This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.
Slow cooker cowboy beans are loaded with bacon, ground beef, sausage and three kinds of beans in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. Everything cooks together in the Crockpot after the meat is browned, so the beans have plenty of time to pick up all those smoky, savory flavors. This makes a big batch, but I usually freeze some in smaller portions for another meal. You can also adjust the sugar and spice depending on how you like your beans.
Why You’ll Love It
Three kinds of meat and three kinds of beans make these slow cooker cowboy beans substantial enough for a main dish, while barbecue sauce, brown sugar and vinegar give them a sweet and tangy finish.
Sweet, smoky and tangy: Barbecue sauce and brown sugar add sweetness, while apple cider vinegar keeps the beans from tasting too sweet.
Loaded with meat and beans: Bacon, ground beef and sausage are combined with baked beans, kidney beans and black beans.
Makes a big batch: The recipe serves 18, making it useful for a cookout, potluck or gathering, and leftovers freeze well.
Adjustable: Choose a smoky or spicy barbecue sauce, reduce the brown sugar or add some heat to make the flavor in this cowboy bean bowl your own.
Also try cowboy soup, hamburger soup, cowboy stew, cowboy sliders and cowboy beef and rice.
Crockpot Cowboy Beans Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below
Bacon: Adds smoky flavor and richness to the beans.
Ground beef and sausage: Using both gives the beans more flavor and texture than ground beef alone.
Onion and garlic: Cook these with the meat so they soften and flavor the mixture before it goes into the slow cooker.
Beans: I use baked beans, kidney beans and black beans. The baked beans go in with their sauce, while the kidney and black beans are drained.
BBQ sauce: Choose one you already like. A smoky or slightly spicy sauce works especially well since there’s brown sugar in the recipe too.
Brown sugar: Adds sweetness to the sauce. You can reduce it if your barbecue sauce is already quite sweet.
Apple cider vinegar: The acidity balances the sweetness from the barbecue sauce, baked beans and brown sugar.
Yellow mustard: Adds another tangy element to the sauce.
Chili powder: Gives the beans a little warmth without making them particularly spicy.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card
Cook the bacon: Bake the bacon at 350°F for about 20 minutes, then chop it into 1-inch pieces.
Brown the meat: Cook the onion, garlic, ground beef and sausage in a large pot until the meat is browned and no longer pink. Drain the excess grease.
Combine everything: Add the baked beans, drained kidney beans and black beans to the slow cooker with the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard and chili powder. Add the cooked meat and bacon and stir well.
Slow cook: Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
Substitutions and Variations
Try different beans: Swap the black beans or kidney beans for pinto beans, cannellini beans or great northern beans. Stick with canned beans here unless you cook dried beans separately first.
Change the meat: You can adjust the combination of bacon, ground beef and sausage depending on what you have.
Make them less sweet: Reduce the brown sugar or choose a barbecue sauce that’s more smoky or tangy than sweet.
Add more heat: Use a spicy barbecue sauce or add some hot sauce or extra chili powder.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Enjoy a Mexican corn and kale salad or perhaps some garlic bread before serving the cowboy beans. Shrimp ceviche is another tasty appetizer.
Side dishes: This Tex-Mex chicken pasta salad pairs well with the beans.
Dessert: If you have room left for dessert (you might not!) consider Mexican rice pudding or candy shots!
How to Store
Store: Keep leftover cowboy beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze cooled beans in airtight containers for up to 3 months. I like freezing them in smaller portions since this recipe makes such a big batch.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave until hot throughout.
Top Tips
Choose your barbecue sauce carefully: Since the recipe also has brown sugar and sweet baked beans, I prefer a smoky or tangy barbecue sauce rather than an especially sweet one.
Drain the meat well: Ground beef and sausage can release quite a bit of fat, so drain the excess before adding them to the slow cooker.
Adjust the sweetness at the start: If your barbecue sauce and baked beans are both quite sweet, use less brown sugar. You can always adjust the flavor later.
Freeze some for later: This recipe makes 18 servings, and I usually freeze some in smaller portions rather than trying to use the whole batch at once.
Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans FAQs
Yes, but cook the dried beans completely before adding them to this recipe. The slow cooker timing here is based on canned beans that are already cooked.
These aren’t especially spicy as written. For more heat, use a spicy barbecue sauce or add hot sauce or extra chili powder. If you’re serving a group, you can keep the beans mild and put hot sauce on the table.
Crockpot Cowboy Beans Recipe
Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans
Equipment
- Baking Dish Large
- Pot Large
Ingredients
- 1 Pound bacon
- 1 yellow onion, large, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 Pound ground beef
- 1 Pound sausage
- 3 Cans baked beans, 16-ounce cans, not drained
- 2 Cans kidney beans, 16-ounce cans, drained
- 2 Cans black beans, 16-ounce cans, drained
- 1 Cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 Cup brown sugar
- 1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a large pan with tinfoil and lay the bacon in the pan. Bake for 20 minutes then chop it into 1-inch pieces.
- In a large pot, cook the onion, garlic, beef and sausage until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the grease from the meat.
- Add the baked beans, drained kidney beans, drained black beans, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, chili powder and mustard to the slow cooker. Add the cooked beef and sausage mixture and chopped bacon, then stir to combine.
- Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
Notes
Drain the meat well: Ground beef and sausage can release quite a bit of fat, so drain the excess before adding them to the slow cooker.
Adjust the sweetness at the start: If your barbecue sauce and baked beans are both quite sweet, use less brown sugar. You can always adjust the flavor later.
Freeze some for later: This recipe makes 18 servings, and I usually freeze some in smaller portions rather than trying to use the whole batch at once.
Nutrition
These slow cooker cowboy beans make a substantial main dish, but they’re just as useful as a side when you’re feeding a group. Between the bacon, sausage, beef and three kinds of beans, a little goes a long way. Since the recipe makes a large batch, I usually freeze some in smaller portions to pull out for another meal.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
that is a lot of beans for 1 person
It’s definitely a high protein dish. This recipe serves 18 people though, so you can halve it or even make a quarter unless you’re catering for a crowd. And if you don’t want so many beans, you can always swap some for extra veggies like mushrooms, bell pepper etc. What I like about this recipe is how well it freezes, so I usually make a lot and just freeze portions for future meals.
So flavorful and perfect for serving a crowd!
This is one of my go-to recipes of yours. Thank you!!
Flavorful and easy to make—this recipe is a hit with everyone!