Make authentic-style charro beans in the slow cooker, the pinto beans are flavored with bacon, oregano, tomatoes, and more. This hearty recipe feeds a crowd!
Charro beans are also known as frijoles charros. It’s a traditional Mexican dish named after the Mexican cowboy. They’re similar to cowboy beans, but have a more savory, brothy base, and are closely related to borracho beans, which include beer. This version is easy to make in the crockpot and makes a great meal to come home to after a long day.
Key Ingredients
Pinto Beans: Pinto Beans are the star of the show, and budget friendly.
Sweet Yellow Onion: Adds a bit of sweetness and texture.
Bacon: Cooked bacon lends smokiness to the beans.
Jalapenos: Brings heat to the beans.
Chicken Broth: Broth helps with flavor and gives the beans a base to cook in.
Seasonings: Fresh garlic, salt, cumin, and oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it) add the perfect amount of flavor to these charro beans.
How to Make Charro Beans
- Add beans, broth, bacon, onion, garlic, and seasonings to the crockpot.
- Cook low and slow until the beans are tender and the broth is rich.
- Stir and adjust seasoning before serving.
Tips & Variations
Tomato Swap: A 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes (not drained) is a great substitute for the fresh Roma tomatoes.
Adjust the heat: For more heat use a habanero pepper or serrano, for less heat, use a poblano or a can of diced green chiles.
Protein Change: Other meat options are ham, cooked hamburger, cooked chorizo, or sliced kielbasa.
Vegetarian: Skip the bacon and add a half teaspoon of liquid smoke.
What to Serve with Charro Beans
Add A Side: Serve them as the main meal with charred tortillas for dipping, or even cornbread is a great (but not traditional) side dish.
Add a Main Meat: Mexican pinto beans served alongside slow cooker carne asada or slow cooker chile colorado for an authentic way to enjoy them.
Toppings: They are also delicious with a spoonful of sour cream, and even more cilantro on top.
Can canned pinto beans be used instead of dried?
This recipe is meant for dried beans; therefore, I do not recommend using canned pinto beans.
Should the beans be soaked?
No, if you cook beans on high in the slow cooker, you can skip soaking. The high cooking time will soften beans perfectly.
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Rinse the beans and sort through them, making sure there is no rocks or dirt clumps. Add the beans to the slow cooker along with the bacon, onion, garlic, tomatoes, jalapeno, cumin, and oregano. (DON’T ADD THE CILANTRO OR SALT YET).
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Pour over the chicken broth and stir.
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Cook on HIGH for 5-7 hours. When the cooking time is up, add the salt and stir in the cilantro.
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Stir, serve and enjoy!
Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 1614mg | Potassium: 1297mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
How to Store?
Pinto beans store well but don’t have a long shelf life after cooking. You can refrigerate leftovers for up to three days, or store them longer by freezing for up to three months.
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