Slow Cooker Calico Beans

5 from 2 votes

Slow cooker calico beans are the perfect hearty meal for dinner, potlucks, or BBQs! This dump-and-go crock pot beans recipe is easy and flavorful.

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Main Course, Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: calico beans, beans and beef, slow cooker beans, crock pot dinners, slow cooker calico beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 394kcal

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

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.

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.

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.

Storing Instructions:

Leftovers will be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.