Description
The BEST Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans are a hearty, sweet-and-smoky dish packed with ground beef, bacon, and three types of beans simmered in a rich BBQ-style sauce. Perfect as a comforting main dish or a crowd-pleasing side for potlucks, game days, or cookouts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can pork and beans (not drained)
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- In the same skillet, cook ground beef with diced onion and garlic until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
- In a slow cooker, combine cooked beef mixture, bacon, all beans, ketchup, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. Stir well.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours until hot and bubbly.
- Stir before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or extra bacon, if desired.
Notes
- Make it spicier by adding chopped jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
- Use turkey or plant-based meat alternatives for a lighter version.
- Great served with cornbread or over baked potatoes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: cowboy beans, slow cooker beans, bbq beans with beef and bacon, hearty bean casserole, cowboy comfort food