Print

Charro Beans Recipe (Ranchero Beans) Recipe

Charro Beans Recipe (Ranchero Beans) Recipe
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5.1 from 29 reviews

Charro Beans, also known as Ranchero Beans, are a traditional Mexican dish featuring pinto beans simmered with crispy bacon, aromatic onions, jalapeños, garlic, tomatoes, and spices. This recipe offers versatile cooking methods including stovetop, Instant Pot, and slow cooker, yielding hearty, flavorful beans perfect as a side dish or a main when topped with fresh cilantro and sliced jalapeños.

Ingredients

Scale

Beans and Broth

  • 1 pound dried pinto beans
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water

Meat and Vegetables

  • 12 ounces bacon, chopped
  • 1 small yellow or white onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (devein for less heat if preferred)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

Spices and Herbs

  • 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes with juice (or diced tomatoes)
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • Salt to taste

Optional Toppings

  • Chopped cilantro
  • Sliced jalapenos

Instructions

  1. Soak the Beans: Place the dried pinto beans in a large bowl and cover completely with water. Soak for 6 hours or overnight. Drain, rinse, and sort through to remove debris or shriveled beans. Set aside. (This step can be skipped when using Instant Pot or slow cooker.)
  2. Cook the Bacon: In a large pot, Dutch oven, Instant Pot (sauté mode), or skillet, cook the chopped bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Leave 2-3 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.
  3. Sauté Aromatics: Using the same pot with bacon grease, add the chopped onions and minced jalapeño peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes until onions are translucent and tender. Add garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add Beans and Liquids: Return cooked bacon to the pot. Add soaked and drained beans, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking that beans remain covered with liquid. Add hot water if needed.
  5. Add Tomatoes and Spices: Uncover the pot. Stir in fire-roasted tomatoes with their juice, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, oregano, and chopped cilantro.
  6. Simmer to Tenderness: Continue cooking uncovered over medium heat for another 30 minutes or until beans are completely tender and broth thickens slightly. Adjust salt to taste.
  7. Serve: Garnish with additional chopped cilantro and sliced jalapeños if desired. Serve hot.
  1. Instant Pot Preparation: Rinse beans and remove debris. No soaking necessary. Turn Instant Pot to sauté mode and cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and leave 2-3 tablespoons bacon grease in pot. Sauté onions and jalapeños until translucent. Add garlic and cook briefly. Cancel sauté mode.
  2. Add Ingredients to Instant Pot: Stir in rinsed beans, tomatoes with juices, chicken broth, water, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, oregano, bacon, and cilantro. Scrape bottom to deglaze.
  3. Pressure Cook: Close lid, set to high pressure, and cook for 45 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before opening. Season with salt to taste and garnish as desired.
  1. Slow Cooker Preparation: Rinse beans and remove debris. No soaking necessary. Cook bacon until crispy in a skillet. Remove bacon and drain grease, leaving 2-3 tablespoons. Sauté onions and jalapeños in bacon grease until onions are tender and translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
  2. Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer sautéed onions, chiles, and garlic to slow cooker. Add rinsed beans, tomatoes with juices, chicken broth, water, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, oregano, and bacon.
  3. Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until beans are tender, checking liquid levels and adding hot water if necessary.
  4. Finish and Serve: Stir in fresh cilantro and cook on high for 15 minutes or low for 30 minutes. Adjust salt to taste. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sliced jalapeños.

Notes

  • Soaking beans reduces cooking time but is not required for Instant Pot or slow cooker methods.
  • Adjust jalapeño quantity and remove seeds to control heat level.
  • Use fire-roasted tomatoes for added smoky flavor, but regular diced tomatoes work well too.
  • Keep an eye on liquid levels during stovetop and slow cooker cooking to prevent drying out.
  • Can be served as a side dish or as a main dish with tortillas or rice.
  • For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and substitute with vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: charro beans, ranchero beans, pinto beans recipe, Mexican beans, bacon beans, Instant Pot beans, slow cooker beans

Find it online: https://todayquickmeals.com/charro-beans-recipe-ranchero-beans-recipe/