Charro Beans – or Frijoles Charros – are a smoky, savory Mexican-style pinto bean stew slowly simmered with bacon, Mexican chorizo, tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapeños, and plenty of fresh cilantro.
Charro beans are rich, brothy, and salty, making a superb side dish — but they’re also hearty enough to enjoy as a main. This version is on the spicy side, but the heat is easy to adjust to your preference.
Why You’ll Love These Charro Beans
These beans are a crowd-pleaser for good reason:
- Smoky and deeply flavorful. Bacon, chorizo, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a long, slow simmer create rich, layered taste.
- Mostly hands-off. After about 15 minutes of prep, the pot does the work — ideal for dinner parties or relaxed weeknights.
- Feeds a crowd. A large pot easily serves 8–10 as a side, perfect for taco nights, fajitas, or barbecues.
- Even better the next day. Flavors deepen after resting overnight; make ahead for an easy reheat-and-serve meal.
- Naturally gluten-free. Just check chorizo and broth labels if you need to be certain.
The term “charro” refers to traditional Mexican horsemen, and these beans are the kind of hearty, stick-to-your-ribs food you’d want after a long day. They pair beautifully with grilled meats or any Mexican-inspired spread. The technique is simple: combine the ingredients, let them simmer, and finish with bright cilantro and lime.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses common ingredients and tolerates substitutions. Key components:
- Dried pinto beans (traditional) — soak overnight for best texture. Canned beans are an acceptable shortcut.
- Thick-cut bacon — renders smoky fat that builds the dish’s base.
- Mexican chorizo — fresh and crumbly, not the cured Spanish kind.
- Yellow onion — diced.
- Garlic — minced.
- Jalapeños — two with seeds for medium heat; adjust to taste.
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes — add a subtle charred flavor.
- Chicken broth — gives a brothy consistency; water or beef broth can be used.
- Spices — cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Bay leaves — two for a subtle herbal layer.
- Fresh cilantro — stirred in at the end for brightness.
- Lime wedges — for serving.
How to Make Charro Beans
Three simple stages: soak, sauté, simmer.
Cook Bacon & Soak Beans
Rinse and sort 1 pound dried pinto beans, cover with cold water by 2 inches and soak at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse before cooking. In a large Dutch oven, cook diced bacon over medium heat until crispy and the fat has rendered, about 8–10 minutes.
Cook Onion and Pepper
Add the chorizo to the bacon fat and brown it, breaking it up with a spoon, about 5–7 minutes. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, 4–5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and jalapeños and cook another minute until fragrant.
Bring to a Boil
Add the soaked and drained beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat.
Simmer
Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the broth has thickened to your liking. Add more broth or water if needed.
Serve & Enjoy!
Stir the reserved crispy bacon back in and fold in a generous handful of chopped cilantro. Remove bay leaves, taste and adjust salt, and serve hot with lime wedges and warm tortillas.
Tips for the Best Charro Beans
Small techniques elevate this dish:
- Soak dried beans. Soaking reduces cooking time and improves texture. Use the quick-soak method if you’re short on time.
- Choose Mexican chorizo. It’s fresh and crumbly; cured Spanish chorizo won’t give the same result.
- Salt near the end. Adding salt too early can toughen beans; season fully when they’re almost tender.
- Be patient. The 1½–2 hour simmer melds flavors and thickens the broth.
- Adjust consistency. Add broth for a soupier result or simmer uncovered at the end for thicker beans.
Shortcut Version (Using Canned Beans)
Use 4 (15-oz) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed. Reduce the broth to about 2 cups and simmer 20–30 minutes to meld flavors. The result is quicker but still delicious.
Slow Cooker Charro Beans
For set-and-forget cooking:
- Sauté bacon, chorizo, onions, garlic, and jalapeños as directed.
- Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker with soaked beans, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings.
- Cook on LOW 7–8 hours or HIGH 4–5 hours, until beans are tender.
- Stir in cilantro and reserved bacon before serving.
Instant Pot Charro Beans
For faster results:
- Sauté bacon, chorizo, onions, garlic, and jalapeños using the Sauté function.
- Add unsoaked dried beans, tomatoes, 5 cups broth, and seasonings.
- Pressure cook on HIGH for 40 minutes, allow 20 minutes natural release, then quick release remaining pressure.
- Stir in cilantro and bacon and serve.
What to Serve with Charro Beans
Charro beans pair with many Mexican dishes. Popular options include carne asada, carnitas, chicken fajitas, Mexican street corn, Mexican rice, guacamole, and chips.
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Leftover Charro Beans: Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Flavors improve after resting.
Freezer: Cool completely, transfer to freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water if needed. The microwave also works—stir halfway through for even heating.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Omit bacon and chorizo, sauté the onions in olive oil with a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a pinch of liquid smoke for smokiness, and use vegetable broth.
Borracho beans are similar but include beer (or a mix of beer and broth) for a distinct flavor. Substitute part of the broth with a Mexican lager if you want to try borracho beans.
Pinto beans are traditional, but black beans or pinquito beans can work. Avoid kidney beans—the texture is less suited to this dish.
With two jalapeños (seeds included) the heat is a warm background level. Increase heat with serranos or cayenne, or reduce by removing seeds or using fewer jalapeños.
Yes. They taste best 1–2 days ahead. Reheat gently on the stovetop before serving.
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Charro Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried pinto beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 8 oz Mexican chorizo, casings removed
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 jalapeños, diced (seeds in for more heat)
- 1 (14-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1½ tsp kosher salt, more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Soak pinto beans overnight in cold water (or quick-soak: boil 2 minutes, rest 1 hour). Drain and rinse.
- In a large Dutch oven, cook diced bacon over medium heat until crispy, 8–10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
- Add chorizo to the bacon fat and cook, crumbling, until browned, 5–7 minutes.
- Add onion and bell pepper and cook 4–5 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and jalapeños; cook 1 minute.
- Add soaked beans, tomatoes, broth, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle boil. (Optional: add half the bacon now.)
- Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and broth is rich.
- Stir in reserved bacon and chopped cilantro. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt to taste.
- Serve hot with lime wedges and warm tortillas.
Notes
- Canned bean shortcut: Use 4 (15-oz) cans pinto beans, reduce broth to 2 cups, and simmer 20–30 minutes.
- Slow cooker: Sauté aromatics, transfer to slow cooker with remaining ingredients, cook on LOW 7–8 hours.
- Instant Pot: Sauté aromatics, add unsoaked beans + 5 cups broth, pressure cook HIGH 40 minutes with 20-minute natural release.
- Charro beans taste even better the next day. Make ahead for best flavor.
- Freezes well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 55 g
Protein: 29 g
Fat: 25 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Sodium: 1979 mg
Fiber: 13 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Dinner, Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican