Crockpot Black Beans Recipe - Peas and Crayons Vegetarian Recipes (2024)

This crockpot black beans recipe is my hands-down favorite method for cooking beans. I make a large batch of crockpot black beans every few months and use them in all sorts of tasty recipes!

For those of you that already prep your beans this way, this post is not for you. [but this one is] This post is for everyone that is new to beans, strictly uses canned, or is just simply curious about a new way to prep these black beauties for quick and easy meals throughout the week.

Are you ready for it? You’re going to laugh at yourself when you realize just how easy this is. At least I did, but I’m always laughing at myself.

easy crockpot black beans recipe

step 1 grab a bag of black beans – rinse with water and pluck out any broken ones
step 2 pour intoyour slow cookeralong with any extras
step 3 fill with water: 6 cups or about 2 inches above the beans
step 4 turn on to HIGH and set a timer for 3.5 hours

Now walk away!

Your beans will be perfectly cooked in anywhere from 3.5-4 hours. (Though it will take a little longer if you live at a high altitude.)I check mine at the 3.5 hour mark and try one to see if they’re tender enough. If they’re still hard, set your timer for an extra 30 minutes and curl up with a book or catch up on that pile-o-laundry!

So. Flipping. Easy.

A 1-pound bag of driedblack beans will yield about six cups of cooked black beans. That’s three can’s worth of black beans for a fraction of the price!

Still looking for a slow cooker? [click here for a few fabulous options]

You can also season them while in the crockpot if you’re making one singular recipe, like a pot of black beans and rice for instance. I scoop mine out with a slotted spoon, portion into freezer safe containers and freeze them for the plethora of mexican dishes and savory stuffed sweet potatoes I’m always whipping up. They’ll keep for 4 days in the fridge and for months in the freezer.

Kiss the canned beans (and that nasty BPA lining) goodbye!

Black Beans freeze absolutely effortlessly and reheat tasting as good as new!

To reheat frozen beans, simply plop them in the fridge overnight and attack them the following day, or slowly defrost in the microwave, heating in small intervals so the beans don’t burst. You can also warm them up on the stove-top or take some steamy hot water to the container you’ve sealed them in. So basically… any which way! Take your pick and run with it!

So now that you have a big pot of beans to experiment with, it’s time to put them to work! Here are a few of my favorites:

tasty black bean recipes

• Black Bean and Sweet Potato Flautas
• Instant Pot Black Bean Dip
• Healthy One-Pot Enchilada Pasta
• Cheesy One Pan Zucchini Taco Skillet
• Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

We also make mySkillet Black Bean Queso Dip quite a bit around here for game night and impromptu gatherings. I’m also a huge fan of tossing black beans in salads and bowl recipes such as myMexican Kale SaladandQuinoa Taco Bowls. You’ve got to try them!

If you get a chance to try this crazy easy crockpot black beans recipe, let me know!Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation.