Nothing beats the rich, smoky, and slightly sweet flavor of slow cooker calico beans! This classic comfort food is made with a delicious blend of kidney, cannellini, and pork and beans, giving it that signature calico look. Slow-cooked to perfection in the crock pot, this dish is packed with deep, tangy flavors from a mix of savory condiments, ground beef, and crispy bacon.
This calico beans crock pot recipe is a simple, hearty dish made with pantry staples and slow-cooked to perfection. A mix of bacon, ground beef, canned beans, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, and brown sugar creates a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet sauce that infuses every bite with deep, smoky flavor.
Want to make this crockpot calico beans recipe even more budget-friendly? Swap canned for dried beans to keep it affordable while still thick, hearty, and delicious. Plus, this recipe is easy to customize—add fresh or frozen veggies for a one-pot meal or make it vegetarian by skipping the meat.
Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, BBQs, or game day gatherings, this recipe will have everyone coming back for seconds. This recipe might be set and forget, but I promise—you won’t stop thinking about this delicious recipe!
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What Are Cowboy Calico Beans?
Classic midwestern recipes, developed on the trail (or thereabouts) when cowboys and ranchers would make cast iron meals with whatever ingredients they had on hand, are the source of many hearty “dump dinners”.
In this spirit, calico bean bake became popular as a budget-friendly dish that could make use of just about any pantry staple.
The recipes often include a variety of common canned beans that are all different colors. Hence the calico name, as it refers to the delightfully colorful combination of the beans including kidney, white, garbanzo, and more!
Why We Love This Calico Beans Crock Pot Recipe
- Easy, hands-off cooking
This recipe requires minimal effort! Simply toss all the ingredients into the slow cooker, set it, and let the flavors develop into a rich, wholesome dish—perfect for busy weeknights or gatherings. - Packed with bold, sweet & smoky flavors
The combination of bacon, ground beef, brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar creates a sweet, tangy, and smoky taste that makes every bite irresistible. The slow cooking process ensures all the flavors meld together beautifully. - Customizable & perfect for any occasion
Whether you prefer a vegetarian dinner, want to use dried instead of canned, or like to add extra veggies, this recipe is versatile and easy to tweak. Serve it as a main dish or side for BBQs, potlucks, family dinners, or game day gatherings—it’s guaranteed to be a crowd favorite!
Make them right in your oven with our calico casserole recipe.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Bacon: Adds a smoky, savory flavor to the dish. For a lighter option, swap it with turkey bacon or omit it entirely for a vegetarian version.
- Ground beef: Provides richness and heartiness to the recipe. You can substitute it with ground turkey, chicken, or plant-based crumbles for a leaner alternative.
- Onion: Enhances the overall flavor with a mild sweetness. Use yellow, white, or red onions, or substitute with onion powder if needed.
- Ketchup: Brings a sweet and tangy base to the sauce. You can replace it with tomato sauce mixed with a little brown sugar if you prefer less processed ingredients.
- Brown sugar: Adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness that balances the tangy and smoky flavors. Substitute with honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar if desired.
- Yellow mustard: Provides a mild, tangy kick. If you prefer a stronger flavor, swap it for Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard.
- Apple cider vinegar: Helps brighten the dish with a touch of acidity. You can use white vinegar or red wine vinegar as substitutes.
- Pork and beans: A key ingredient that adds a rich, sweet tomato sauce to the mix. If unavailable, substitute with baked or regular canned white beans with a touch of extra ketchup and brown sugar.
- Lima (butter): Adds a creamy texture to the bean mixture. If you’re not a fan, swap them for cannellini or navy beans.
- Kidney beans: Provide hearty texture and color. You can use red, light red, or even black beans as an alternative.
- Garbanzo (chickpeas): Add a nutty flavor and firm bite to the dish. If you prefer, substitute with pinto, black, or great northern beans.
Recipe Variations
- Make it a one-pot meal: Add fresh-cut or frozen Instant Pot steamed green beans to the slow cooker for extra veggies, turning this into a complete one-skillet dinner.
- Extra meaty option: Swap ground beef for ground pork sausage to give the dish even more richness and a bolder, savory taste.
- Lean protein swaps: Use turkey bacon and/or ground turkey instead of regular bacon and beef for a lighter version of this recipe. Since turkey is leaner, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil when sautéing the onions to prevent sticking.
- Vegetarian: Simply leave out the bacon and meat, and add 1 tablespoon of oil when sautéing the onion to enhance the flavors.
- BBQ flavor upgrade: Swap the ketchup for BBQ sauce for an even tangier, smokier taste that enhances the dish’s depth.
- Boost the smokiness: Stir in 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke to add an extra smoky, savory kick.
- Richer, deeper sweetness: Add 1 tablespoon of molasses to give it a sweet, rich, and slightly caramelized flavor.
- Use dried beans: For a budget-friendly alternative, adjust the cooking time accordingly. Check out our Instant Pot lima beans or Instant Pot pinto beans with bacon for tips on cooking dried beans, or follow the directions in the recipe notes.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Crockpot/slow cooker
- Skillet
How To Make Crockpot Calico Beans Recipe
Making this recipe in the crockpot is really easy! With these few steps, you will be serving up this tangy, delicious dinner tonight.
- Cook the ground beef, bacon, and onions in a large skillet. Check out my tips below to transform this into a quick and convenient meal!
- Add the beef mixture to the crockpot along with the ketchup, sugar, mustard, and vinegar. Then add the canned beans and 1-2 cups of water, and stir until combined. Cover with strips of bacon and drizzle with BBQ sauce, if desired.
- Sauté 5 pounds of ground beef at once in a large skillet, and separate it into 5 small freezer bags. Then just pull out what you need to make slow cooker recipes without any unnecessary meal prep!
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Investing a few minutes in meal prep is highly beneficial! To make this and other ground beef-based dishes easy dump-and-go meals, prepare a large batch of ground beef in advance.
- Set the slow cooker, and you’ll have the best dinner ever in just 3-6 hours!
- Garnish the calico beans crock pot recipe with crispy bacon bits, French onions, green onions, or shredded cheese before serving.
Serving Suggestions
One of my favorite things to serve with this slow cooker calico beans is a delicious dairy-free cornbread recipe (this recipe is also made without cornmeal!).
If cornbread isn’t your thing, how about some easy 3 ingredient homemade biscuits ready in just 15 minutes? Choose from our tender self rising flour biscuits or deliciously cheesy Bisquick cheddar and garlic biscuits recipe.
To add a healthy element, serve this crockpot calico beans recipe with a crisp fresh salad with a tangy tahini dressing.
Love budget recipes like this?
Try our easy and delicious navy bean soup in the Instant Pot. You’ll also love our Instant Pot lima beans and ham.
If you are looking for a healthy salad option, try our Tuscan bean salad. For a spicy dish, our easy fast chili is also a great choice.
Recipe FAQs
Sure! Use whatever type of canned beans you have. You can include one can each of several different kinds, or use multiple cans of the same beans. Or even add some green beans for a real color variation and a serving of green vegetables.
Butter beans and lima beans are the same types. Lima are immature and green in color. Butter beans are more mature and beige in color. But they are the same plant. The words lima bean and butter bean are also regionally used.
Yes, there are directions for using it in the recipe notes. Learn how to easily pressure cook dried beans as a budget-friendly version of this recipe.
This savory, saucy dish begs for a good side of carbs. Enjoy them with soft, flakey biscuits or a slice of fresh French toast sourdough. Or a fresh crisp salad like this kale salad with creamy tahini dressing or a colorful cowboy salad.
Leftovers will be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Love Slow Cooked Meals? Here’s More…
If you tried this calico bean recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Slow Cooker Calico Beans
Equipment
- crock pot (slow cooker)
- skillet
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon thickly cut, diced; swap it with turkey bacon or omit it entirely for a vegetarian version
- 1 pound lean ground beef I recommend 85/15 ground hamburger
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed; Substitute with honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar if desired
- 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 can (15 ounces) pork and beans
- 1 can (15 ounces) butter (lima) beans drained; see notes
- 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans drained; see notes
- 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas drained; see notes
- 1-2 cups water
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef, bacon, and onions in a large skillet, until the ground beef is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain fat from the skillet.
- Add the beef mixture to the crockpot. Then stir in the ketchup, sugar, mustard, and vinegar to the pot. Add the canned beans and 1-2 cups of water, then combine stirring until well mixed. Cover with strips of bacon and drizzle with BBQ sauce, if desired.
- Set slow cooker on the low setting for 6-8 hours or on the high setting for 3-4 hours. Garnish calico beans with crispy bacon bits, french onions, green onions, or shredded cheese before serving.
Notes
- Make it a one-pot meal: Add fresh-cut or frozen Instant Pot steamed green beans to the slow cooker for extra veggies, turning this into a complete one-skillet dinner.
- Extra meaty option: Swap ground beef for ground pork sausage to give the dish even more richness and a bolder, savory taste.
- Lean protein swaps: Use turkey bacon and/or ground turkey instead of regular bacon and beef for a lighter version of this recipe. Since turkey is leaner, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil when sautéing the onions to prevent sticking.
- Vegetarian: Simply leave out the bacon and meat, and add 1 tablespoon of oil when sautéing the onion to enhance the flavors.
- BBQ flavor upgrade: Swap the ketchup for BBQ sauce for an even tangier, smokier taste that enhances the dish’s depth.
- Boost the smokiness: Stir in 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke to add an extra smoky, savory kick.
- Richer, deeper sweetness: Add 1 tablespoon of molasses to give it a sweet, rich, and slightly caramelized flavor.
- Use dried beans: For a budget-friendly alternative, adjust the cooking time accordingly. Check out our Instant Pot lima beans or Instant Pot pinto beans with bacon for tips on cooking dried beans, or follow the directions in the recipe notes.
- Using dried beans: Use 1/2 cup of dry beans for every 15 ounce can of beans. Soak dried beans overnight or quick soak them following the directions on the bag. For dried beans, add an additional 2 hours of cook time to the preferred slow cooker time and 1 cup of water or broth.
- Substitute garbanzo, lima (butter), or kidney beans with black beans, pinto, or navy beans.
- Investing a few minutes in meal prep is highly beneficial! To make this and other ground beef-based dishes easy dump-and-go-meals, prepare a large batch of ground beef in advance.
Nutrition
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