Frijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans)
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Updated Apr 12, 2025, Published Jan 15, 2020
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These Frijoles Charros are flavored with smoky bacon, onions, garlic, fire roasted diced tomatoes, and jalapeño slices. They can be made in a slow cooker, in a dutch oven on the stovetop, or in a magical Instant Pot.
I think it’s amazing that simple pinto beans can be transformed into so many dishes. The purest and simplest pinto beans are beans from the pot, Frijoles de la Olla. Cook them in beer and add bacon and they become Borracho Beans, or add a few extra ingredients like chorizo, hotdog slices, ham, chicharrón (pork rinds), and it becomes a hearty dish called Frijoles Charros.
To be honest, I am not a fan of too many extra ingredients and I wanted to share a recipe where the beans are the star of the show. These frijoles charros are flavored with smoky bacon, onions, garlic, fire roasted diced tomatoes, and jalapeño slices.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Nutritious: This version boasts low fat, high protein, and low calorie content, making it a super nutritious choice.
- Simple & Flavorful: The blend of onions, peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, and beans creates a deliciously simple yet amazing flavor.
- Make ahead: Easily whip this up ahead of time for a convenient weeknight meal or to serve a crowd.
What are Frijoles Charros?
Frijoles charros, a staple of Mexican cuisine, derives its name from the iconic Mexican horsemen, the charros. This traditional dish features pinto beans simmered with onion, garlic, and bacon, embodying the essence of rustic cowboy cooking.
It is the ideal potluck or cookout dish to make – it’s inexpensive, easy to make, and extremely delicious.
When trying to develop a recipe I found a recipe by Rick Bayless that is perfect, so rather than reinventing the wheel I am sharing his recipe.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Bacon: A few strips of bacon are added to these cowboy beans for the ultimate charro bean experience.
- Onion: White or yellow onion are both suitable.
- Garlic: Just a couple of finely chopped garlic cloves is all you need. If fresh garlic is unavailable, feel free to replace it with 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Pinto Beans: If pinto beans are unavailable or you’ve run out, feel free to use black beans.
- Chile: I like to add one sliced spicy jalapeño, but feel free to replace with roasted chopped Anaheim chile.
- Tomato: This recipe is super simple using a can of decide fire-roasted tomatoes, but feel free to replace with chopped Roma tomatoes.
- Spices: Salt and fresh cilantro is all you’ll need.
How to Make Frijoles Charros
This recipe can be made in a slow cooker, in a dutch oven on the stovetop, or in a magical Instant Pot. See recipe card below for details.
How to make frijoles charros in a slow cooker
- Step 1: Prepare the beans: Sort through the beans to remove any broken, discolored, or shriveled ones, as well as any small stones or pebbles. Rinse them thoroughly under cool water in a colander.
- Step 2: Cook the aromatics: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it starts to brown and renders its fat. Add onion and cook until golden, then add garlic and jalapeños until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes and cook briefly.
- Step 3: Transfer to slow cooker: If your slow cooker has a stove-top safe insert, simply fit the insert into the slow cooker. Otherwise, transfer the mixture from the skillet to the slow cooker. Add the sorted beans, salt, and water to the slow cooker.
- Step 4: Cook: Cover the slow cooker and set it to high. The beans will be done in 3 to 4 hours, but can be held longer if needed.
- Step 5: Finish and season: Before serving, remove 2 cups of beans and blend them until smooth. Return the smooth beans to the pot and stir in cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if necessary.
- Step 6: Serve: Ladle the beans into bowls and serve.
Watch this video to see how simple these Frijoles Charros are made.
Expert Tips & Tricks
After the beans are cooked he adds two cups of beans and liquid in the blender to puree and adds them back to the pot of beans giving them a creamier consistency. I had never done that before, but really loved the texture and highly recommend it.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
Frijoles Charros are often enjoyed as a comforting meal on chilly evenings or served alongside grilled carne asada as a satisfying side dish. Also, enjoy them alongside your favorite enchiladas.
My grandma always had a pot of beans on the stovetop and sour cream on her kitchen table. I love smothering a warm corn tortilla with sour cream or crema Mexicana and sprinkle it with salt and roll it up tight like a mini burrito and eat it with a steaming bowl of freshly made beans.
Sure, you can serve these beans as a side-dish, but eating a warm bowl of beans like soup is a comforting meal and oh so heavenly.
Storage & Heating Instructions
- Refrigerate: Beans can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Store in an airtight container plastic containers for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm any leftover charro beans in a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes, or until heated through to your liking.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, not necessarily, but I like to soak for at least one hour to ensure beans are clean. Put the beans in a pot, cover with water by two inches and let them soak for an hour or overnight. Drain, rinse and proceed with your recipe.
It is believed that the name charro beans comes from the word “charro,” which refers to Mexican cowboys. According to legend, the charros would gather around the fire after a long day of work on the ranch and prepare a meal with the ingredients they had on hand.
I always looked forward to family summer cookouts in El Paso growing up because someone was always sure to contribute this Northern Mexican dish.
More Mexican Bean Recipes
Summarize & Save This Content On
Frijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans)
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 slices thick cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
- 1 medium white onion, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, sliced
- 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice , (preferably fire-roasted)
- 1 pound dried pinto beans, about 2 1/2 cups
- Salt
- 1 cup loosely packed, roughly chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Measure out the beans. Spread the beans over your counter so you can look for beans that are broken, discolored, or shriveled and remove them. There will also be small stones or pebbles that should be sorted out of the beans during this phase. Discard all of the undesirable pieces.
- Place beans in a colander. Rinse the beans thoroughly with cool water.
- In a removable insert of a 6-quart slow cooker (or a large 10-inch skillet if your slow cooker does not have a stove-top safe insert) set over medium heat, cook the bacon several minutes, stirring regularly, until bacon starts to brown and renders its fat. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeños and cook until the garlic begins to brown and is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and cook another minute.
- Fit the insert into the slow cooker (or transfer the mixture from the skillet to the slow cooker) and add the beans, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 7 cups of water. Cover and turn the slow cooker to high. Your beans will be done in 3 to 4 hours, though you can hold them for longer.
- When ready to serve, remove 2 cups of the beans and process in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the smooth beans back to pot and stir in the cilantro. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve.
No Slow Cooker?
- Follow the directions for cooking the bacon, onion, garlic, chiles and tomatoes in a medium-large (4- to 6-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven) over medium-high. Add the beans, salt, and 2 ½ quarts water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to medium-low and cook the beans at a gentle simmer, partially covered, until thoroughly tender, about 2 hours. (You’ll find it necessary to add water from time to time to ensure that the level of liquid remains about the same.) Finish the recipe as directed above.
Instructions for Instant Pot:
- Select Sauté on the Instant Pot and follow the directions for cooking the bacon, onion, garlic, and chiles.
- Add tomatoes, beans, salt, and 7 cups water.
- Use “manual” setting for 30 minutes of pressure.
- Allow pressure to naturally release, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
- When ready to serve, remove 2 cups of the beans and process in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the smooth beans back to pot and stir in the cilantro. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Video
Notes
- Soak beans for one hour or overnight.
- Beans can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- The beans can be frozen in small bowls for later use.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
Originally published: February 2019
If I’m doubling the recipe do I need to make it in 2 batches if using my instant pot? Or so you think it will all fit in one cooking?
Thats a great question. I have only made 1 batch using my 6 Quart Instant Pot. If you have a larger Instant Pot I would think its ok to double.