An easy recipe for making the best slow cooker black beans you’ll ever taste!
I’ve been told I make the best slow cooker black beans ever, but I can’t take all the credit. When we were still dating, my husband taught me how his family made Brazilian-style black beans when he was growing up. His aunt showed me how to make black beans in the slow cooker. Before that, I thought beans had to cook them in a pressure cooker to get them soft like the canned beans we bought. (I still remember trying to chew on the crunchy beans we’d try to cook at my house when I was growing up! Ha!)
Over the past 16+ years, I’ve perfected it. (High five!) It’s not too difficult, but because I make slow cooker black beans about once a week or so, it was important for me to get it right and I had ample opportunity for practice. We eat them throughout the week either as a side on top of rice, in soup, or one of my favorite ways, mixed with quinoa and salsa for breakfast.
There are a few secrets to making awesome slow cooker black beans, and it applies to other types of beans and legumes too.
Let’s get started!
Flavoring Slow Cooker Black Beans is Important
The difference between the beans I make and other recipes is that I rely heavily on aromatics to flavor the beans as they cook. It truly does make all the difference.
The aromatics I use:
- Yellow, white, or red onion – chopped or halved, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s in there. If you don’t want chopped onion in the cooked beans, use larger pieces so they are easy to remove after cooking. I like to use onion halves while cooking, then add sautéed chopped onion to the beans before we eat them.
- Whole garlic cloves – remove after cooking; add fresh garlic when using the beans in a recipe (same as above)
- Bay leaves – these are integral!!! Don’t be tempted to bypass the bay leaves. The flavor they add is unmatched and really make these the best beans ever. Promise.
- Salt – ADDED AT THE END OF COOKING TIME!
In the comments below, you can read what other readers have added to make the recipe their own. Totally add cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder, or other chopped veggies like celery, chilies or bell peppers. I prefer to make a large plain batch of beans and add those other spices and ingredients when I’m making a recipe with the cooked beans. I think of them and use them the same way I do canned beans. But by all means, spice it up!
One of the best things we do is add a ham bone to the pot. (Yes, there’s salt in that, but it hasn’t made too much of a difference like adding plain salt has.) It becomes the base of Brazilian feijoada (black bean and meat stew) to which we add other meats and sausages.
But, what if you add salt to beans at the beginning of the cooking time?!
I get this question often. The reason the salt is added at the end is because it can inhibit the beans from softening. Will the beans turn out okay if you didn’t wait until the end? Probably. Hopefully! Other things can also prevent the beans from softening as they cook too. (See further below for the answer to that question!)
Do Beans Have to Be Washed Before Cooking?
Yes! It’s VERY important to sort the dried beans and give them a good rinse before before cooking them.
Before you rinse the beans, sort out any small stones, broken, wrinkled, or otherwise misshaped beans.
I will place the dry beans into a large bowl or on a large plate and go through them. I find that black beans are more notorious for stones than other varieties of beans; probably because they are smaller. Dried beans aren’t usually washed before they are packaged up. I’ve bought dried beans from a local farmer’s market that were covered in dust from the field, tons of small rocks, and even bits of grass, weeds, or grain. I don’t like eating dirt…I don’t know about you!
To rinse the beans, you can do one of two things: 1) place them in a large colander (with small holes) or a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under running water, or 2) my preferred way, place the sorted beans in a large bowl of cool water. Agitate the beans with your hands to loosen any dirt, drain through a sieve or colander; repeat until the dirt is gone. The black beans will color the water, so it won’t ever “run clear.” But you should be able to see that there is no longer dirt at the bottom of the bowl.
Do You Have To Soak Beans Before Cooking? What About Boiling Beans First?
Ah, the most frequently asked question! I used to think you HAD to soak beans before cooking until I didn’t one time and they cooked in the same amount of time as when I soaked them. This got me to thinking that it probably wasn’t an issue when using a slow cooker. I’m not sure how much it cuts down on cooking time on the stovetop.
Soaking is thought to help remove anti-nutrients or the extra starches that can cause gas and bloating commonly associated with beans. Personally, I don’t believe soaking them makes them all that more digestible, nor do I believe the part of anti-nutrients. Eating beans often will help your body become accustomed to the fiber and starches in the beans and you’ll probably end up with less gas and bloating.
This advice (remember I’m not an expert per se), does not pertain to kidney beans. They should be boiled first in water, drained and rinsed, then placed in the slow cooker with fresh water. I’ve never been sick from eating beans that weren’t soaked or boiled, but some may have more sensitivities than I do.
My advice: Do what you think is best for YOU and your family. The slow cooker I use is a high end one and I know that it heats properly and cooks at a high enough temperature. I also use HIGH rather than LOW most often. Like I said, we have never been sick from a pot of beans – not even once. I’ve cooked hundreds of batches of slow cooker beans with no problem at all.
Read this article from LaTimes.com for more info.
That being said, please read the comments below and inform yourself based on the experiences of others.
Now We Put The Beans, Water, and Aromatics in the Slow Cooker
Everything goes into the slow cooker, except the salt, and is covered with water.
My slow cooker is very large (affiliate link), so I can make 2 pounds or more at a time. I use around 6 cups of water for each pound of beans. That is more than enough water. It may seem like too much water, but if too little water is added, the beans might absorb what water there is and burn. (This may or may not have happened to me a few times.)
You can always drain them later. We like to ladle a bit of the cooking liquid with the beans onto rice – it’s very flavorful. If I make black bean soup, I will also reserve some of the cooking liquid to flavor the broth.
How Long Do You Cook Slow Cooker Beans?
- For my particular slow cooker(s) I cook the beans on HIGH for 3 hours, or LOW for 6+ hours.
- This varies a little if the beans are older or if I am cooking more than one pound at a time.
- Different brands, sizes, and shapes of slow cookers may vary slightly. Use my directions as a guide and take notes the first few times until you get it just right.
When Do You Add the Salt to Slow Cooker Black Beans?
About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the lid of the slow cooker and remove a few beans with a spoon and blow on them. If the skins peel back, the beans are done. They may still be a little firm. Taste one to be sure. If it’s still a little crunchy, the beans need more time. Another hour on HIGH, or a few hours on LOW.
How Much Salt Do You Add To Beans?
I use 1 TABLESPOON per 1 POUND of dry beans. That sounds like a lot of salt, I know! But that salt will absorb into the beans and be just the right amount. Now, if you are on a salt restricted diet, of course you can omit the salt completely or use less. We’ve found we like the 1 Tablespoon per pound and that the beans are well-seasoned and ready to eat or use in a recipe.
After stirring in the salt, replace the lid and let them continue cooking for the additional 30 minutes, or longer. If the beans cooked more quickly, I will remove the insert, add the salt and put the lid back and let the beans absorb the salt off the heat.
How To Store Slow Cooker Black Beans
The beauty of making a big batch of slow cooker beans is that you can use some now and save some for later.
After cooking the beans and seasoning them, I let them cool completely before transferring to containers or resealable freezer bags for storage.
The beans freeze very well separated into quart or gallon-sized bags. Freezing them in flat layers helps with both storage and thawing. They stack nicely and are easy to slip into a bowl of warm water when you’re ready to use them.
The slow cooker black beans will keep for about a week in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep several months in a normal freezer, or even up to a year in a deep freeze.
How Many Cups Does One Pound of Dry Beans Equal?
One pound of dry beans yields about 5 cups of beans (minus the liquid), which is the equivalent of about 3 (15-ounce) cans of beans, give or take.
Recipes Made With Slow Cooker Black Beans
These are some of my very favorite recipes that I make over and over again using slow cooker black beans:
- Cilantro Citrus Chicken with Beans and Rice
- Vegetarian Smoky Black Bean Soup
- Homemade Chorizo and Black Bean Chili (with links to my recipe for homemade chorizo)
- Vegan Pumpkin Black Bean Lentil Chili
- Pan Seared Cumin-Lime Barramundi Rice Bowls
- Tempeh Black Bean Vegan Taco Salad
And from some of my favorite bloggers:
- Sweet Potato Enchiladas with Sweet Corn Crema from Sweet Basil
- Baked Mexican Eggs with Black Beans from Kalyn’s Kitchen
- Spiced Black Bean, Grilled Avocado and Goat Cheese Tacos from Naturally Ella
- Black Bean Patties with Avocado and Tomato Salsa from Cookin’ Canuck
- Chicken and Black Bean Burritos with Avocado Pineapple Salsa from Taste and Tell
- Quinoa Corn and Black Bean Quesadillas from Nosh and Nourish
Which Slow Cooker Should I Buy?
I have owned a few different slow cookers over the years. I started with a CrockPot given to me by a good friend. I loved that slow cooker and used it often until it stopped working. Boo! I then purchased an All-Clad 6.5 Quart Slow Cooker with a non-stick metal oven- and stovetop-safe insert. I loved that slow cooker dearly, but unfortunately the non-stick coating bubbled and peeled and I believe it became hazardous to keep using it. It also stopped working shortly thereafter or I would have replaced the insert. (Or it might have been our wonky old house and it’s crazy electrical system that did it…)
Next, not wanting to give up completely on All-Clad, I bought another All-Clad 6.5 Quart Slow Cooker, but this time with a ceramic inserts. I ADORE THIS SLOW COOKER. But it is a bit more expensive and not always practical for everyone. It’s huge, basically. As far as price goes, they have come down a lot. They used to sell for around $300 and now you can find them under $150.
Because I use my slow cooker numerous times a week, and because I sometimes photograph cookbooks and recipes for clients, I needed an extra slow cooker to keep up with all the slow cooker recipes I photograph. Ha! I added a CrockPot 7-quart slow cooker because they are affordable and work well. (Not as well as my All-Clad, but a decent second place.)
I have yet to purchase an InstantPot or pressure cooker. I have used one in the past, but I have an irrational fear of both pressure cooking and deep frying. I’m trying to overcome both. ;) This year (2018) I will buy an InstantPot and add directions for those that have asked.
Troubleshooting: My Slow Cooker Black Beans Aren’t Soft! What Did I Do Wrong?!
First thing, take a deep breath and before you leave a nasty comment, a few things: 1) it’s not the recipe. I’ve literally made this hundreds of times successfully, as have numerous readers and friends. 2) it’s probably not you! I’ll explain more below.
Here are common reasons your slow cooker beans didn’t turn out:
- The beans were old. This is a tough one because you never really know how long a bag of beans has been hanging out on that grocery store shelf or in that bulk bin. My advice is to purchase beans from somewhere that has a decent turn over of their products. Dust on a bag is a good clue it’s been there for awhile. And still, you may get a back of old beans despite your best efforts. They may never get soft even if you cook them for three days. Sorry, it’s not you or me, it’s the beans.
- Your slow cooker may not be cooking at the proper temperature or there may be something else going on. (Raise your hand if you’ve forgotten to turn it on or plug it in…just me? Ahem.) Slow cookers wear out. You may have bought a lemon. Your electrical circuit may not be functioning properly. Who knows? If it’s not bubbling under the lid when it’s on HIGH, you’ve got a problem.
- You added salt at the beginning and weren’t one of the lucky ones for whom it didn’t make a difference. Boo! I’m sorry. You can try draining off the water and starting with some fresh water and try again. Or you can cut your losses and remember to save that salt for the end next time.
- Um, it’s not any of those things above!!! Yeah, well, I’m so sorry I can’t be of more help. Sometimes recipes flop. Don’t throw your slow cooker out the window or sent me hate mail just yet. Give it another try with another bag of beans and see if that helps.
One Last Thing…
If you have made this recipe for slow cooker black beans and you enjoyed it (or maybe you didn’t!) please leave a comment below so other readers can gain from your insight. And if you feel inclined, please rate the recipe as well. Thank you!
How To: Slow Cooker Black Beans
The easiest way to cook black beans is in a slow cooker. It’s easy and budget-friendly.
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 mins
- Yield: 4-5 cups 1x
Ingredients
Units Scale- 1 lb. black beans, picked over to remove broken or wrinkled beans or small stones
- 6 cups water
- 1 onion, halved or diced
- 2–3 whole garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon salt (this seems like a lot, but is fine with this much water, you can use less)
Instructions
- Place the beans in a big bowl, cover with water, agitate the beans a few times to remove any dirt, drain in a colander and rinse again.
- Place black beans, onion, garlic cloves, and bay leaf in a slow cooker. Add water.
- Cook on high for about 3-4 hours, testing after 3 hours. To test doneness, spoon out a few beans and blow on them. If the skins peel back, they beans are ready. Taste just to make sure. If all of the water has been absorbed, add more. Beans must stay completely covered to prevent them from burning. If cooking on low for 6-8 hours, test the beans at the 6 hour point.
- Add the salt and let cook, or sit with heat off for another 20-30 minutes, to absorb the salt. Remove the bay leaf, garlic cloves, and onion before using, if desired.
- Use immediately, or allow to cool before transferring beans and some of the cooking liquid to a zipper-lock freezer bag or airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months. If freezing, flatten bag in freezer–it makes for easier defrosting. Defrost in warm water.
Notes
Variations:
White beans (Great Northern, Cannelini, navy, black eyed peas)
-add to the slow cooker: chopped vegetables (carrots, fennel, celery), rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic, onion.
-use in salads, soups, purees, braised (side dish)Pinto
-add to the slow cooker: a few sprigs fresh cilantro, dried oregano, a diced chile (serrano, jalapeno, etc), ground cumin, onion, garlic, bay leaf.
-use in chili and soups, salads, refried, etc.Kidney
-cook the same way for pinto or black beans
-for use in Italian soups–proceed as for the white beans- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: side dish
- Cuisine: Brazilian, Mexican, American
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
190 Comments
Yea!!! I normally pressure can dried beans so they are shelf stable and the cook while being processed (does that make sense?) anyhow. I’m out of propane it it seems a bit cold to do it anyways outside (I like to pressure can outside…) so I’m out of beans and have been stewing over a slow-cooker method. Mystery solved. Thanks.
I love this recipe. Comes out perfect every time. I am curious about your variations for different beans. Can you tell me the quantities you use for spices when making pinto beans?
★★★★★
They came out perfect! Will do this again. Only problem, forgot and left them out overnight. So sad.
I just tried it with black beans and they turned out great! I never knew you could use a slow cooker to cook beans before. I just put in some pinto beans but they didn’t cook. The only thing I did differently was use a different slow cooker so at least know the problem is the slow cooker because it’s not bubbling on high. It’s not very hot at all. Those darn slow cookers! Anyways, thanks!
★★★★★
I followed this recipe to the T. The beans came out amazing. I made a huge batch to eat in separate meals during the week adding herbs and spices separately. I will use this recipe as a staple for all my slow cooker needs.
★★★★★
This is pretty much how I do it too, but I like to add dried cilantro.
I never used to soak beans if I cooked them in the crock pot, however as I’ve gotten older, beans affect me differently now. So now I soak them overnight before throwing them in the slow cooker, and I can tolerate them much better.
It looks like you have the same slow cooker as I do. Just checking to see if that is the case. Is yours the All Clad?It’s funny. I use canned black beans all the time and just this week was thinking I need to start making my own from dried. I’ve never done it and wanted to find a simple method so the beans work in different kinds of dishes. This sounds perfect for me! Thanks for posting this today…. it was meant to be.
This recipe is fabulous. I add a quartered green pepper, cumin and oregano as aromatics. But in general using the slow cooker makes them perfectly. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Melissa, I would love to do that! I need to get a pressure cooker one of these days.
Kalyn, I have added cilantro before and I love it! My hubby protests though because he insistes cilantro is not for *his* black beans. :)
Heather, yes! That’s the one. For a long time I was afraid to use it for beans. I thought it might ruin the finish or something, but it works just great! It saves a lot of money and time.
Thanks for the comments!
LOVE black beans! Definitely going to try this!
100% going to try this! And the black beans looks so lovely! You’ve got the eye and photography talent.
I make the all the time and they be are delicious.
So do you not soak them first? Or is there a soaking step that is omitted? I made black beans on in the crock pot and was not impressed but I soaked them over night as the bag said to
So do you not soak them first? Or is there a soaking step that is omitted? I made black beans on in the crock pot and was not impressed but I soaked them over night as the bag said to
Don’t need to soak em when using a slow cooker. This is the actual reason I usually slow cook mine. Too darn lazy to soak em.
★★★★★
I never soak the beans first. I used to but didn’t find it to be much different than cooking them in the slow cooker unsoaked. If I cooked them on the stove, then yes, soak first. I like yo bring them to a boil and let them soak for about two hours then turn them back on for the remainder.
Soaking the beans over night helps rid the beans of something called anti-nutrients and makes them easier to digest. For those who struggle with digestive issues. Also, I use low sodium chicken broth and water, just adds some flavor.
I soaked mine and even with soaking they are as hard as a rock this morning after 6 hours of cooking ????
Hi Louise! That’s such a bummer. If you soaked them and cooked them that long (on high?) then the beans were old and there’s nothing you could have done differently. Sometimes it happens. :(
The low setting on my slow cooker takes twice as long as the recommended time. You may have better luck trying it on high.
I’ve made this recipe several times. Always soak the beans. Also use organic beans. They cook faster. But my slowcooker is very slow. Cook it on high for 6 hours or more because it takes almost 2 hr to get to the right heat to start cooking. Started making it for my vegan son but the whole family love this recipe. so thank you.
★★★★★
Just made them and they turned out great. Thanks!
Soo I just opened my first bag of dried beans (ever) about 2 hours ago and figured I’d let them soak a little while before adding them to the slow cooker (since I read that pre-soaking *may* help with digesting them more easily), however, much to my surprise I just checked on them and many have already split open! I tried googling this problem but it didn’t yield very many results.. Do you have any idea why this would happen?
What do I need to change if cooking 2 lbs at a time? Just make sure covered with water & double the add ins? Thank you!
Hi Chelsea! How frustrating! The only thing I can think of is that the beans were too old. I did some searching of my own and I did find some evidence that old beans split while cooking. So, totally not your fault!
Some tips I found to make sure you’re getting fresh dry beans at the store is to make sure the beans have a slight sheen to them and that they are intact–not too many split or broken beans. Maybe this is easier with beans from the bulk bin. It’s often difficult to see all of those things with packaged beans.
Don’t give up! Your beans will probably still taste great, just not as appealing to look at. :)
E-mail at cafejohnsonia@gmail.com if you have more questions!
Do we have to boil the beans for 10 minutes first like kidney beans?
Kidney beans should be boiled for ten minutes prior to being put into a slow cooker in order to eliminate toxins that can cause digestive problems. I only do this with all other dry beans (garbanzos, black, pinto, etc.) that I forgot to soak overnight. Garbanzos, maybe simmered up to an hour if I plan on making a dish where I will mix them with another bean that cooks faster.
Jacquie, nope! You can if you want to, but I haven’t found it makes that much of a difference. Maybe still do it with the kidney beans as they take longer to cook because they are about twice the size of black beans. Great question!
Thank you!
i will cook my black beans right now!
So this talk about kidney beans must be boiled to remove first not an issue?
I don’t cook a ton of kidney beans, but when I do, I don’t boil them first. I used to boil first and let soak and cook all the next day and the result wasn’t any better than just cooking them in the slow cooker. They do take extra time, but I don’t know that the soaking helps with the slow cooker method. If you are boiling them on the stove, it does help speed up the cooking time, as does an overnight soak. Hope that helps!
Regarding jacquie’s comments: Kidney beans have a toxin called Phytohaemagglutinin (Kidney Bean Lectin) that causes severe food poisoning when they are undercooked. If you’re slow-cooking kidney beans and not experiencing this, maybe your slow-cooker is hot enough to destroy the toxin, or maybe you’ve been lucky. The FDA recommendation is:
Soak in water for at least 5 hours.
Pour away the water.
Boil briskly in fresh water, with occasional stirring, for at least 10 minutes.
Undercooked beans may be more toxic than raw beans.
I’ve just picked up my first bag of dried black beans, and this looks like a great way to enjoy them!
I’m super excited to try this recipe as I want to get away from using so many canned beans, so thank you for posting! One question – is it one tablespoon of salt per pound of beans or one teaspoon of salt per pound of beans? Thanks!
Hi Jessica!
It’s one tablespoon per pound, but keep in mind that we like ours with a lot of extra liquid/broth. Start with 1-2 tsp and then see if you need more. It’s really personal preference. And I realize that sounds like a lot of salt! The beans don’t absorb all of it. They come out really well seasoned. So if you are looking for lower sodium, just use less. :)
Let me know how they turn out!
I’m just making this recipe now, and I messed up and put the salt in at the beginning with the rest of the ingredients. Will the beans be ruined?
Hi! Do you ever try to cook rice with the beans in the slow cooker so that they both have time to simmer in the good flavor?
Nah, it’s fine to put it in at the beginning, the only real downside is that you might use more salt overall if you put it in at the beginning. So if you’re trying a low sodium diet, this might be bad but otherwise don’t worry!
Anonymous, I can’t say that thought had ever occurred to me! I guess you could do that, except that the beans take so much time to cook and the rice would turn to mush before the beans were soft. Maybe if you added the rice when there was about an hour left of cooking time? Try it and let us know how it goes!
Hi! Does it matter if the salt is added with the beans at the beginning instead of the end? I was excited to try the recipe and overlooked that detail. Thanks.
Vien Phan, you’ll have to let me know how it turned out! Usually adding the salt prevents the beans from softening as they cook, so I’m curious what happened for your batch. Let me know!
When you freeze the beans do you freeze them in the liquid or separate before freezing? I can’t wait to try this!
FYI, in one area you list the salt at 1 tablespoon, but further down you list 1 teaspoon. I’m guessing it’s actually a tablespoon.
Tried it. Loved it. Thank you!
Made this yesterday and it come out fantastic! So easy and so delicious. Was at work while it was cooking so it was on low for 10ish hours without a problem :-)
Thank you for sharing!
So, why Brazilian style? Is your husband Brazilian? I an curious because my mom is from Brazil and I started looking for slow cooked black beans because that’s how she makes them.
YUMMYLICIOUS!!!! I just made those black beans yesterday and they were fabuloso! Thank you so much. I adjusted the recipe a little and added 1 Knorr buillion cube, and some fresh rosemary and basil (one small basil leaf and two of the rosemary leaves – very little). it was so tasty. Thank you so much! My family loves it too.
I’m so glad you liked them! Sounds wonderful!
The recipe’s text needs correction in this sentence, “Cook on high for about 3-4hours, (or high for 6-8) testing after 3 hours.” Also, a comment from CoyLou alerted that directions for the amount of salt differed. It seems to me such a comment deserves a note of thanks if a change was made, both as recognition for the help and because it would let newsreaders know there is no longer a discrepancy.
Check out that paragraph and let me know if the correction makes sense. Sorry if it was confusing! Also, CoyLou was not the first person to alert me to that typo. I am always grateful when a mistake is caught. Not thanking CoyLou was not an intentional snub, simply an oversight. Perhaps it was a busier day than others, as some days are. But I thank you for comment and I hope the directions are more clear now.
Kudos for attentiveness and clarity! Thank you for following up. My beans are in the crockpot, and I have every anticipation of great enjoyment having followed your instructions.
I’ve only cooked pinto beans in the slow cooker before. I had never heard about the salt preventing the beans from getting soft, and I put the salt in with the black beans when I started it this morning. Now I’m worried its going to take longer to cook! I cook for 3 people from Guatemala and they love the beans in a slow cooker rather than canned.
They might be alright, I’ve just never had luck with them softening when I’ve salted the cooking water. Pop back over and let me know how it went!
They came out great!
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I moved to Costa Rica recently so it’s essential to know how to make beans. After I tried this recipe, my boyfriend who is Costa Rican told me that they taste like his grandmas which is a super high compliment. I use this every single time I make beans and they always come out great!
Dear Lindsay,
I´m so happy that I found this recipe. But I have a question.
I have already made black, white an red beans, chickpeas in my crockpot, but I was sure that I have to soak all of them for at least 12 hours.
Did I get that right…you just rinse the beans very well, but you don´t soak them, right?
And can I do it the same way with the kidney and the white beans? I thought the soaking is very important because of some unhealthy thing that must be washed out.
Of course I would like to skip that part and would be very happy about an answer.
All the best from Germany,
Alice
Hi Alice! I haven’t ever heard about unhealthy things in the beans that are released through soaking. I do know that sometimes it can be easier on digestion to rinse the beans well after cooking.
Soaking just helps shorten the cooking time, but with slow cooking, it doesn’t matter so much. I find that I prefer to use a slow cooker without soaking – it takes the same amount of time as cooking on the stovetop with soaking.
Let me know how it goes!
I’m studying to be a dietitian and this popped up before. So you know how beans can make one gassy? Soaking them is supposed to help the beans not make you as gassy (yes it does slough off/break down some of the compounds that makes you gassy), BUT slow cooking actually does a better job, the longer you cook your beans the less gassy they will make you. The addition of bay leaves help as well.
I have made these several times now and they taste much better than canned. Thank you! Last time I made them I had a lot of liquid leftover so I froze it. Any thoughts on how to use it? Thanks.
I used the extra liquid to cook organic quinoa. 2 cups of the liquid to 1 cup of the grain. It was delicious.
Such a great idea, Kim!
@beantheredonethat – so glad to hear how much you like the beans! I haven’t ever really saved the extra cooking liquid. We usually ladle it along with the beans over rice. It soaks in nicely. :) But, I’m thinking you could use it when making soup or chili to thin it out.
I have tried canned black beans and garbanzo beans and now I am doing the bag beans, healthier and way better taste I think.. the only problem is, I am the only one who eats black beans and I am wondering how long they will be ok in the fridge? I am going to have to freeze a lot I am SURE! but they will keep and I will just take out what I will need.. all natural is the way to go!
We can’t thank you enough for your black beans recipe! Always been afraid of pressure cookers and was googling one day and found your blog.
Even the baby ate a second portion of beans and rice the first time in made it.
The only ingredient I add after the beans are cooked is tiny bit of olive oil and beef bouillon.
★★★★★
I’m so glad it turned out well for you! Love hearing that. ) Hooray for babies that like rice and beans!
Easy and tasty! Thank you so much for sharing it.
★★★★
Hi Lindsey, will the cooking time stay the same if you double the recipe to 2 lbs? Thx
Hi J.L.! Yes, when I make 2 lbs, the time is the same. If you were to cook 4 lbs (are there even slow cookers that big?) then it would probably take more time. Great question!
I came home to find my black beans cooked just right in my crock-pot . The only problem was that I had to lengthen cooking time. I used Goya Black Beans and garlic cloves, after cooking for 8hrs on low, they were still hard , so I cooked them some more for 6hrs on high. The added cook time might me due to the beans being old perhaps. The beans came out more soft and delicious than when I cooked them on the stove-top, and the biggest plus for me is that I just put the beans in the crock-pot and left them to cook, I didn’t have to constantly be checking them or adding water.
★★★★★
So interesting that they took so long to cook! It definitely could be that they weren’t as fresh. I have found that some batches just take a little longer. I’m so glad they were delicious! I just made a kilo of beans today actually. Thanks for the comment, Nastassia!
This is WONDERFUL! I made the recipe as is. I cooked mine for about 6.5 hours, then did the 30 minute salt soak. Me (and my family) will be eating these many many more times I’m sure. I made enough to last us 1 week and I kept all the liquid. Thanks for this super easy and delish post!
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Black beans will only last one week frozen? I’m not sure my family of 2 can eat that many beans in one week. I hope they last longer. Looks delicious and full of flavor.
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No they last must longer when frozen – several months even. They last about one week in the fridge. We make a giant batch then separate them out into smaller containers, freeze, and then pull them out as needed. Sorry for the confusion!
Thanks for such a great recipe! It completely inspired me to create my own version with a few different herbs. Check it out and let me know what you think!
http://mycupoftea-elfinadventure.blogspot.com/2014/05/slow-cooker-black-beans.html
I’m trying to find good sources of protein other than meat to add to our diet, but we’ve NEVER been exposed to beans in our home cooking. Neither my husband nor I in our childhood or adult years have had meals with beans as a side dish. Would you say this is a good way to introduce them or should we try mixing them with other grains to incorporate (as first-timers?)
in terms of taste, this will give you a great base you can play around with. i like to finish my beans with cilantro and some fresh lime juice. some people add balsamic vinegar (maybe around a tablespoon for each batch of 1lb dried beans? see what you like! you can take some out and add a splash to see if you like it.) i would freeze two quarters of a batch separately so it doesn’t go bad in your fridge while you experiment.
for nutritional value, it’s very valuable (and delicious!) to add some rice to the mix; beans alone don’t contain a complete protein. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_and_beans in general the protein density isn’t as high as meat, but it’s got a ton of fiber and not so much saturated fat.
one thing i REALLY like doing with black beans is refrying them- put some oil (or bacon fat!) in a pan, take your cooked black beans and smash them up with the back of a wooden spoon! it gives you a great interesting texture and goes great with tacos to help hold everything together– i find whole black beans tend to run away on me. plus a lot of people have never had black beans this way so you might get some nods. i hope you find a way to enjoy some beans!
I’m looking to refry them after I cook them in the crockpot. What do you think about adding rotel to them? I’ve never made black beans before, only pinto.
beans and rice or grains combined together make a total protein there is a chemical reaction that happens when combined
One word. SOUP. Great way to introduce beans to your diet, you can make Italian white bean soup, chili, minestrone soup, pasta faggiole, tortilla soup with black beans. But also you can just add beans to a lot of recipes that would normally call for ground beef, think burritos (really almost any Mexican dish will go well with beans) If you feel really adventurous you can try curried beans, or get some adzuki beans and try some Japanese recipes. You can even make a sweet bean paste for desert recipes! If you feel really stumped, look up recipes from cultures that are just naturally mostly vegetarian (most Asian cultures).
I’d like a bean burger recipe or recipe’s
gracias!
Does the cooking time vary for different beans?
Yes, it does. But more so with kidney beans. The smaller beans all seem to cook between 3-4 hours, a little longer if they are older beans. Navy beans cook in the same amount of time as the black beans. For larger beans, add an extra hour or two on high, and 2-4 hours on low.
I made these today, and to my disappointment I put them on LOW and they smelled SO GOOD, and I had to wait longer to try them! But they were totally worth it, took me right back to Brasil (and kids loved them too, yay!) :) I am making feijoada tomorrow and usually used canned beans, but couldn’t find them anywhere. I don’t think I’ll ever bother with tins again. Now I’m going to try your pao de queijo too! Thankyou
Thank you for your tutorial, I normally only do pinto in the crock pot but today I have black beans in there and appreciated your instructions so I know I’m doing it right. We will enjoy them over rice tonight. Thanks again. :)
Good to hear! I hope you enjoy them. Let me know how it goes!
Why does everyone pressure cook them!? Drives me crazy especially because I’ve tried and can’t and no one (in Mexico) can tell me how to do them any other way. Some people suggest leaving them to sit in water overnight while others say no need.
I have a slow cooker in Mexico and look forward to making them when I’m in Mexico in less than 6 weeks.
Besos, Sarah
Blogger at Journeys of The Zoo
Hey Sarah! Exciting that you’ll be going to Mexico! So I think the thing about soaking overnight (because I asked my nutritionist friend about it) is that it can make the starches in the beans a bit easier to digest. Otherwise, I don’t find that it speeds up the cooking process, so I don’t do it anymore. :) Let me know how it goes! And safe travels to you!
Love this recipe. Have cooked it on stove and with the crockpot. Each time the beans come out delicious! Thanks for the tip about adding the salt towards the end….that’s the first time I have heard that but it definitely makes a difference. I’m cooking this tommorow and hopefully will be adding some cooked bacon at the end(if hubby doesn’t eat it all while I am cooking it!) in addition to the raw bacon during cooking. Thanks for the great recipe & tips
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I’m so glad you like it! Bacon will be great – it adds a nice smoky flavor. Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I tried this recipe yesterday! Yummy!! and so easy and cheap. I love it. only think I did differently was add coriander and cumin. I can’t stop eating them. Hubby loved them as well. This is a keeper. Was happy to learn I didn’t have to presoak.
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Thank you so much for reporting back! I love coriander and cumin! The presoaking thing blew my mind too. :)
Thanks for the fantastic recipe… just discovered your blog, and looking forward to following your culinary adventures!
These beans were a huge hit with my family. I have already made 2 meals with them. They are great by themselves as well. Super easy! Will be making these again real soon.
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Great recipe! When freezing, do you freeze with liquid or just drained beans?
Hi Arlene! You can do either way. We freeze with a little of the liquid in each bag or container.
Hi Lindsey! I discovered how good black beans are by buying some fresh black bean burritos from Trader Joe’s. Now I can’t get enough of them. I found some organic black beans from Wild Harvest at my local Albertson’s and have made them on the stove a couple of times. I just put your recipe together in my crockpot and can’t wait for this afternoon! I doubled the garlic because I am a garlic freak! Thank You so much for this recipe! :-)
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Woohoo! That’s so great, Susan. I hope you enjoy the beans. We can’t get enough of them!
Thank you! is all I can say. I cooked up a batch and my family loved it.
I found a jar of black beans in the cupboard and decided to go for it. I have no recollection of buying them so who knows how old they are. They were from the bulk bin at Whole Foods.
I maybe added an hour to the cook time but other than that stuck to the recipe and they were delicious. Tender, flavorful and a lovely hue. The kids all gobbled them up. We eat a lot of canned black beans, but I think this is a game-changer! Thank you.
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Have made these several times now and they are SO GOOD. I add a can of Rotel Mexican diced tomatoes (they have cilantro and lime) at the same time as the salt. Have made them both on low for 6 hours and on high for 3 and they work well either way.
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Awesome addition, Christine! I’m so glad you came back to add that in. :) Thanks!
You answered my question about the rotel. I always add a can to my pinto beans.
I tried this today, and it was so easy and delicious!! I will definitely be doing this more often. I’m trying to do more of my own things like this instead of purchasing canned items at the grocery store. Thanks so much for the great recipe/instructions!
am I missing something? The recipe doesn’t not say to soak the beans, are the beans being cooked from dried?
You’re not missing anything, Steve! I don’t presoak the beans. I didn’t find that it shaved much off the cooking time. You can totally soak them first, but you really don’t need to if you don’t want to. When I talked to a nutritionist (who soaks her beans first) she said the soaking helps make the beans easier to digest. So it’s totally a personal preference when it comes to soaking.
Although soaking doesn’t really affect the flavor, it’s still really important to soak your beans overnight for better health. This is particularly important if you eat beans regularly. Beans contain phytic acid and lectins which can be harmful to your gut and prevent mineral absorption in your body. The good news is that soaking can eliminate a good percentage of these anti-nutrients from beans. Soak them overnight in warm water with an acidic medium like raw apple cider vinegar.
I also like to boil the beans about 5 minutes and rinse out the water prior to cooking them. I find this eliminates some of the sugars that cause digestive discomfort, making them much easier to digest.
Why you need to soak beans:
http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/living-with-phytic-acid/
How to soak beans:
http://www.westonaprice.org/beginner-videos/proper-preparation-of-grains-and-legumes-video-by-sarah-pope/
This is the best way to cook black beans that I’ve tried!! Thank you for the recipe. I’m not sure how old my beans were, they took an extra hour or two to cook, but the tenderness turned out just right, and my house smelled so good while they were cooking.
What a wonderful recipe with easy-to-follow visual instructions!! I have my crock pot set up and cannot wait to come home to eat them! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Great post!! :)
Wow, I actually made good beans! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Hi. When you say salt, are you using Kosher or table salt? Thanks. Love the simplicity of this recipe!
Hey Tiffany! Sorry I’m just seeing this now! You can use either, but I would use less table salt than Kosher salt. I typically am using sea salt, which would measure the same as table salt.
This recipe is fantastic. I received a brand new crock pot for my birthday, and I failed miserably with my first recipe. So I thought cooking beans may be more foolproof, and sure enough, this recipe is a winner! I soaked mine for about 4 hours. I used a really fresh bag of black beans and cooked them overnight on low for 6 hours (my crockpot has a time and kicked over to warm after the initial 6 hours). When I woke up, they were fragrant and PERFECT! I salted them and let them sit in their juices while I got ready for work. I didn’t have a bay leaf so I threw a few chipotle chiles in there for flavor. Worked out great! Thank you!
Hooray! I’m SO happy it worked for you!
Question, my husband too is Brazilian, but also an Italian chef..he often complains American food is bland because salt is not added before/while it’s cooking. So I ask, why do you add the salt at the end? I plan to make this recipe this weekend, but I just want to make sure it’s not ‘bland’…. Thanks so much!!! :-)
This is delicious! And so easy! Thanks!
What size crock pot do you have? I’m trying to figure size for 1 pound of beans.
Thanks!
Hi Jen – I have a 7-quart. One pound of dry beans fits great in a 4-quart slow cooker.
Hi, I’m new to cooking dried beans and I’m just wondering if its necessary to remove any beans with split skins before cooking? Because it does make them look kind of wrinkled. If I’d removed all the beans with split skins from my current batch there wouldn’t have been many left! Maybe it just stands out more on the black beans? Is it an indicator of freshness of the beans? Thanks
Good question, Sara! Normally I only really remove the ones that have split completely in half. And even then, I’m not really sure it matters that much. Most of the time by the end of cooking, most of the beans have split skins anyway. It just happens. :) I do think sometimes the beans that get “tossed” around a bit more in bulk bins, etc., may be more prone to split skins, or maybe they naturally fall to the bottom before bagging or whatever. I have noticed times when an entire bag seemed to contain more broken or split beans and other times there will hardly be any. To answer your other question – I don’t honestly know of a way to test the freshness of beans. I just try to buy them from a place where I know there is a lot of turnover, like the bulk bins at Whole Foods, for example. If you buy them in bags off the store shelf, I’d take a look and see if it looks like it’s been there awhile or not. I’ve seen some that were dusty and I left them on the shelf instead of buying them. Hope that helps!
Not sure if this is true, but I read once that the reason you soak beans overnight or follow a quick soak method is because beans contain a natural binder that prevents you from absorbing iron. Soaking them and discarding the soak liquid gets rid of most of the binder.
These were great! Just like the ones I ate every day the summer I spent in Mexico City
There was always a pan on the stove and I slathered them on everything. One change up is that I used chicken stock to cook them in and had in the cooker ten hrs on low. Excellent! Thank you for the recipe.
First time making beans and these are fantastic! I did have to cook mine longer, but that may be my older crockpot. It will be so great having little packages of them in the freezer whenever I want them for a recipe or over rice. Yum!
If I were to measure the beans by the cup instead of by the pound about how many cups would equal a pound?
Great question, Brandi! I’m surprised it’s never come up before! 2 cups of dry beans is about equal to 1 pound, give or take. Sometimes it’s a little more than 2 cups in a 1 pound bag, but that won’t throw things off too much. Truthfully, I don’t usually measure too closely anymore because I make these so often. I’ll load up a bag in the bulk section and kind of guess. I know this isn’t your question, but just in case… As long as you have plenty of water to cover, you should be fine. The only thing that would really change is the amount of salt.
I just threw all this into the crockpot. Whenever I follow a recipe off the internet, I always follow it to a T, because feedback to an author doesn’t make sense unless you follow her instructions, right? :)
Using the leftover fluid to make rice sounds like a good idea. Will comment later with the results.
Question. If I use 2 lbs? I just double everything, correct? Also, the garlic cloves stay whole? No dicing?
Thanks trying this for my book club to go with chicken tacos!!
Yes, just double everything. The garlic cloves can stay whole. The flavor will infuse the beans and then you can just remove them after cooking. You can chop them up if you want, but you don’t need to. Let me know how it goes! Sounds like book club will be very tasty!
This recipe did not work out for me. The beans were not close to being done at all. I had to take some out of the crock pot on put them on the stove to cook faster to have some with our dinner, and even then they were still firm. I ended up letting the rest of the batch cook in the crock for a total of 7 hours. And yes they were cooked on HIGH the entire time. There was also not much fluid left either. My crock pot is rather large and new, but I know they can all vary in times, but geez this much time??? Disappointed that this recipe didn’t work out.
Hey Misty! I’m really stumped as to why it would take so long to cook the beans. What type were you cooking? The only thing I can think of is that the beans were old. Or if you were using another type of bean that was larger or a different variety. I’m really surprised it took that long though. I’m wondering if the crockpot didn’t get hot enough, even on high? There’s something not right there. I make a batch weekly and I know a lot of people who use this recipe, too, without problems. Don’t give up! I promise you’ll be happy with the result. Give it another chance. :)
I’m trying your recipe for the first time and I’ve also never cooked dry black beans before. How would I know if I’ve overcooked them? What happens to them?
If they are overcooked, they will just start to fall apart and disintegrate into the cooking liquid. The best way to know if they are cooked enough is to raise a spoonful to your mouth and gently blow on them. The skins will peel back. Even when properly cooked, you may have some beans that fall apart, but most of them will still be intact. Good luck, Sandy! It’s really hard to mess this up. When others or I have had issues with cooking beans, it tends to be that the beans don’t soften or are undercooked. And that doesn’t happen too often anyway. So you should be just fine! Let me know how it goes!
This is my go to recipe when cooking black beans!! I’ve made this countless times (more than 10) and the beans are ALWAYS delicious :) My hubby and my 18 month old son also love them!!! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!!!!! Xoxo
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Yay! That’s what I love to hear!
I was just curious, i have never made beans like this before and i see that everyone puts whole cloves of garlic and onions in the beans then removes them,is there a reeason why you dont, or cant leave those in there or add extra spices to the beans. Thanks for any help.
Hi Lisa, that’s a great question. You could certainly leave the garlic and onions if you want to. We often use them for other things, not just to eat over rice, so I prefer to add extra diced onions (or not) depending on how I’m using them. For example, I may use them for a veggie burger and not want the onions in there for texture reasons. But it’s certainly more than okay to use diced onions and minced garlic, and leave them in there. And feel free to add any extra spices as well. Like I said, I make a big batch and use them for different things, so I add that stuff depending on how they’ll be used.
I have practically gone mad with frustration for the past hour. I am in a huge rush to start making a slow-cooker recipe of black bean soup(without presoaking0 and have completely unable to find a recipe. Finally I found this one. Thank you!!!!!
It doesn’t seem to be a full soup recipe but it is the closest I have gotten. So I will add the cumin and coriander and not sure about the bit of Greek yogurt another recipe called for.
I don’t know if this is just my failing or whether there is a conspiracy to keep the recipe I need off the internet. Once I thought I found the ideal recipe but an ad always covered it and when I clicked on the x to get rid of the ad, the recipe disappeared. Drove me nuts.
Okay. I will get started. Thanks again.
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Well, I’m glad you found this recipe. Let me know how you liked it! It’s super easy to turn into soup. I add some jalapenos during the cooking time and then partially puree it, add some salt and other spices. Good luck!
Great recipe. If you add a star anise it’s even better!
Hey just tried this recipe but didn’t read the steps all the way through & added salt at the beginning! The beans had to be cooked a LOT longer in order to be not crunchy lol! Just wanted to let u know since I read that from an earlier comment. Glad I know that salt prevents them from softening now! Won’t make that mistake again lol!
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Oh dear! You only make that mistake once – ha! I did the same thing. It’s crazy how much of a difference it makes. Thanks for the comment, Rebecca!
Just tried this and the beans split just like it said! I’ve salted them and cooking on high for 30 more min. They weren’t totally soft yet. I’m so hoping these are my go to recipe for black beans because this was so easy!!
I used it and yum. Added my homemade dry thai chili and garlic chicken bacon schmaltz for refried beans.
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Excellent and easy black bean recipe! This recipe results in black beans a with perfect texture and subtle yet delicious flavor.
I’ve tried making black beans in a slow cooker several times. Both times they cooked, on high, for 8 hours.
Both times after eating them I got chills and violently ill ending in vomiting.
I researched this, and a slow cooker does not reach the temperature to destroy the toxins in beans. While most slow cookers reach a temperature of 170 or so, it takes at least 212 degrees to render the beans safe. Pressure cookers (which is how they are canned, cooked at high heat and pressure inside the can) easily remove these toxins.
See: https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/slow-cookers-and-red-kidney-bean-poisoning/
Thanks for adding this into the discussion, Isaac. I have never, ever had even the slightest issue with cooking black beans or other varieties. I’ve only heard of potential issues with kidney beans, but have yet to meet anyone who has actually gotten sick. That being said, it’s always important to exercise caution, so each person will have to determine what works best for them. I’ll continue using my slow cooker (I don’t yet own a pressure cooker) because that’s what I use on weekly basis and it fits great with my schedule and meal planning.
Absolutely fantastic! Followed the recipe exactly and these were the best tasting black beans I have ever made! Will use this as my go to. I was concerned about the previous posts about toxins in the beans but my husband and I were just fine lol!
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I’m so glad, Jessica! Regarding the toxins…I have heard of that only with the kidney beans. Apparently they should be boiled first and rinsed well, or something like that. (Opinions differ depending on what you read or who you talk to.) I don’t usually cook kidney beans because we simply don’t eat a lot of them, so on the odd occasion when I do use them, I just buy a few cans. But after cooking dozens upon dozens upon dozens of batches of black, pinto, pink, garbanzo, and other varieties of beans and lentils in my slow cooker (both on LOW and HIGH) we’ve never had any issues whatsoever. :)
Black beans aren’t too bad, but can still make you sick if you just do them on low –
but kidney beans done in the slow cooker can literally kill you. Please boil them for at least ten minutes, preferably 30, before dumping them in. Please.
Also married into a Brazilian family! Made these as a side for Christmas dinner and they were right on! Although, I did refry them with chopped onion, bacon, and smoked sausage and next time I might pull back on the salt if I use bacon. They were a little too salty for my taste. The beans are very soupy straight out of the crock pot but a little smash and refry give them a perfect consistency. Thanks for sharing!
Hello, Ram! I’m so glad you liked the recipe! Christmas with Brazilians is my favorite. :) I will add a note in there. I had that issue one time when I used salt pork. I had never used it before…what a salty surprise! Ha! We like them more on the soupy side, but they thicken up when we cook them the second time. Thickening with mashed beans is a great idea!
Excellent recipe! Simple, easy, and nutritious. I’m lazy and added the salt at time of cooking, not sure how that would make a difference. The results were excellent nonetheless.
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I boil my black beans first before putting them in a slow cooker. I make a sofrito using finely chopped onions, garlic, green peppers, tomatoes in olive oil Iadd ground cumin too. All of this goes into my slow cooker with ham hock or chorizo. This is the only way we eat black beans, Cuban style
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Such an easy recipe that turns out perfect beans every time! Thank you for sharing :-) I have linked back to your recipe from my blog.
Tammy
http://www.wisekitchenminimalist.com
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Delicious! I left out the bay leaf because I’m not a fan, and I used garlic powder rather than garlic cloves because that’s what I had on hand. I cooked it for 3 hours on high, tested it, added the salt, and let it cook on high for another 30 minutes. Like you said, the water it was cooked in tasted great spooned over the beans with rice. So good. I’ll definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing perfect instructions!
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Perfect every time !
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Oh no! I added the salt at the beginning. Are my beans going to be doomed?
This post is old, but I just found it recently and wanted to thank you for sharing the recipe! It’s the best black bean recipe I’ve ever tried, and so easy. A keeper!
I am 63 yrs old and this is my very first time every cooking any legumes, stove top or slow cooker. I purchased an All-Clad SD710851 Slow Cooker with Black Ceramic Insert and Glass Lid, 4-Quart early this year and just started using.
Thank you very much for these instructions as the helped me to overcome my fear of legumes cooking.
By the way, the black beans turn out excellent. Yummy and quite tasty ☺
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Leorah, this really warms my heart! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I’m so glad you were able start cooking legumes. Please reach out to me if you have any questions. I’m happy to help! The slow cooker was how I became a lover and eater of legumes too. :)
My beans came out nicely cooked but they are quite salty! Next time I think that one teaspoon of salt will suffice.
Making this right now! My whole house smells amazing. I am making a double batch so I can freeze half. I added a few diced tomatoes to it for a little extra and a small splash of balsamic vinegar. Thank you for sharing this recipe. :)
I love this recipe! I follow it as written but I do add a small sliced jalapeño and a tbsp of cumin to add flavor.My kids love them. I do double the recipe and freeze extra in smaller containers to pull out on busy nights.
Thank you!
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I started with this recipe, and it was delicious.
However, I had a hankering for black bean dip, so I started with this recipe. I added a quarter lb of split peas, and at the end added black and red pepper, and liquid smoke.
When the beans were soft, I ran it all through the food processor to make it into a smooth dip (the split peas gave it a bit more body so the dip would actually stay on a chip).
It’s wonderful on tortilla chips, hot with added cheese, spread on a quesadilla, or even on hamburgers.
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I’ve made this recipe several times and the beans are always perfect. I can’t believe how much flavor is imparted with just the onions, garlic, and bay leaf. It’s really the perfect canvas for whatever seasonings you want to add depending on the dish, or just eating them as is is delicious as well. I do use slightly less salt than directed. This recipe is a keeper!
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Absolutely love this recipe! Have made it 10+ times already, first time reviewing it. So simple, and shockingly good. Every time. And so healthy! 5 STARS!
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My mom is Cuban, and this is the easiest, most delicious, foolproof recipe for black beans. Even my picky kids and husband love them.
I add 1T plain vinegar, 1 T sugar, and 2 small packs of sazon Goya to add more flavor.
Even if the cook time is 10 hours on low, it still comes out perfect.
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This looks scrumptious. I second the idea that pomegranate seeds are nature’s sprinkles!
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These are fantastic! I made a huge batch and froze in jars in serving sizes, delicious and so handy!!!!
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Absolutely love this recipe! Have made it 10+ times already, first time reviewing it. So simple, and shockingly good. Every time. And so healthy! 5 STARS!
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I have a mini slow cooker and only want to make a single serving. How many cups of water should be added for a half cup of beans?
I adapted this to a Cuban black bean soup stove top recipe I have, and it came out great with one exception. The end product was too “soupy” for my taste. So I poured off most of the liquid into a pot and boiled it down for about 20 minutes. It reduced by more than half and came out with a perfect consistency. Thanks!
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I love using my slow cooker so thanks for this black beans recipe. It will sure come in handy and save money on canned beans.
Wow! I never knew rice and beans could taste so amazingly delicious. And I don’t even like rice!!! I doubled the recipe and ended up using two large onions. I have to edit that my whole house ended up smelling like onions and I panicked and removed one of them half way through the cooking. I was afraid that I ruined two pounds of beans In the end they tasted amazing. Me and all my children loved them even more the next day. They all had them for breakfast. You know something tastes awesome if you eat it for dinner and end up having it for breakfast the next day. As a matter of fact we ate them for three days straight THANK YOU!!!
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I bought my first ever bag of dried black beans. They came out perfectly! I added a poblano for some more flavor and used vegetable stock. Thanks for the recipe! It’s going to be my go to from now on!
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My All Clad slow cooker “died” when it was practically brand new. I wrote to the he company and they replaced the whole unit. Now, years later, it’s still working beautifully.
Just wanted to let you know your simple recipe is still doing good out in the world! I discovered it a couple months ago and have been making it once a week or so ever since and have shared it with several friends who love it.
Sooo good, we are living on bean and rice(plus a little quinoa/amaranth/millet) and sauteed greens (maybe with a little feta).
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Fist time making black beans in the slow cooker.it went great. My slow cooker is apparently really slow so they cooked on high for double the time. Which was fine since were home anyway. Didnt have bay leaves so i added cumin and a lot of fresh tyme. in addition to the garlic and onion i through in some garlic scapes i had from the farmers market. Delicious! Since i made two pounds of beans we have enough for a long long time !! Lol!
I have made this recipe time and time again. Just googled it today because this is the only black bean recipe that I will use. Amazing.
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This makes me SO happy Kia! Thanks for taking the time to share that with me. :)
I cooked these in crock pot on low for 6 1/2 hours. They were amazing. My husband said next time to add more garlic and onions. We ate them because the garlic was super soft and the onions were flavorful. It is a winner for sure. I did add about 1/2 cup of additional water in the last 30 minutes along with the salt to have a little more liquid.
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I just used this recipe today 10/18/20. My hubby is USA raised Cuban and you know how they feel about their black beans. The only change I made was adding 2 sprigs fresh oregano and since I’m on a sodium restricted diet less salt. These beans are perfection. Thank you so much. I will NEVER buy canned beans again
A GREAT recipe…wife and son both enjoyed it…and even better I’m now a total convert to dried beans…so very easy to make overnight or in a few hours on high in the slow cooker…one reason beans may not be done on time is altitude…I’m in Colorado at a bit over 5,000 feet and so the boiling point of water is around 200F vice 212F and so cooking the beans took longer…almost 5 hours on high for me.
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Yummy!! Will never buy canned again! So flavourful, and easy. I used the broth part, and the onion, to make a soup… is that bad?? :-)
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I followed the recipe and cooked my beans in the slow cooker on low for 8plus hours and they are still hard. Any suggestions!
I have used this recipe for YEARS. It was the first one I found for cooking dried black beans and I LOVE it. It NEVER disappoints. I used to make them so often I had it down pat but don’t make them as often now. I’m forever thankful that a quick Google search brings it back to me!
I’ve upgraded to an Instant Pot and I’m wondering if you might have any idea how long to cook them for in an IP? I’m going to give it a shot here shortly as my friend is making salsa chicken and black beans is a must and my pantry has 0 cans of beans at the moment. I’ve tried searching through the notes to see if this has been asked/answered but there are SO many it’s making my eyes cross. :D
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I tried your black bean recipe yesterday. My husband and I both agree: these are the best black beans we have ever had. They turned out perfect. I followed your recipe and cooked them for 4 hours on high. We had them for dinner last night and breakfast this morning.
I had to cook these on high for 8 hours to be edible. There were fine.
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Tina – you may or may not be getting enough B-12 from the sources you mention. Unfortunately, it’s a guessing game when trying to get B-12 in this manner. Certainly, I recommend you keep consuming the products that you are because they are very healthy in and of themselves, apart from the B-12 issue. My best advice would be to get a baseline B-12 level and see if it is above 400 (the higher the better). If so, then keep doing as you are and get the B-12 level checked every year. If you’re losing ground and go below 400, then start that supplement! Loma Linda is a special place – one of the few “Blue Zones” in the world, where people commonly live over 100 years.
Ah, what a well thought out explanation of crockpot bean cookery. I, as a very old lady now, accidentally salted (mineralized) my black beans a few months ago without thinking. I cooked them for hours to see what would happen, never did soften. For me, black means means feijoada and 7 bay leaves (use recipe from Brazilian friend). Thank you, dear person.
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I love, love, love this recipe. My slow cooker thanks you. I actually use it now. I have not purchased a can of beans since finding this recipe. Much better than the can and cheaper too! FYI – I freeze the beans and they unthaw nicely!! I had them this afternoon for lunch.
★★★★★
SO good!!
Thank you.
And So easy!
★★★★★