Charro Beans

overhead view of cast iron skillet filled with cowboy beans and serving spoon

5 from 2 votes

Charro beans are a fabulously flavorful side dish made of pinto beans simmered with bacon, peppers, tomatoes, and spices.

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Kid Friendly Side Dishes

Cuisine: Latin American

Servings: servings

Calories: 126kcal

Author: Jenni

Ingredients

2 15 ounce cans pinto beans rinsed and drained
8 slices applewood smoked bacon
1 yellow onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
3 garlic cloves minced
15 ounce fire roasted tomatoes
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

Dice the bacon.
Heat a large braiser or skillet over medium heat.
Place the bacon into the heated skillet and allow to cook to almost crispy, stirring frequently. Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.
To the pan with the bacon grease, add the diced onion and diced pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for four minutes.
Add in the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until it becomes fragrant.
Add in the drained and rinsed beans, fire roasted tomatoes, broth, cooked bacon, brown sugar, and spices.
Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 20-30 minutes, until flavorful and bubbling.
Top with chopped cilantro, and serve.

Notes

To Store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To Reheat: Reheat servings individually in the microwave for your convenience.

A note on peppers: I suggest using a green bell pepper if you are serving kids who don’t handle a lot of heat well. If you want to start introducing more pepper varieties to them, you can also use a milder pepper like a hatch chili pepper or a poblano pepper. If you want more heat, you can use one seeded jalapeno diced finely.

Nutrition