Frijoles Charros
Brothy pinto beans with bacon, chorizo, and tomato.
Ingredients
- 2 tin Pinto beans
- 100 g Bacon
- 150 g Mexican chorizo
- 2 Tomato
- 1 Onion
- 3 cloves Garlic
- ¾ tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Cilantro (optional)
Method
- Dice the bacon, tomato, onion, and garlic.
- Render the bacon and chorizo in a pot, then soften the onion, garlic, and tomato in the fat, about 8 minutes.
- Add the beans with their liquid and a splash of water and simmer brothy, about 13 minutes.
- Scatter cilantro and serve.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Frijoles Charros
Frijoles Charros — literally "cowboy beans" — is a brothy Mexican pot of pinto beans enriched with bacon, chorizo, tomato, and aromatics. Named for the charros, Mexico's traditional horsemen, it's ranch food at heart: hearty, smoky, and built to feed a working table. Unlike thick refried beans, this is a soupy dish, the beans suspended in a savory broth flavored by everything rendered and simmered into it. Bacon and Mexican chorizo give it a deep, meaty, faintly spiced backbone, while tomato adds body and a little brightness and fresh cilantro lifts the finish.
The method is all about layering fat and flavor: rendering the bacon and chorizo first, then softening onion, garlic, and tomato in the rendered fat so those aromatics soak up the smoky drippings before the beans go in. Simmering the beans in their own liquid with a splash of water keeps it loose and brothy rather than stodgy. High in protein and fiber, it works as a soup course, a substantial side to grilled meats, or a meal in a bowl with warm tortillas. It's the classic companion to carne asada and a cold beer, and it reheats beautifully as the flavors deepen overnight.
Frijoles Charros: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Frijoles Charros?
A serving has about 411 calories — 20.2g protein, 38.9g carbs, 20.5g fat, 12.2g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Frijoles Charros gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Frijoles Charros has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Frijoles Charros take to make?
About 30 minutes start to finish, but only around 16 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Frijoles Charros?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out cilantro — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Frijoles Charros make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.