Crockpot Cowboy Beans

Crockpot cowboy beans with smoked sausage and bacon.

Some things you rush. This is not one of them.

Cowboy beans in the crockpot. Slow cooked to perfection, because good things come to those who wait.

And honestly? The next day, these beans are even better.

Brown three things first

I’m using ground chicken here. Brown it up and season it nicely with whatever you like to season your ground beef with — seasoning salt, onion powder, garlic powder. Really just whatever you like.

The other thing I always, always add to my cowboy beans is a smoked sausage. And always, always bacon.

All three get browned before anything goes near the slow cooker. That is the step doing the quiet work — everything after it is just waiting.

Then we’re dumping everything in the crockpot.

Whatever beans you have

We’re adding all kinds of beans to this. I will sometimes add white beans, black beans — just whatever kind of beans you have.

Then you wait

Cook these on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. You will not believe the way these flavors melt together in this thing.

Sweet, tangy, savory, comforting goodness. Just try it.

And because they’re better on day two, this is a good one to make the day before you actually need it. Sunday for Monday. Thursday for Friday.

A word about the prep

Those onions and peppers came from a meal prep session earlier in the week. So did the ground chicken.

Meal prepping is like giving future you a high five. It says I got you covered.

So when Wednesday rolls around and you’re tempted to order takeout, remember past you was a ninja in the kitchen. Setting myself up for success like this in my kitchen has really been a game changer for me. I am rediscovering my love for cooking and how it brings me so much joy just being creative in my kitchen.

The Virtual Godmother

Crockpot Cowboy Beans

Slow cooker · Low 8 hours or High 4 hours · Better on day two
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large cans of Bush's baked beans
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons mustard
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 pound smoked sausage sliced
  • 1/2 pound smoked bacon chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Brown the ground chicken, seasoning it as you would ground beef.
  2. Brown the smoked sausage and the bacon.
  3. Add everything to the slow cooker.
  4. Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

What is one of your favorite things to cook? Tell me about it — seriously, what’s the first thing that just came to mind for you?