-Pot on low. I usually don’t add salt or pepper until after they are cooked so that I can control/taste how much I like.
- Allow to cook on low for about 6-8 hours.
- Use beans in burrito/burrito bowls, rice bowls, tacos, tofu scrambles, or as is.. anything goes!
I’m definitely a fan of dried beans vs. canned beans after putting together this recipe. They are just so creamy when you prepare them yourself. Does anyone else feel this way? Am I overthinking it? Maybe. But I’m happy.
I hope you guys give them a try – now is the perfect season to get that Crock-Pot up and running. xx bianca
