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Charro Beans are pinto beans slow cooked overnight with bacon, jalapeños, onion, and salsa until they’re tender in a rich, smoky broth. Just dump everything in the crock pot before bed and wake up to the most amazing smell. They’re famous in our house and the best side for all your favorite Mexican meals.
More Homemade Bean Recipes: Mexican Black Beans | Cowboy Beans | Slow Cooker Baked Beans
Before You Get Started
This is about as hands-off as cooking gets, but a few simple things make the difference between creamy, flavorful beans and a pot that’s firm or bland.
- Keep the beans fully covered — Dried beans soak up a lot of water as they cook. Check once or twice and add hot water if the tops peek out, so they soften evenly and don’t scorch.
- Use fresh dried beans — Beans that have sat in the pantry for a year or more can stay firm no matter how long they cook. Use a newer bag for the creamiest results.
- Salt early, then taste again — Beans are bland on their own. Salt at the start seasons them all the way through, and a final taste before serving brings out the flavor.
RECIPE OVERVIEW
How to Make Slow Cooker Charro Beans
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Charro beans, or frijoles charros, are pinto beans simmered with bacon, chiles, and tomato until they’re tender in a savory broth. My slow cooker version is a true dump-and-go recipe. The beans go in dry, and the slow cooker does the rest.
1. Rinse and Sort the Beans
Pour the dried pinto beans into a colander and rinse them well with cold water. Pick through them for any small rocks or broken, shriveled beans.
There’s no need to soak them first. The long, slow cook softens the beans all on its own.
2. Load the Slow Cooker
Add the beans to the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, then add the salsa, bacon, jalapeños, onion, garlic, Caldo de Tomate, and salt. Pour in enough water to cover the beans completely and give everything a stir. A pound of beans fills a 6-quart slow cooker, so cut the recipe in half for anything smaller.
The bacon can go in raw to save time. If you have a few extra minutes, cook it in a skillet first to render some of the fat. It doesn’t need to get crispy, but you’ll get a richer, smokier flavor. The onion can go in raw too, since it softens completely during the long cook.
Pace for classic flavor: I don’t always recommend specific brands, but to get the flavor we love, I highly recommend Pace Picante Sauce. Any salsa you like will still work.
Look for Caldo de Tomate in the Hispanic foods aisle. Caldo de Tomate is a powdered tomato bouillon that gives the broth its savory tomato flavor. If you can’t find it, use chicken bouillon and a little tomato paste. You’ll use the jar again in my Arroz con Pollo and Red Chicken Pozole.
Cut the jalapeños big for picky eaters: Larger slices of jalapeño and onion are easy to pick out before serving. Leave the seeds in or use hot Pace if you want more heat.
3. Cook Low and Slow
Cover and cook on LOW for 12 to 14 hours. I usually put them in the slow cooker the night before and let them cook until dinner the next day.
Yes, that’s almost 20 hours! I’ll test them in the afternoon, and if they’re plenty soft, I switch the slow cooker to warm until dinnertime.
Check the water once before you go to bed and again in the morning. If the beans are peeking above the liquid, add hot water so they keep cooking evenly. Hot water keeps the slow cooker from losing heat the way cold water would.
The long cook turns the liquid into a rich broth that thickens as the beans sit. Trust me, when you walk through the door or get up in the morning, you’ll be met with the most amazing smell.
4. Taste, Season and Serve
The beans are done when they’re creamy all the way through and the skins are tender. Squeeze one between your fingers. It should mash easily with no chalky center.
Taste and add more salt. Beans usually need more than you’d expect. A few squeezes of lime juice add a nice tangy bite.
If you like them thicker, drain off some of the liquid or mash a cup of beans against the side of the slow cooker and stir it back in. For a brothier side, serve them with a slotted spoon, or ladle them into bowls with plenty of broth. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a few jalapeño slices.
- Leftovers make the best Homemade Refried Beans. Just mash and fry them in a skillet.
Swap the bacon if you like: A leftover ham bone, diced ham, or fully cooked chorizo all work in place of the bacon.
Add a splash of beer for borracho beans: Swap a cup of the water for a light Mexican beer and you’ve got borracho, or “drunken,” beans. Keep in mind that beer in a slow cooker keeps more of its alcohol than it would on the stove.
Stovetop Charro Beans
Short on time or don’t have a slow cooker? The beans cook in about an hour on the stove if you soak them first.
- Soak the beans. Place the picked-through beans in a large pot or bowl and cover with water by 2 to 3 inches. Soak for 6 to 8 hours, then drain.
- Cook the bacon and aromatics. In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat, then remove it and pour off most of the grease. Sauté the onion, jalapeño, and garlic in the remaining drippings until softened.
- Simmer. Add the beans, bacon, salsa, Caldo de Tomate, and salt, and stir to coat. Pour in enough water to cover the beans by 2 to 3 inches. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour, until the beans are tender.
If you forgot to soak the beans, skip step 1 and plan on simmering for 2 to 3 hours instead. Add more water as needed to keep them covered.
Charro Beans with Canned Beans
For the quickest version, use 3 (15-ounce) cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed, and 1 ½ cups of vegetable broth. Follow the stovetop steps, skipping the soak and the water, and simmer for about 25 minutes. Mash a few beans against the side of the pot if you want a thicker broth.
What to Serve with Charro Beans
Charro beans and Authentic Mexican Rice are a classic pair for just about any Mexican meal. Spoon the beans into warm Homemade Flour Tortillas, spread them over Baked Tostadas, or ladle them over rice with cheese and sour cream for an easy lunch bowl. Pinto beans are low in fat and high in protein, so they’re satisfying all on their own.
Here are a few of our favorite mains to serve them with:
Or you can go really crazy and just stand over a big bowl of beans with a bag of tortilla chips for dipping!
If taco night is a regular thing at your house, my Taco Night Ideas collection has the tacos, toppings, and sides to go with these beans, like grilled shrimp tacos, guacamole, and street corn salad.
Storage Tips
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers: Let the beans cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
Reheat with a splash of water: The beans thicken as they chill, so stir in a little water or broth as you reheat them in the microwave, in a saucepan on the stove, or in your slow cooker.
Freeze in portions: This recipe makes a lot, so it’s perfect for freezing. Portion the cooled beans into airtight freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat smaller portions on the stove and larger batches in the slow cooker.
- Make them ahead for a crowd: Cook the beans a day early and refrigerate. Reheat them in the slow cooker and keep them on the warm setting for easy serving at a party or buffet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my beans still hard after 12 hours?
Older dried beans are the most common cause. Beans that have sat in the pantry a long time lose moisture and may never fully soften. Hard water and slow cookers that run cool can also slow things down, and so can lifting the lid often.
Keep cooking, make sure the beans stay covered with hot water, and switch to high for an hour or two if you need to speed things up. Don’t worry about the salsa, though. The beans have plenty of time to soften with it in the pot.
Can I cook charro beans on high?
Yes, but low gives you the creamiest beans and the richest broth. On high, plan on about 6 to 8 hours, and check the water more often since it cooks off faster. Start testing a few beans at the 6-hour mark.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Use an 8-quart slow cooker for 2 pounds of beans, and add enough water to keep them fully covered. A fuller slow cooker takes longer to heat through, so plan on 14 to 16 hours on low and start checking for tenderness at 12 hours. Starting them in the evening the night before gives you plenty of cushion.
More Slow Cooker Mexican Favorites
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos
- Slow Cooker Red Chile Beef
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
- Slow Cooker Chicken Ranch Tacos
Slow Cooker Charro Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans rinsed and picked through
- 1 cup Pace Picante Sauce or other salsa
- 6 slices bacon raw or lightly cooked
- 2 jalapenos seeded and sliced
- 1/2 cup diced onion about half of 1 small onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2-3 cloves
- 1 tablespoon Caldo de Tomate tomato bouillon
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 5-6 cups water (enough to cover the beans completely)
- Optional for garnish: fresh cilantro and extra sliced jalapeño
Instructions
- Rinse the beans: Rinse the dried pinto beans in a colander with cold water and pick out any small rocks or broken beans.
- Fill the slow cooker: Add the beans, salsa, bacon, jalapeños, onion, garlic, Caldo de Tomate, and salt to the slow cooker. Pour in 5-6 cups of water, or as much as needed to cover the beans completely, and stir.
- Cook on low: Cover and cook on LOW for 12 hours, or until the beans are creamy and soft. Slow cookers vary, so cook times can too. Check once or twice and add hot water if the beans peek above the liquid.
- Season and serve: Taste and add more salt as needed. Garnish with cilantro and sliced jalapeño, if desired.
Notes
- Bacon: Add it raw if you’re short on time. For more flavor, cook it in a skillet first just to render some fat. It doesn’t need to be crispy. Ham, a ham bone, or fully cooked chorizo also work.
- Caldo de Tomate: Find it in the Hispanic foods aisle. Substitute chicken bouillon plus a little tomato paste.
- Onion: For a milder flavor, sauté the diced onion in olive oil or butter for a few minutes just to soften. Don’t brown it.
- Stovetop: Soak the beans 6-8 hours and drain. Cook the bacon in a large pot, then sauté the onion, jalapeño, and garlic in the drippings. Add the remaining ingredients, cover with water by 2-3 inches, and simmer uncovered 45 minutes to 1 hour. Unsoaked beans take 2-3 hours.
- Canned beans: Use 3 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed, and 1 ½ cups vegetable broth in place of the dried beans and water. Simmer on the stove about 25 minutes.
- Doubling: Use an 8-quart slow cooker and plan on 14-16 hours on low, checking at 12 hours.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. Add a splash of water when reheating.
- Nutrition: Nutritional information is approximate and based on 10 servings of about ½ to ¾ cup.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Hello Kristen,
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ve been cooking pintos in a slow cooker for, well years! Sometimes salt soaking them, sometimes just plain water. I was a bit concerned with the long cooking time, unnecessarily!
To my surprise the beans didn’t fall apart or the skins split. I doubled the recipe in my 8qt slow cooker the second batch as we plowed right through the first pound.
Second batch, used up the ham bone from the holiday ham instead of the bacon, just as tasty! Thank you again-
You are so welcome Alison! Fantastic feedback, thank you for stopping by.
I need to cook beans for large crowd if I doubled the recipe like you did 2 pounds of dry pinto beans, will the cooking time of 12 hours be the same?
Kristin, I have made a lot of Mexican Beans. Your recipe is divine. This recipe is one I will come back to again and again. It has the perfect blend of with the jalapenos, garlic, picante sauce and onions. This bean dish is the ultimate comfort food! Thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome Cryssy! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with us.
Hi! These beans are beyond delicious!!! It was too late to use crockpot when I decided to try this recipe so I cooked them on the stove. I didn’t have Caldo de tomate, so left it out; no bacon, so I used diced ham steak, otherwise followed the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, as it is definitely a keeper! Sooo good❤️
Sounds like you made some great substitutions. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
are there no amounts to use of each ingredient ?
Scroll to the recipe card where you’ll find all of the information you need.
Ok, I followed the recipe, let it cook over night,. Tried it early this morning, however I noticed I had to add more water lastnight, not sure if anyone else had to do the same a few hours in or if I didn’t need to do that, I original used about 5-6 cups of water which just covered beans and everything , I’d say about one knuckle on your finger over the beans, I added more water later because the water was down and I didn’t want the beans to burn overnight, even on low. I think I may have diluted the flavor a bit because of that, but it’s still good, and I woke up to my house smelling amazing lol. Thanks .
You did good! You do have to watch and make sure the water doesn’t get all soaked up. I have had times where’s its been enough, and times when I’ve had to add more. So glad you enjoyed them – they are famous in our house!
I made this recipe and substituted chicken bouillon since I didn’t have the tomato bouillon. Delicious!!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Chris.
Just curious … I’m wondering if I should add the salsa once the beans are almost done since the acid in tomatoes can cause a tough bean ?
Nope! Make just as directed. The beans will be nice and soft if you give them adequate time to cook.
Just woke up to these and they are some of the best beans I’ve ever had! I used medium Pace Picante sauce although I was tempted to try the hot, and left the jalapenos and onion in large slices to be removed because I have a picky eater that can take too much spice in the house, and I’m still so impressed with the great flavors of this. Nice heat, but not too much. I’m looking forward to trying your Mexican rice recipe tonight — we are making burritos!
This one is near and dear to me and a real family favorite, so I appreciate your kind words so much!