Hearty Cowboy Beans (in the slow cooker)
These super delicious and hearty cowboy beans are a great way to spice up dinnertime. And bonus, they’re easily made in the slow cooker so they can be prepped ahead of time, making the dinner a breeze.
This post has been updated from its original publish date of October 9, 2023. It has been updated to provide better photos, additional helpful information and step by step instructions.
What readers say:
“This might be a top five favorite recipe. I love how hearty and delicious this recipe is. Our family of three enjoyed it and we had lots of leftovers and that was great too!“
Dominique W.
Easy crock pot cowboy beans
These slow cooker beans are a definite must make recipe. My rancher husband (aka our real life cowboy) created this recipe for us one Sunday afternoon after church. It has been a repeat favorite ever since.
And who doesn’t love a good old fashioned comfort food recipe?
This cowboy favorite is like good old comforting pork & beans, but elevated!
♥ What you’ll love about this recipe:
- KID FRIENDLY – This is a definite family favorite – all the children from ages 4-10+ are huge fans. Created by the cowboy in our family and a definite favorite ranch meal.
- VERSATILE – This recipe is a great easy meal for a night at home, weekend, or serving at a potluck, summer cookout, or next family gathering. It is a great flavorful side dish / main dish recipe
- COMFORTING – Sweet, savory, meaty. What’s not to love? Grab a comforting bowl of beans and warm up during the chilly fall season.
Ingredients
This easy recipe uses these basic ingredients:
- ground beef
- bacon
- kidney beans
- black beans
- navy beans
- sweet bbq — use your favorite sauce! We’ve used honey, chipotle, sweet onion, each variety has been a great addition.
- red bell pepper
- green bell pepper
- yellow onion
- chilli powder
- cayenne pepper (recommended, but skip if you don’t like spicy)
- cumin
- garlic powder
- salt
- Optional jalapeño for extra heat if desired.
Instructions
This recipe comes together really easily. Simply, cook the bacon, cool and crumble into small pieces. Drain the bacon drippings and then in the same pan, cook the ground beef over the drained bacon grease until no longer pink.
Layer all of the ingredients inside of the crockpot or favorite slow cooker. Give it a stir and cook on high for about 4-5 hours. Or on low for about 8 hours.
Cowboy beans are great on their own. But you can elevate them even more by serving for a crowd to pair with a few fixings.
Some serving ideas:
- serve with tortilla chips
- add shredded cheese over top
- pair with sour cream
- top with fresh chopped cilantro (my favorite addition!)
How to store & reheat leftover cowboy beans
Store leftover cowboy beans in an airtight container inside of the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in a pot on the stovetop over low-medium heat until warmed through.
More favorite recipes
Here’s a few of our favorite comfort food recipes that we think you’ll love too!
FAQ (frequently asked questions)
This simple crockpot version can be set to cook slowly over 4-5 hours in the slow cooker.
Store leftover cowboy beans in an airtight container inside of the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in a pot on the stovetop over low-medium heat until warmed through.
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Hearty Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef browned & drained of grease
- 6 slices bacon cooked & crumbled
- 2 15.5 oz kidney beans drained
- 2 15.5 oz black beans drained
- 1 15.5 oz navy beans drained
- 1 medium yellow onion about 1 cup diced
- 1 green bell pepper about 1 cup diced
- 1 red bell pepper about 1 cup diced
- 18 ounces barbecue sauce use your favorite sweet bbq flavor
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne powder recommended, but skip if you don’t like spicy
- ¼ teaspoon cumin ground
Instructions
- In a frying pan, cook the bacon and remove from pan. Drain the grease and crumble the bacon once it’s cool enough to handle.
- Use the same pan to brown the ground beef. Cook until no longer pink, drain grease if needed.
- Layer the cooked ground beef, bacon crumbles, onions, red & green bell peppers inside of a crock pot or slow cooker.
- Drain the cans of beans and add to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients (bbq sauce, seasonings) and stir until combined.
- Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for up to 8 hours.
- Serve & enjoy!
This might be a top five favorite recipe. I love how hearty and delicious this recipe is. Our family of three enjoyed it and we had lots of leftovers and that was great too!