Charro Beans

Charro Beans, also known as Frijoles Charros, are pinto beans cooked in a flavor packed broth with bacon, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and more! The perfect dish to add to any Mexican meal! You can cook these Mexican Charro Beans on the stove-top, using a slow cooker, or via Instant Pot.

If you’re like my family and love Mexican food, also be sure to check out my Mexican Street Corn Casserole, Homemade Mexican Rice, and Tableside Guacamole recipe for an authentic Mexican experience!

What I love about these Charros Beans

• Easy to make– using canned pinto beans, these come together in no time and can even be prepped ahead of time!
• Adaptable– you can use dried pinto beans or canned, make this extra spicy by increasing the jalapenos, add in some extra veggies, etc.
• Flavor Packed– all the spices, bacon, and veggies combine into a flavor packed dish that everyone will rave about.
• Perfect for any occasion– whether you serve this as a side to a meal or even as the meal itself, this charro beans recipe is perfect for gatherings, parties, having company over, and more!

What are Charro Beans?

These beans are very similar to cowboy beans and is a popular Mexican dish consisting of pinto beans in a flavorful broth with other types of meat such as bacon, chorizo, or ham. It typically has peppers, tomatoes, and spices throughout. These authentic charro beans are similar to soup in consistency and should be served in bowls as a side dish or even main meal.

Charro Beans Ingredients Notes

This charro bean recipe uses simple and budget friendly ingredients that you may already have on hand. Feel free to double or even triple this recipe to feed larger crowds.

• Pinto Beans– I use Bush’s brand of their canned beans as I have found them to have the most flavor. If you prefer another brand, feel free to use that instead.
• Chicken Broth– I prefer using low sodium to keep the salt down, this will combine with the other ingredients to make it the soup like consistency. If you don’t have broth on hand, water works great too, just won’t add as much flavor.
• Bacon– my favorite it to use jalapeno bacon in this recipe for the added heat. Any type works.
• Onion– one yellow onion, diced.
• Garlic– minced, if you like more garlic or less, adjust accordingly. We love garlic in my house and tend to add way more.
• Tomato– you’ll want to chop these up, so you don’t have large chunks throughout the beans. You can also use canned diced tomatoes to save on time. Look for canned Mexican diced tomatoes for even more taste.
• Cilantro– freshly chopped.
• Jalapeno– fresh is best, remove seeds and membrane to control the spice levels.
• Salsa– use your favorite salsa as this gives the beans an added flavor boost.
• Chicken Bouillon Cubes– optional, we like using a few for an extra amount of flavor, however, you can also add in some more spices such as cumin, Oregano, or Paprika in lieu of adding these cubes.

How to make Charro Beans

1. Add entire can of beans and broth to a large pot bringing to a boil.
2. Dice bacon and cook in a skillet until cooked through.
3. Remove cooked bacon from skillet and add to boiling pot of beans, saving bacon grease to cook remaining ingredients.
4. Add onions to skillet (with bacon grease) and cook until soft.
5. Add sauteed onions to the pot of beans.
6. Add bouillon cubes to pot of beans and allow to boil for 15 minutes.
7. Add remaining garlic, tomato, cilantro, salsa, and jalapenos to beans and reduce heat to simmer.
8. Simmer until ready to serve, at least 1 hour, but more time allows flavor to develop! Serve and enjoy!

Tips and Variations for this Easy Charro Beans Recipe

• Change up the protein in this recipe to fit your tastes. If you want to use ham, chorizo, or pork in place or addition to the bacon, that is a great option too. In fact, charro beans with chorizo is a very classic way of cooking these beans.
• Have fun with the toppings when serving these Charro Frijoles. My favorite is shredded cheese, sour cream, lime wedges, jalapeno slices, or additional cilantro. You can’t go wrong loading these up.
• If you don’t want to use canned pinto beans, you can also use dry pinto beans, they will just require additional cook time. Black beans and kidney beans are good alternatives for those that do not like pinto beans.
• To make Borracho Beans instead. simply add 16 ounces of dark beer in place of the broth.
• Make them spicier by adding in a diced serrano pepper.

How to make Instant Pot Charro Beans

Turn Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add bacon and cook. Remove some of the grease. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are softened. Add diced tomatoes, cilantro, oregano, and chicken bouillon cubes. Cook for 5 additional minutes. Add pinto beans and 5 cups of broth. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release before removing the lid (about 20-30 minutes). Taste and season with salt and pepper.

How to make Crockpot Charro Beans

Sauté bacon, onion, and garlic in a skillet and add to slow cooker with diced tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, chicken bouillon cubes, pinto beans, and 6 cups of chicken broth. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours until beans are tender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Storing Leftover Charro Bean Soup

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, here are some tips and tricks to store them so they last longer.

• Refrigerator: Once fully cooled, place leftovers in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Reheat in microwave or over stove top.
• Freezer: Once cooled, pour beans into a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 3 months. Allow to thaw before reheating.
• Reheating Frozen Beans: Place beans in fridge till partly thawed. Pour beans into pan, warm beans until heated thoroughly to 165F. Add additional water or chicken broth as needed.
• Make Ahead: If you want to make these ahead of time, simply prepare them as directed up to 24 hours in advance and store covered in the fridge. Reheat when ready to serve.

How to serve Charro Beans

Charro Beans are the ultimate Tex-Mex dish to serve with your favorite Mexican dinner. We love serving these as a side to our Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Easy Beef Enchiladas, or Slow Cooker Chicken Ranch Tacos! If you head on down to Texas, you will typically see them paired with BBQ dishes. When we lived in Houston, we would order some brisket and loaded cornbread at our favorite restaurant, and it always came with a side of charro beans! Some other great serving options are:

• As a main course served with some flour tortillas to dip into the beans.
• Serve the beans over some cooked rice.
• Drain some of the liquid and serve over tortilla chips to make nachos or in tortillas to make quesadillas.

FAQs

What is the difference between charro beans and Borracho beans?

These two dishes are very similar in flavor. The main difference is charro beans are cooked in broth whereas Borracho beans have beer added in.

Are charro beans low carb?

Most bean dishes are pretty high in carbs, however, depending on your carb daily limit, you can most likely fit these into your diet and be okay.

Why are these called charro beans?

These beans are named after the famous and traditional Mexican cowboy horsemen, called "charros". These Mexican cowboys dress in a very detailed outfit composed of a jacket, close fitting pants and a sombrero.

Which is healthier charro beans or refried beans?

Homemade refried beans typically contain more fat and calories as compared to charro beans; however, it also depends on what ingredients are added into the dish. You can use a low fat, turkey bacon to keep calories and fat down in charro beans, making them a healthier choice.

More Tex Mex Recipes You’ll Love

Frito Taco Bake– a quick and easy meal that is packed with flavor! Taco seasoned ground beef combined with a cheesy sauce and Fritos; this walking taco casserole is comfort food at its finest.

Mexican Stuffed Shells– these stuffed shells are packed with flavor and quick to prepare! Taco seasoned ground beef combined with cream cheese and stuffed into jumbo pasta shells!

Easy Frito Pie– a classic casserole-style dish that combines taco meat, cheese, and sour cream nestled between layers of fluffy crescent rolls and topped with crunchy corn Fritos.

Salsa Verde Chicken Pasta– a one-skillet meal the entire family will enjoy! With a slight kick from the salsa Verde, this cheesy pasta is a quick and easy recipe perfect any night of the week!

Taco Cornbread Casserole– ground beef, chili beans, and cheese, all under a layer of Jiffy cornbread! Perfect for busy weeknight dinners, this simple casserole is comfort food at its finest!

Creamy Chicken Fajita Soup– combines all the flavors of classic fajitas in a creamy, comforting soup that is perfect any night of the week.