Easy Charro Beans Recipe for Tex-Mex Lovers

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Having lived in Texas about my whole life, we love our Tex-Mex food. When we used to go out to eat, we would always be prompted “refried or charro beans?” For the longest time, I always ordered refried beans. I find it yummy on a chip, it’s not my favorite due to texture and it’s not very health conscious considering it is typically fried after being blended. The only other option being a double side of rice or charro beans.

Having little to no idea of how to even say it, since I can’t roll my R’s, I also had no idea of what it was. You can say it by pronouncing it simply: Char-row, but my Spanish speaking friends will likely tease me about it still. When I asked my husband about what it was, he briefly described it as a “bean soup”. Now that description completely undersells how delicious it is, but it gives an idea as to the consistency.

The times I have had it in the restaurant, while I love the broth, the beans were not the texture I prefer. I prefer my food to taste fresh and not have the texture of baby food. Knowing that Tex-Mex foods are a family favorite, and because I wanted to save money, I knew I wanted to make it myself.

What Are Charro Beans

So, what are Charro Beans? Charro beans or Frijoles Charros is Spanish for “cowboy beans”, which gives a lens for some of the flavors. Using pinto beans and then adding bacon, onions, garlic, and tomatoes gives a very the “chilli” flavor vibe that is associated with “cowboys”. We also add some cilantro for freshness, beef broth, and a Mexican beer gives a new depth of flavor. If you like it a little spicy, you can also add some spicy green peppers for an added kick!

Why do we love it? This charro bean recipe is intended to be a family friendly option that is easy to make, that is not too spicy, and can be canned for 12 months (if it lasts that long!). Looking to make it more authentic and fresher? Add some fresh jalapeños or serranos and fresh tomatoes instead!

It is also relatively cheap and affordable for a side dish. You can expect to pay $4.50 for the pound of bacon, $1 for each can of peppers and tomatoes, and a few other bucks for the beans and seasonings. If you are able to grow some of your own produce, you can pay even less for the $10 for 12 sides is going to be much cheaper than anything else you can get at the store!

Before I started canning, I would make charro beans for family gatherings where we might have BBQ or grilled Mexican food, like fajitas. When my father-in-law, who grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, said I was a “good woman” for having included beer and bacon in the soup, I knew I was onto something.

How we use it: Naturally given the flavors, it works great as any side for any Mexican dish. We go through at least a jar every week, sometimes twice. In addition, to a side dish for fajitas, we also add it to burritos and nachos. These beans are not mushy and retain a lot of texture. The finished texture should not be overly soft (even after canning). Be sure to see the tweaks to ensure you do not have crunchy beans if eating them fresh!

So how do we make this adaptable side dish that works so great for a southwest inspired meal? Below we will see how to make the recipe as is for a meal or for canning. I do use an Instant Pot to limit the number of dishes, but you can use separate pots/pans if you don’t have one. Also, this meal works well if you want to halve it to make it more friendly if you don’t intend on canning. See below for other tweaks and adjustments you can make.

Step 1: Getting Equipment Ready

Get your supplies ready. In this recipe I do use an Instant Pot because I can cook everything in one pot and with the timing features it comes in handy. However you can also use a slow cooker and a pan or skillet to get the same effect. Just note that timing is based on an Instant Pot.

Step 2: Cooking Bacon

The first thing that you will need to do is to cook your bacon. Bacon is really what gives this a lot of flavor. I like to chop it up before cooking it so that way there is more surface area so we can get all of that delicious bacon fat into the soup.

If you are using an Instant Pot, I recommend you use the Saute feature or if you’re using a pan, make sure you heat it over medium-high heat. Add your bacon and then you can start getting the rest of your ingredients ready.

Step 3: Adding the Vegetables

As the bacon is cooking, stir every so often to ensure that it is not burning. Then you can get the rest of your veggies ready to go.

Chop up your onions. We use two medium yellow onions, but you can use whatever you have. Red onions may give a stronger taste, so just keep that in mind if you are not using sweet, yellow or white onions.

Chop up your tomatoes. If you have fresh tasty tomatoes, those will be best, but if you do not like the taste of store bought tomatoes, or if you find a great deal on canned tomatoes, those will work great! I find that a 14.5 ounce can works great for subbing in instead of fresh tomatoes. Also you can find them with added garlic, fire roasted or more! Use what you like!

This recipe does call for quite a good bit of garlic, there is no such thing as too much in my house! We do use the pre-peeled garlic because it is much easier than peeling them all. Also remember, the smaller the pieces of garlic, the more flavor it will impart. So if you love garlic flavor, then you can even grate (I use a microplane) the garlic. Alternatively, you can chop it up if you want a more subtle taste.

While there is not a lot of prep if you are using the canned hot and mild peppers, if you happen to have fresh jalapenos or serrano peppers, these can be a delicious addition. If you are using fresh I would use 3-4 of your desired hot peppers and either 1 bell pepper or about equal volume of sweet/mild peppers. If you happen to like your food spicy, just use all hot peppers!

Once you have everything prepped, and the bacon is cooked and most of the fat is rendered out, you can add your onions. I like to add these first and cook them until they are just beginning to cook down (about 3-5 minutes). Then I’ll add the tomatoes and garlic. Then turn off the heat.

Step 4: Combining Beans

After all of the vegetables and bacon have combined, the next step will be to add your beans. We are using 2 lbs of pinto beans here and before you add them to your pot, be sure you filter through them to ensure there are no rocks or debris in the bag. Also, you might think about rinsing them quickly to ensure that anything else may be washed away. Once this is all done, add them to your pot and ensure everything is mixed together.

Step 5: Slow Cooking Overnight

After everything is mixed together, the hard part is over. To give it a good flavor, I recommend using a beef stock whether that be home made or by adding hot water and granulated bullion. Make sure the beans are covered, you may have to add additional stock if it doesn’t cover, and leave at least 1″ from the top. Use your slow cooker function on your Instant Pot or any form of slow cooker to cook for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Step 6: Adding Beer and Cilantro

After you have cooked everything for at least 8 hours, add two bottles of beer and one bunch of cilantro chopped. I like to use Dos Equis beer, but any light Mexican beer will do the job. This will add the signature brightness to the meal along with some fresh earthy taste with the cilantro. If you are not a fan of cilantro, then you can sub parsley instead. Let this cook for at least another hour to ensure that the alcohol has a chance to cook off and meld with the flavors.

At this point you can also add any other seasonings, spices, to the charro beans to ensure it is the flavor your like. The beans themselves will be crunchy and no where close to being done, which is perfect for canning. If you are looking for tips to eat them right away, look at the recipe below for tweaks to make this recipe in your next meal!

Step 7: Canning

Prepare for canning. While flavors are melding together, this a great time to ensure your jars are sanitized, you have your lids heated up (if needed), you have your jar lifters, and your canner is ready to go.

Once the flavors are where you want them to be, carefully ladle the beans and broth into the jars leaving at least 1.25″ headspace. Wipe down the rims of the jars with vinegar and then carefully place the lids on and tighten to fingertip tightness with the rings.

Place the jars in your canner with enough water based on your manufacturer’s recommendations. Bring heat up until steam comes out of vent. Let it steam for 10 minutes and then place the weight on for your canner. Maintaining proper pressure, you will want to pressure can them for 75 minutes for pint size jar. If you decided to make quarts, you will want to can them for 90 minutes. Please be sure to adjust for your elevation (see this chart for more details!) and add any additional time.

Once they are done cooking, let the pressure canner naturally lower pressure and then take jars out of the canner. Be sure to let sit from 12-24 hours and remove rings. To test the seal, carefully lift the jar by the lid and if it does not slip, it has successfully sealed. Then it can be stored in a cool dry location for up to 12 months.

With the overall cost being roughly $10-$12 for approximately 12 pints, or 36 servings, this can be an affordable homesteading side dish. If you are able to use more fresh ingredients such as fresh peppers, tomatoes, and home made beef stock, you can expect the overall cost of the meal to go down even further! Be sure you check out our other post on how to save with homesteading by going to our post Budget-Friendly Homesteading: Save More in the Kitchen.

Charro beans may seem daunting at first, but it is a staple canned food in our home. If you are interested in trying it out first, halve the recipe below and use a pressure cooker feature on your Instant Pot. This charro bean recipe can be used to bring a Tex-Mex flair to any family gathering. By using the pressure canner to keep it around, you can always have a side dish ready for your next fiesta!

Charro Beans Recipe

Have you made this or tried it? At a restaurant or made it at home? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think! Sign up for our newsletter if you are interested in seeing more recipes!