Charro Beans
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
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Servings
8
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Calories
338 kcal
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Course
Side Dish, Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Charro Beans
Description
The recipe for Charro Beans starts by simmering dried pinto beans with onion, bay leaf, and salt until tender, ensuring they hold shape without bursting. After draining, the beans are combined with cooked bacon, chorizo, and ham along with sautéed onions, garlic, tomatoes, jalapeño, and optional chipotle peppers, integrating smoky and spicy flavors with cumin, paprika, and oregano. Fresh cilantro adds brightness at the end. The result is a richly flavored, savory bean dish with a balance of smoky meatiness and a mild heat from the peppers.
This dish can be served as a hearty side or a main accompaniment alongside Mexican or Southwestern meals. Its combination of beans and meats makes it filling and flavorful, suitable for gatherings or everyday meals.
Notes include options to substitute canned beans, use an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker for convenience, and tips on storing the beans refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to three months. Preparing the beans ahead of time or the entire dish a few days before serving enhances convenience and flavor melding.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pinto beans 2 cups, dried
- 6 cups water , or more if needed
- ¼ onion
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
For the Charro Beans:
- 5 lices Bacon , chopped
- 5 ounces chorizo (or 2 sausages or hot dogs), chopped
- 1 cup ham diced or sausages
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 tomato diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped, or serrano pepper
- ½ - 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce , chopped (optional, but recommended for a smoky spice)*
- 1 cup cilantro about 1/2 bunch, fresh, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano dried
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
Instructions
Cook the Pinto beans:*
- Pour dry beans into a colander and rinse them off, removing any unwanted pieces. Add to a large pot with 6 cups of water (or enough to cover them by about 2 inches), a small chunk of onion, bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 hours, until the beans are tender, but not bursting. (Mine usually take about 1 hour but depends on how dry/old your beans are). Check them a few times during cooking to make sure they are covered in water and add a little more water if needed.
- Once the beans are tender, drain them, reserving the liquid and pouring it into a measuring cup. Add additional water (or reduce liquid if needed) to make 2 ½ cups of total liquid. Stir in 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon. Set aside.
Make Charro beans:
- Add the bacon and chorizo to a large pot and cook for about 5 minutes or until bacon is cooked. Remove some of the grease. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Add ham (sausages, if using), diced tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, oregano, paprika, cumin, black pepper and cook for 5 additional minutes.
- Add cooked beans and broth and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, or additional spices if needed. Garnish with cilantro before serving.
- Serve as a main dish, wish warm tortillas, or as a side dish. When serving as a side dish I like to thicken the beans by adding a cornstarch slurry at the end (1 tablespoon of corn starch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water).
Notes
- Canned pinto beans can replace dried beans; use the liquid from the cans plus broth to achieve 2 1/2 cups of cooking liquid with chicken bouillon added.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce provide smoky heat; leftover sauce and peppers freeze well for later use.
- The recipe adapts to the Instant Pot by sautéing meats, then cooking beans and broth under high pressure for 30 minutes with a natural release.
- Alternatively, use a slow cooker by sautéing meats separately before combining all ingredients and cooking low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.
- Cooked beans and their liquid can be made in advance and refrigerated; the complete dish can also be prepared 2-3 days ahead and reheated gently.
- Charro beans freeze well for up to three months; thaw in fridge overnight before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 338 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cup | |
| Calories | 338kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 28mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 657mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 920mg | 20% |
| Fiber | 10g | 40% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 535IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 79mg | 8% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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