Description

This hearty slow cooker pinto bean recipe features smoky spices and a creamy roasted garlic-lime tahini swirl, perfect as a main course or side dish. Soaking dried beans overnight creates a rich, creamy texture and ensures even cooking.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups dried pinto beans, soaked overnight and rinsed
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp pepper
1 head garlic, for roasting
0.4 cup tahini
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2–3 tbsp water, divided
0.5 tsp salt, for swirl
0.5 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

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Instructions

Prep and Start Slow Cooker: Drain the soaked pinto beans thoroughly, rinse, and place them in a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, vegetable broth, water, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine.
Cook Beans: Cover the slow cooker and set it to LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. Cook until the beans are completely tender and soft.
Roast Garlic: While the beans cook, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice off the top of the whole head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 30-40 minutes until soft. Let cool, then squeeze the cloves from the skin.
Prepare Tahini Swirl: Place the roasted garlic cloves, tahini, lime juice, additional olive oil, 2 tablespoons water, and 0.5 teaspoon salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the remaining water one teaspoon at a time to reach a drizzle consistency.
Season and Serve: Remove the bay leaf from the beans. Adjust seasoning to taste with extra salt and pepper. Ladle the hot beans into bowls, drizzle generously with the creamy tahini swirl, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes

Soaking dried beans overnight significantly reduces cooking time and aids digestion. To thicken the beans, remove about 1 cup, mash them with a fork, and return the mash to the pot to thicken naturally.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 240 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: Southwestern

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 310 kcal
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 450 mg
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 45 g
Fiber: 11 g
Protein: 20 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg