This Pinto Bean Soup Recipe is an easy-to-make southern classic. The flavor profile is very deceiving compared to the ingredients' simplicity. Since becoming a Texas transplant, I've learned a lot about food, and this is one of my absolute favorites! The Midwest has some incredible hidden gems, but not quite as many as southern comfort food.

Just like this Slow Cooker Pinto Bean Soup Recipe!

I wasn't a well-traveled Midwesterner. While the midwest has its share of good food, I never really knew great BBQ, rarely had cornbread, and Cajun food was coming around when I moved. I had never even heard of crawfish. I had no idea what it was.

Like the foods listed above, this is another one I had never heard of before, and it takes most of those elements into one recipe.

Origins of Pinto Bean Soup

This Pinto Bean Soup Recipe is my Wife's, and it's delicious.

It's a traditional meal passed down through over four generations of her family, with no signs of that stopping anytime soon!

When she initially told me about this, I said to her that it sounded bland and that I wasn't expecting much.

She sure proved me WRONG!

Based on a brief google search, it seems like this is a very southern dish. It was popular during the winters when food was scarce, obviously a long time ago. I believe it was traditionally a meatless dish but, over time, evolved to include sausage. From reading, it seems that it was always served with Cornbread and Raw Onion.

For a good reason!

I take that chunk of buttery cornbread and put it in the bowl. It soaks up those amazing flavorful juices creating the perfect texture.

That flavor mixed with the smoked sausage is something to write home about.

This is an easy recipe for your whole family that will last for at least a few days. Depending on how many little humans you have running around.

HOW TO MAKE PINTO BEAN SOUP

Ingredients

As I previously mentioned, the ingredients for Pinto Bean Soup are straightforward.

All you'll need is...

Dry Pinto Beans
1 Yellow Onion
Garlic Powder

Cumin
Oregano
Cayenne

Bay Leaves
Kosher Salt
Chicken Stock

Eckrich Smoked Sausage

Directions

This is literally a 'set it and forget it' recipe.

Begin by rinsing the beans in a colander the night before. Be sure to remove any rocks or pebbles.

Next, place the beans in a bowl and be sure they're covered with cold water. Soak the beans overnight, so they're ready to be cooked in the morning.

The first time I ever did this and saw the bag said to check for pebbles, I was like, what the hell?

I have to go through each of these individual beans and see if they're rocks?

NO! That's not necessary; I've never found a pebble, but if you do, don't eat it!

The following day, Drain the beans and add all the ingredients except the sausage to the slow cooker.

Set it to low for 8 hours.

Once the 8-hour cook time is up, it's time to add the sausage.

This is where personal preference comes into play.

My Wife likes to slice up the sausage, turn the Slow Cooker off, and stir the sausage into the soup. She allows that to sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

However, I prefer to cook the sausage on the grill for about 30 minutes, then slice it, and serve it on top of the soup. By doing so, the skin gets crisp, with an extra smokey open-fire flavor. I also prefer this because visually, I think it looks nicer when served this way.

But you do you! You may also want to try slicing the sausage and cooking it in a cast Iron skillet first. This will get all of it nice and crisped up.