Slow Cooker Pinto Bean Soup with Chorizo
Make this slow cooker Pinto Bean Soup Recipe for a hearty comfort meal that's a great source of protein! Loaded with chorizo, beans and a flavorful broth that's sure to warm you up and keep you full.
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Easy to make and packed with flavor, this slow-cooker soup is perfect for the fall and winter. With both chorizo and bacon in addition to the pinto beans, it's nice and filling and will leave you satisfied every time!
Why This Recipe Works
Slow cooker soups are some of my favorites to make. This pinto bean soup recipe is really easy to put together and cooks away all day for a fantastic meal when dinnertime rolls around!
Best of all, a lot of the ingredients have a long shelf life so you can stock up and throw this soup together whenever you want. Serve with a side of my Honey Cornbread for a complete meal the whole family will love!
And if you love this recipe, you should also try my Sausage and Three Bean Soup, or this yummy Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup.
Ingredients Needed
- Dried Pinto Beans: Dried beans are more budget-friendly but canned beans can be used also.
- Bacon
- Chorizo: Feel free to use any kind of sausage--I just like the flavor chorizo brings to the soup!
- Veggies: A combination of white onion, garlic, celery, and tomatoes add flavor and nutrition.
- Chicken Broth: Vegetable broth can be used instead of chicken stock, but you may need to add some more seasonings.
- Bay Leaves
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Garnish: I like to add some chopped cilantro and more of the crushed tomatoes on top.
How to Make this Pinto Bean Soup Recipe
- Step 1: Rinse off the dried beans and allow them to soak overnight in the slow cooker.
- Step 2: Heat up a large skillet and cook the bacon until crispy, then remove.
- Step 3: In the same skillet, add the chorizo, garlic, onion, and celery and cook for about 4 or 5 minutes, until the veggies soften.
- Step 4: Strain any leftover water out of the slow cooker and add all the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
Recipe Tips
- For a thicker broth, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup in the slow cooker once it's finished cooking. A potato masher also works.
- If you don't have an immersion blender, you can also transfer a few large spoonfuls of the soup into a stand blender or food processor, then mix it back into the rest.
- Ground beef can be substituted for the chorizo if you prefer beef over pork.
- Give your soup more nutrition with extra vegetables like red onions or green pepper.
- Substitute about 5 cans of canned pinto beans for the dried if you prefer.
- Allow leftover soup to cool then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat soup on low in the slow cooker or on the stove over medium heat. Let frozen soup thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Recipe FAQ's
Pinto beans are high in fiber and protein, and the vegetables add some other nutrition to make this a filling and hearty soup with lots of health benefits!
Because this is a slow cooker recipe, there's no need to add it. Baking soda can help beans cook faster by breaking down their proteins, but that's not necessary for a recipe like this.
I prefer to soak my beans before slow-cooking them to ensure they're super tender and easy to blend.
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Slow Cooker Pinto Bean Soup with Chorizo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans see notes
- 8 slices bacon chopped
- 1 small pack of chorizo about 1/2 pound
- 1/2 onion minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro and diced tomatoes for garnish optional
Instructions
- Rinse your dried beans and place them into the slow cooker, soak overnight.
- Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and add the bacon and cook until crispy about 5 minutes, remove to a paper towel to drain.
- In the same skillet add the onion, celery, chorizo and garlic and cook about 4-5 minutes.
- Strain the water from the slow cooker and add in the cooked chorizo, bacon, diced tomatoes chicken stock and bay leaves and give it a stir.
- Cook on low 8 hours or high 4-5 hours.
- Mash up some of the beans with a potato masher or use an immersion blender to blitz them a couple of times.
- Garnish with diced tomatoes and cilantro and serve.
Notes
- You can use 5 cans of canned pinto beans drained instead of dried.
- Using a potato masher or immersion blender is totally optional but it does create a creamier texture and thickens the soup.
- Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
