Charro Beans or Frijoles Charros are flavorful Mexican pinto beans cooked in broth with bacon, chiles and spices. Similar to Cowboy Beans, this delicious side dish is made quickly in the Instant Pot!
Whether you call these Mexican beans – Charro Beans, Frijoles a la Charra, Ranchero beans or borracho beans, one thing is certain, this is the best Charro bean recipe hands down!
Charro Beans are an incredibly flavorful and hearty side dish. I love serving these Mexican beans with my favorite carne asada recipe and some tortillas. I must admit, a big bowl of these mouthwatering Mexican pinto beans served with rice or a piece of cornbread is one of the best comfort foods ever!
Why You Should Make This Charro Beans Recipe?
If you are wondering why you should make Charro Beans, here are a few reasons:
- These Mexican beans are budget friendly and can be served as a side dish or a hearty stew.
- Cooking beans in the pressure cooker doesn’t require any soaking so you don’t have to plan ahead! (I always forget to get the beans out the night before anyway!)
- Thanks to the pressure cooker, you can get beans tender in a fraction of the time. Dinner ready faster – you are welcome!
- This Charro Bean recipe is absolutely delicious and one of the best Mexican beans recipe I ever had!
- Our Pinterest followers LOVE them! They are making them and sharing the photos with us!
What are Charro Beans?
Charro Beans is a Mexican style soup made by stewing pinto beans in broth, onions, tomatoes, chiles, bacon and spices until the beans become tender, rich and slightly thick. Some recipes for Mexican Charro Beans call for meats like sausage, ham, beef franks, weenies and/or chorizo.
Why Are They Called Charro Beans?
Charro beans also known as Mexican Cowboy Beans or Frijoles Charros got their name from traditional Mexican cowboys called “charros”. This authentic Mexican bean recipe originated in the Northern parts of Mexico.
What Is The Difference Between Charro Beans And Refried Beans?
Charro beans are cooked in one pot and left whole swimming in their tasty cooking broth. Refried beans are cooked, then smashed and lastly pan fried in lard. These days some people prefer to sauté the smashed beans in very small amounts of oil instead of using lard. Although there’s nothing quite like the taste of good lard.
Charro Beans Ingredients
- Pinto Beans – You don’t have to pre-soak the beans when cooking them in the pressure cooker.
- Bacon – You can use regular or thick cut bacon.
- Onions – You can use brown, yellow or white onions.
- Jalapenos – You can seed and devein the jalapeno if you don’t like any heat. For a spicier dish, don’t remove the veins or use a spicier pepper like serrano pepper.
- Garlic – I use fresh garlic. Garlic paste or granulated garlic can be used.
- Tomatoes – I use canned fire-roasted tomatoes as they give the pinto beans a little bit of a smokey flavor. You can use canned diced tomatoes also.
- Chicken Broth – Use vegetable broth if you prefer. Since this bean recipe has bacon, I use low sodium broth to better control the salt content.
- Cilantro – I use fresh chopped cilantro. If you don’t like the taste, simply skip it!
- Spices – Ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano (I use Mexican dried oregano), ground black pepper.
Pressure Cooker Mexican Beans
Cooking dried beans in an instant pot or pressure cooker is one super convenient. You can make homemade beans in a fraction of the time and you don’t even have to soak the beans!
How To Make Instant Pot Charro Beans
- First, start by turning your instant pot onto saute mode. Add the chopped bacon and cook until crispy (or until your desired doneness).
- Remove the cooked bacon from the pot and place it in a plate lined with paper towels. Drain some of the bacon fat leaving enough to saute the aromatics. Leave as much or as little bacon fat as you want. It’s up to you.
- Add the onions and jalapenos and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds to a minute. If your pressure cooker gets too hot while sauteing the onions, you can always press the warm/cancel button and finish sauteing the garlic with the remaining heat coming form the pot.
- Press the warm/cancel button and stir in the rinsed beans, tomatoes with their juices, broth, water, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, oregano, bacon and cilantro into the instant pot. Now let the instant post do its magic!
- Seal the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. After the cooking is done, let the pressure release naturally. This can take 30 to 40 minutes.
How Long Does It Takes To Cook Beans In an Instant Pot?
I have seen many recipes online that instruct to pressure cook beans for 30 to 35 minutes for “firm beans”. I don’t like my beans firm. I like beans tender and soft yet whole – not mushy or completely broken up. I usually cook no-soaked beans for 40 to 45 minutes. This cooking time always results in perfect beans and I don’t have to re-set the pressure cooker and start all over again!
How Long Does This Mexican Charro Beans Recipe Last In The Fridge?
You can store these homemade beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Can Charro Beans Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze authentic Mexican Charro Beans for up to 3 months. I like to divide the leftover beans into smaller portions (about 1 cup each) and place them into freezer bags or sealed containers. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Charro Beans Tips and Notes
- Before cooking the dried pinto beans, place them in a colander and rinse them well.
- You don’t need to pre-soak your beans before cooking them in the instant pot/pressure cooker.
- Top the beans with sour cream, pickled jalapenos and avocado for a perfectly tasty Mexican side dish!
- These Mexican beans are the perfect side dish to bring to a potluck or cook out!
- These pinto beans can also be made with ham or beef smokies.
- You can make charo beans in a slow cooker or on the stove top.
Take A Look At These Other Mexican Recipes:
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Shrimp Ceviche
- Chile Colorado
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Tequila Lime Chicken
- Potato and Chorizo Hash
- Pomegranate Margarita
- Homemade Corn Tortillas
Mexican Beans Fun Facts
- Mexican Charro Beans are very similar to Borracho Beans, the difference is that Frijoles Borrachos (drunken beans) are cooked in beer while Charro or Frijoles Charros are cooked in broth!
- Charro Beans vs Refried Beans: Both recipes are made with pinto beans. Authentic Refried beans are mashed and refried (or quickly saute) with a bit of lard which gives them a smooth and creamy texture plus lots of flavor!
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Charro Beans (Frijoles Charros)
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- 12 ounces bacon, chopped
- 1 small yellow or white onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced remove the veins if you prefer less heat
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 15-ounces can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
- Salt to taste
Toppings (optional)
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced jalapenos
Instructions
- Place the dried beans in a colander, rinse well, and remove any debris or shriveled beans.
- Set the pressure cooker to saute and cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pressure cooker and place it on a paper towel lined plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat (or leave all the fat, if you prefer).
- Add the onions and jalapenos into the pressure cooker and cook stirring often, for about 2 – 3 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute.
- Press the keep warm/cancel button on the instant pot. Stir in the beans, tomatoes with their juices, broth, water, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, oregano, bacon and cilantro into the instant pot.
- Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally – this will take about 35 to 40 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Video
Chef’s Tips
- I’ve seen other recipes online that ask to cook dried pinto beans for 30 minutes in the pressure cooker however, every time I have cooked the beans for less than 45 minutes, I ended up with beans that are too al dente. 45 minutes of cooking plus releasing the pressure naturally guarantees tender beans.
Nutrition
Michele DelMatto says
Delicious…Best bean recipe I’ve ever made. Always a hit when I take to parties .
Kathy says
Michele, I am so glad you liked these beans. They are a favorite at home too. xo
Pam says
Can you double this recipe in theInstapot. I’m new to using the instpot. My favorite pinto bean recipe.
Kathy says
Yes you can if you have a big enough pot.
Melanie says
Best beans I’ve ever eaten . I love Mexican food the smoked flavor cant be beat
Kathy says
Hi Melanie, thank you. I am so happy to hear you liked the beans. Thanks again xo
Tracey says
Do you think I could make this recipe into refried beans?
Kathy says
Hi Tracey, You could but keep in mind that you have bacon so the refried beans wont have a completely smooth texture. xo
Rach says
This is my favorite bean recipe! So easy and very flavorful. Thank you so much for sharing!! I followed this recipe to a T, pressure cooked on high in my 8 qt Instant Pot and I let the pressure release naturally and the texture is perfect for me every time!
Kathy says
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that you liked it.
Rach says
We love it so much that I make it every week lol. I have accidentally used Mexican Rotel with Green Chiles instead of the Fire Roasted Tomatoes, and it makes them spicy but we loved it!
Kathy says
Hi Rach! I have done that if I am out of roasted tomatoes. It works!:) Thank you xo
Mary Maib says
This recipe is one of our favorites and these are a staple in our freezer. I did find that 45 minutes was way too long. 25 to 30 minutes make the beans perfect. This seems to be a recurring comment.
Carol says
Thank you this was easy to make and delicious
Kathy says
Thank you!
Sue S says
I made this recipe in my Instant Pot using Salvadoran small red beans, cooking time 40 minutes. The beans were a little softer than I would like (depends on bean quality), but loved the blend of flavors. Will definitely use this recipe again and reduce the time to 35 minutes.
Kathy says
Hi Sue! It definitely depends on the bean! Glad you enjoyed it.
Cindy D says
So easy and delicious just as the recipe was written. Wow is a good word to describe this dish.
Kathy says
Hi Cindy! Thank you for the feedback! We love them too!
Georgia says
My family of 10 loves this recipe! This is the only bean recipe I use. It beat out a popular southern magazines recipe. We love to use this recipe when we have TexMex and also when we have Cajun food. (LA girl here living in TX) These go great over rice with some sausage on the side.
Kathy says
Thank you so much for the feedback. You made my day! So glad you and your family love this recipe as much as we do (L.A girl here living in AL) 😉
TaniaP says
Great flavor but my beans were not soft and needed more time. I am new to pressure cooking but I followed directions. Subbed serrano pepper and did leave out the bacon because I did not have on hand. Maybe that had something to do with it? Used Instant Pot Dual Evo Plus model.
Kathy says
Hi Tania, The bacon/chiles would not affect the dish. I received a comment before saying the beans were too soft and overcooked. Honestly sometimes I think it may be the bean quality – although I would not know exactly how to choose the right bean. I just buy packaged beans at any market. I am sorry your beans turned a bit tough.
Tracye says
I too had to cook mine a bit longer. I have the same Instapot and find 55 min with natural release is just perfect. These area wonderful on a cool night.
Kathy says
Thanks Tracye! I am starting to think that the quality of the bean has something to do with cooking times. I had a couple of readers telling me with my cooking time their beans were too soft. I make this recipe all the time and sometimes I feel the beans could have used a couple of extra minutes, while other times they are perfect. Any less time though and I think they are too al dente. I don’t like crunchy beans lol.
Thanks for the feedback!