Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Chorizo is a hearty dish of beans with spicy sausage and a rich tomato sauce. The smoked paprika chorizo sausage adds a wonderful flavour that is absorbed into the beans as they cook. It’s perfect to serve with some crusty bread to mop up the sauce or as a side dish for barbeque or other grilled meats.
Why should I make Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Chorizo?
One of the joys of cooking in your slow cooker is the way the long slow cooking allows the flavours in the dish to develop. The beans may not have a lot of flavour on their own, but once they absorb the flavours of the other ingredients they are absolutely delicious. They are also an economical way to fill up your family.
What is a Slow Cooker?
A slow cooker is an electrical appliance that cooks food at a very low temperature over a long period of time. There is a heating element sealed inside the appliance and then a lidded ceramic or metal bowl that holds the food while it is cooking. Some bowls can be removed from the base for cleaning and the metal bowls can be used on the stove to sear ingredients.
One of the main advantages of a slow cooker is that it can safely be left to cook while you are out of your house. You can prepare your meal in the morning and leave it cook while you are out. There is nothing quite like arriving home to smell of a home-cooked meal.
What ingredients do I need to make Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Chorizo?
Most of the ingredients you need are fairly standard larder items. Here is what you will need:
- Dried cannellini or haricot beans
- Vegetable oil
- Onion
- Chorizo sausage
- Canned Tomatoes
- Tomato Puree
- Black Treacle or Molasses
- Mustard Powder
- Chicken Stock
A full list of the ingredients and the required quantities is found in the recipe card at the end of this article.
What kind of beans should I use?
I use dried cannellini beans but you can use other types of beans like haricot beans, navy beans or pinto beans. If you choose to use kidney beans then they must boil them for 10 minutes after soaking, then drain and add to your slow cooker.
Can I use canned beans?
You can use ready-cooked canned cannellini beans in this recipe. However, becaue they do not need as much cooking they will not absorb as much of the flavour and the texture of the dish will be softer. If you use canned beans then reduce the stock by half and cook only for four hours on Low.
What is chorizo?
Chorizo is a coarsely textured, spiced pork sausage made from chopped pork and red pepper that is seasoned with chilli and paprika. Mexican chorizo is made with fresh pork, while Spanish chorizo uses smoked pork.
What kind of chorizo should I use for the Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Chorizo?
There are three types of Spanish chorizo that are widely available, and they are all delicious:
- Raw chorizo (chorizo fresco)
- Semi-cured Spanish chorizo (semicurado)
- Cured Spanish chorizo (curado)
You can use any type of chorizo in this recipe. I have made the recipe with both the soft raw chorizo and with the fully cured chorizo and both were successful.
What kind of tomatoes should I use?
You can use either whole canned tomatoes that you have roughly chopped, or chopped canned tomatoes. Use the best quality of canned tomatoes that you can afford as the slightly more expensive tomatoes are usually riper and have more flavour.
Can I use fresh tomatoes?
You can use fresh ripe plum tomatoes. I freeze the excess plum tomatoes that I grow in my greenhouse and use them in lots of my recipes in place of canned tomatoes.
What is treacle?
Black treacle is a dark sticky syrup that is a byproduct of the sugar refining process. Treacle is best known as an ingredient in bakes like gingerbread. It is also used to make sweets like liquorice and treacle toffee.
Is molasses the same as treacle?
Molasses is similar but not the same as black treacle. It has a strong, bittersweet flavour and dark, almost opaque appearance. It is also generally thicker than treacle.
Why should I add treacle or molasses to the recipe?
The treacle adds a little sweetness to the dish and counteracts the acidity of the tomatoes. This recipe is similar to Boston Baked Beans which traditionally contain bacon and molasses, so it’s a well tested combination and it really does add to the richness of the sauce.
What can I substitute for dry mustard?
I use powdered English mustard which is simply finely ground mustard seeds. You can use ready-made mustard, preferably English mustard, but you can substitute Dijon mustard or other spicy mustard. Mild American Mustard is not ideal as it doesn’t have the level of spice. However, if that is all you have then double the quantity.
Can I make Slow Cooker Baked Beans ahead of time?
You certainly can make this recipe ahead of time. Let the beans cool a little then store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot before serving.
Can I freeze Slow Cooker Baked Beans?
Follow the instructions above and chill completely in the fridge before transferring the container to the freezer. I recommend that you divide the beans into the portion sizes that you expect to use. You can freeze this dish for up to 3 months without any deterioration.
Thaw overnight or use the defrost setting on your microwave, then reheat until piping hot.
Vegetarian
This recipe is made with chorizo that contains meat. However, you can substitute vegetarian chorizo and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
Gluten Free
Some chorizo is gluten free but not all, so be sure to check. Also, please check stock cubes and any other packaged ingredients to ensure that they meet your dietary requirements.
For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How should I serve Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Chorizo?
Serve the beans with a large spoonful of sour cream and some chopped parsley to garnish. Here are a few different ideas of how to include Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Chorizo into your meals:
- The simplest way to serve this dish is with lots of crusty bread or my wild garlic tear and share bread.
- I find these beans are delicious with gammon steak, as the sweetness of beans counteracts the salty gammon. A fried egg on top makes it extra delicious.
- Slow Cooked Beans go well with all kinds of grilled or barbequed meats, add coleslaw and a salad for a complete meal.
- Serve as a side dish with hot dogs or any kind of grilled sausage.
- Make extra special beans on toast! I love canned baked beans but this recipe takes a simple snack to a whole new level.
- Your baked potato will be extra good and nutritious with a spoonful or two of these beans on top.
More Bean Recipes
Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Chorizo
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Frying Pan optional
- weighing scales
- chopping board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring spoons
- measuring jug
Ingredients
- 175 g (1 cup) dried cannellini beans
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion
- 100 g (¾ cups) chorizo sausage cut into chunks
- 400 g (14 oz) can tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 tsp black treacle or molasses
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 400 ml (1⅔ cups) chicken stock
Instructions
- Put the 175 g (1 cup) dried cannellini beans into bowl and cover with cold water. Leave the beans to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Peel and slice the medium onion. Remove the skin from the 100 g (¾ cup) chorizo and cut into chunks. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in the Slow Cooker sear and stew pan (or a frying pan) and fry for around 5 minutes until the onion is soft and the colour has been released from the chorizo.
- Add the soaked beans and stir through the onions and chorizo.
- Add the 400 g (14 oz) can of tomatoes and 1 tbsp of tomato puree to the pan.
- Add 2 tbsp treacle (molasses). Oil the spoon before using it to take out the treacle, this will make the treacle slip off much more easily.
- Finally add 400 ml (1⅔ cups) chicken stock and 1 tsp of mustard powder.
- Cook on LOW for 6 hours.
- Serve as a side dish with grilled meats or simply with crusty bread.
Nutrition
First published in 2012
Dom at Belleau Kitchen says
don't ever apologise for cooking wonderful food… this stuff is my absolute favourite kind of food, what an excellent and delicious stew… love what chorizo does to any stew… those flavours must be incredible… mouth watering!
LDH says
I wish your dish ended up in my neck of the woods as it does look so delicious and comforting! 🙂
Chele says
Hubby will love this one Boston style or not lol
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
How delicious. I am always looking for great ideas to use up the swede glut. I usually leave them at the fruit & veg co-op each week as i am SO fed up of them!
(the word verification is Sweda!)
All That I'm Eating says
Brilliant food. Definitely Sunday comfort food, can't imagine anything better, especially with the chorizo.
thelittleloaf says
This looks like the perfect winter warmer – could happily tuck into a bowl now and it's breakfast time!
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says
What a perfect dish for now. I think the chorizo works so well and the photos go to prove it! Great post 🙂
Hannah says
There is nothing better than comfort foods – I'm just the same!Your stew looks fab and I hadn't seen the seasoning before.
Karen S Booth says
THAT, Janice, that looks FABULOUS! As soon as I post the Slow Sunday page next Sunday, I will let you know and you can add this! You can then add ANYTHING comforting on that oage throughout the month! LOVELY dish and JUST my kind of food!
THANKS!
Karen
Corina says
I love comfort food too – especially at this time of year. This looks delicious. I love the combination of chorizo and beans.
Jill Colonna says
Janice, I love this – perfect for this freezing weather just now! Can smell it bubbling away and with the spicy chorizo? Fabulous – also love the molasses. The family will lap this one up!
Baking Addict says
Love your 'Bilbao' version of boston baked beans 🙂 Winter is definitely the time for comfort food so keep those recipes coming!
Francesca says
Looks yum. I think I might make that for lunch today. Just the thing, with snow on the way!
Jacqueline says
I'll have to try a veggie version of these Janice. Didn't know they were called Bilbao.
Janice says
Jac – I made that bit up! 😉
Cakeboule says
That does look good – might have to try that in my slow cooker I think. Got to prepare ahead!
Karen says
I loved this recipe, packed with flavour and a recipe we all enjoyed. I topped ours with a fried egg which was delicious.
Cat says
This is how I want to eat all of my beans from now on! I loved the flavour the chorizo gave them, absolutely delicious.
Chloe says
Yum, , I’ve made Boston beans using canned beans before but I’ve never slow cooked from dried or added chorizo before. They really are delicious like this!
Sisley says
This was so easy to make and tasted incredible. I can’t wait to make it again.