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Charro beans are a Mexican favorite! Tender pinto beans are simmered in a flavorful broth seasoned with onion, garlic, and bacon while jalapeño adds just a touch of heat. This Mexican bean soup is the perfect side dish for any meal!
What are Charro Beans?
This Mexican bean soup, is the best side dish for any Tex Mex meals, such as our Chile Rellenos or Cheese Enchiladas. While the beans cook they create the most flavorful broth, which is the highlight of this dish. This bean dish is known by several names. Charro Beans. Frijoles Charros, or sometimes Cowboy Beans. And there is another version that involves beer called Boraccho Beans.
Charro Bean Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pinto Beans: This charro bean recipe can be made with dried or canned pinto beans. If using dried beans they should be soaked overnight, unless you plan on cooking them in the slow cooker all day or in the instant pot. I do not recommend substituting another type of bean for the pinto bean if you are wanting an authentic dish.
- Bacon: These beans can be made using any type of meat: beef, chorizo, ham, or bacon. But bacon is my favorite, it’s easy and gives great flavor. If needed you can omit the meat for a meat-free option.
- Broth: Chicken broth is used when cooking the beans on the stovetop or in the instant pot. When using the slow cooker, the beans cook for several hours and they will actually create their own bean broth with plenty of flavor. You can substitute with a vegetarian broth for a meat free option.
- Jalapeño: These pinto beans have an incredibly mild heat. If you want more heat you can substitute for a Serrano pepper, or you can leave the seeds and membranes in the jalapeño. If you are concerned about the heat you can substitute for a poblano or green bell pepper.
How to Make Charro Beans
If Using Dried Beans
Add the dried pinto beans to a large bowl. Pour in the water, ensure that the beans are covered completely with water. Allow to sit overnight or for at least 5 hours. Drain out any excess water and rinse the beans off.
Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside. Drain the grease, reserving 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add the diced onion and jalapeño. Cook until the onion and jalapeño are soft and tender. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
Pour in the broth, water, rinsed beans, salt, cumin, oregano and the crumbled bacon.
Bring the pot to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover and allow the beans to cook for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The broth will thicken and be flavorful and the beans will be tender. Serve with fresh chopped cilantro.
Using Canned Beans
If you are using canned beans you will follow the same directions, except instead of soaking beans, you will drain and rinse 3 cans of pinto beans and add them into the broth.
Serving
Charro beans are a common side dish in Texas when served with Tex Mex, some main dishes you may want to try to accompany these beans are Pollo Asado, Barbacoa, Carne Asada, and our Classic Ground Beef Tacos.
Store
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 3-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through, this can take approximately 10 minutes. Or you can use a microwave to reheat.
Freeze
Charro beans can be stored in a freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the beans to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw the beans in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat them on the stovetop over medium heat when ready to serve.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Rinse the pinto beans in cold water, drain off any water. Add the pinto beans and 8 cups of water to a slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours.
- In a medium size pan cook the bacon over medium heat. Once the bacon is cooked, remove and set aside.
- Add the onion and diced jalapeño to sauté in the bacon grease for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and the jalapeño softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the onion, garlic and cooked bacon to the beans in the slow cooker.
- Add remaining seasonings and cook beans on low for 4-6 hours or on high for an additional 2 hours.
Instant Pot Directions
- Sauté the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and drain the excess grease, reserving 1 tablespoon.
- Add in the onion and cook until softened. Then add in the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
- Pour in the broth, add seasonings, the beans, and the cooked bacon.
- Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and quick release any remaining pressure.
Charro Bean FAQs
Charro translates to “cowboy”, so these beans are known as cowboy beans. Charro beans are believed to have been prepared by cowboys over campfires in Northern Mexico and what is now known as Texas.
Charro, Borracho, and refried beans all start with pinto beans. But the method of preparing the beans is different. Borracho translates to “drunk”, which refers to the beer used in the broth of the beans. Other than that, borracho and charro are very similar. Refried beans are “twice fried” beans. Which is pinto beans that have been cooked, then fried in lard or other oil while mashing.
Watch How To Make
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Charro Beans (Frijoles Charros)
Ingredients
- 1 pound pinto beans dried
- 6 cups water enough to cover the beans in a large bowl
- 4 slices bacon sliced
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups broth chicken or vegetable, low sodium
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Topping
- onion diced
- cilantro diced
Instructions
- Add the dried pinto beans to a large bowl. Pour in the water, ensure that the beans are covered completely with water. Allow to sit overnight or for at least 5 hours. Drain out any excess water and rinse the beans off.
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside. Drain the grease, reserving 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add the diced onion and jalapeno. Cook until the onion and jalapeno are soft and tender.
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Pour in the broth, water, rinsed beans, salt, cumin, oregano and the crumbled bacon.
- Bring the pot to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover and allow the beans to cook for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The broth will thicken and be flavorful and the beans will be tender.
- Serve with fresh chopped cilantro.
Video
Equipment
Notes
- Pinto Beans: This charro bean recipe can be made with dried or canned pinto beans. If using dried beans they should be soaked overnight, unless you plan on cooking them in the slow cooker all day or in the instant pot. I do not recommend substituting another type of bean for the pinto bean if you are wanting an authentic dish.
- Bacon: These beans can be made using any type of meat: beef, chorizo, ham, or bacon. But bacon is my favorite, it’s easy and gives great flavor. If needed you can omit the meat for a meat-free option.
- Broth: Chicken broth is used when cooking the beans on the stovetop or in the instant pot. When using the slow cooker, the beans cook for several hours and they will actually create their own bean broth with plenty of flavor. You can substitute with a vegetarian broth for a meat free option.
- Jalapeño: These pinto beans have an incredibly mild heat. If you want more heat you can substitute for a Serrano pepper, or you can leave the seeds and membranes in the jalapeño. If you are concerned about the heat you can substitute for a poblano or green bell pepper.
- Using Canned Beans: If you are using canned beans you will follow the same directions, except instead of soaking beans, you will drain and rinse 3 cans of pinto beans and add them into the broth.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 3-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through, this can take approximately 10 minutes. Or you can use a microwave to reheat.
- Freezing: Charro beans can be stored in a freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the beans to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw the beans in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat them on the stovetop over medium heat when ready to serve.
- Rinse the pinto beans in cold water, drain off any water. Add the pinto beans and 8 cups of water to a slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours.
- In a medium size pan cook the bacon over medium heat. Once the bacon is cooked, remove and set aside.
- Add the onion and diced jalapeño to sauté in the bacon grease for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and the jalapeño softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the onion, garlic and cooked bacon to the beans in the slow cooker.
- Add remaining seasonings and cook beans on low for 4-6 hours or on high for an additional 2 hours.
- Sauté the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and drain the excess grease, reserving 1 tablespoon.
- Add in the onion and cook until softened. Then add in the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
- Pour in the broth, add seasonings, the beans, and the cooked bacon.
- Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and quick release any remaining pressure.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Charro Beans first appeared on House of Yumm on September 11, 2016. Updated February 14, 2020 and January 12, 2024.
Photography by KJandCompany.co
Hoping they thicken more after 45 minutes
Why are you saying to add eight cups of only water to your crock pot version as opposed to four cups broth and two cups water to your stovetop version of your Charro Beans (frijoles charros) recipe???
That’s a great question! The reason I do this is because the slow cooker version cooks so much longer and the beans create their own flavorful broth. The stovetop version doesn’t cook as long and needs a bit more of a flavor boost.
I have made this recipe three times. My family loves it!!!
Excellent recipe. We enjoyed it immensely. Thank you.
I usually like soaking my beans overnight but also cooking them in the slow cooker. If they’re soaked would you think just cook for 2 hours with all ingredients and then check? Thank you.
If I need to double the recipe, do I just use twice the amount of everything?
Yes! Simply double all of the ingredients, this is an easy recipe to multiply 🙂
Hannah I just found this page so it’s many months later. When I read your question/dilemma, what caught my eye was that you simmered for 45 mins but the beans were still hard. Did you mean that you simmered dried, soaked beans for 45 minutes (total cook time) or that you started with already cooked beans and simmered the 45 minutes. I’m thinking it was dried beans since canned beans are already soft.
If I’m correct, the skipped direction is the one where you cook the dried, soaked beans for 4 – 6 hours? Can you remember this much later what you did?
The older comment about old beans is absolutely true too. I find that canning older beans is a game changer, but I still make these from scratch regularly.
I did everything as stated in the instructions and my beans are still hard? I don’t understand. I simmered for 45 mins and they tasted yuck. Wasn’t sure if I was suppose to boil them for a bit then turn it to simmer. Was super excited for these but I am disappointed.
Hello Hannah, I’m assuming you did soak the beans overnight before attempting to make the recipe? If this is the case, then the most likely culprit is old beans. Some markets don’t have a quick enough turn over on dried beans, or sometimes dried beans end up sitting on our shelves for a bit too long. Old beans will always retain a bit of hardness to them and will not fully soften. I do hope you try this recipe again with some freshly dried beans and see if you have a different outcome.
In the future, just keep them cooking and add water as needed 🍁
I made these a while ago, they are fantastic and so easy! I am getting ready to make them again for family, but I need to have an idea what the serving size is. Can you help?
Friends from South Texas made me some Charro Beans, and it took me back to Texas in a heartbeat. Your recipe matches right up with theirs. This recipe is so legit. Food like this warms your soul. Thank you.
How do I triple this recipe correctly