These Low Calorie Charro Beans is a hearty side to accompany your Mexican dinner night. Made easy with canned pinto beans, onion, bacon and spices to make them extra flavorful and delicious.
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Check out my Low Calorie Pinto Beans and my Low Carb Corn Tortillas for more delicious recipes!
These low calorie charro beans are made easy with canned beans and is a perfect way to use some pantry staples!
All the ingredients for these beans are available at any grocery store and won’t break the budget.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Excellent side to go along with any type of grilled meat or tacos.
- This recipe is hearty, filling and perfectly enjoyed on their own.
- Highly flavorful, versatile and budget friendly.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Bacon: You can use regular or thick cut bacon.
- Ham: Use leftover ham for this delicious side or main dish recipe.
- Salsa: Mixture of chopped tomatoes and onions, cilantro, fresh chiles, lime juice, and salt.
- Pinto Beans: Canned beans make this recipe a cinch.
- Onion: You can use yellow or white onions.
- Salt: Adjust to taste.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a large skillet, fry bacon with ham until bacon is fully cooked. Add salsa and sauté for approximately 1 minute.
Step 2: Transfer the bacon and ham mixture to a large pot and add the beans and onions. Simmer for 15-30 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Step 3: Add small amounts of water to the beans, until the desired soupiness is achieved.
NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!
Expert Tips
- Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce is too thick, or you prefer the beans to be soupier.
- Omit any meats if you prefer a vegetarian bean dish.
- Use your favorite type of bacon. Applewood smoked is one of my favorites.
Variations
- Make charro beans in the slow cooker! Once the bacon and ham are fried, transfer all the ingredients to the slow cooker and simmer for several hours, adding additional water as needed.
- Chop up a jalapeño and add it to the beans while they simmer.
- Add more spices! Garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and cumin are favorites.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Store cooled beans in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Freezing: Place cooled beans in a freezer safe airtight container or zip top bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw beans overnight in the refrigerator and heat through on the stove top.
Recipe FAQ's
Charro beans (frijoles charros) are a popular Mexican dish consisting of pinto beans in a flavored broth with other types of meat (chorizo, bacon, ham), chili peppers, tomatoes, and spices.
Borracho beans and charro beans are very similar, however, borracho beans are cooked in beer.
More Recipes You'll Love
Low Calorie Charro Beans
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 cup diced cooked ham
- 16 ounces salsa
- 30 ounces canned pinto beans undrained
- 1 medium onion peeled and diced
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, fry bacon with ham, until bacon is fully cooked. Add salsa and sauté for approximately 1 minute.
- Transfer the bacon and ham mixture to a large pot and add the beans and onions. Simmer for 15-30 minutes.
- Add teaspoons of water as needed until the desired soupiness is achieved. Add salt to taste.
Notes
- Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce is too thick, or you prefer the beans to be soupier.
- Omit any meats if you prefer a vegetarian bean dish
Use your favorite type of bacon. Applewood smoked is one of my favorites. - Storing: Store cooled beans in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing: Place cooled beans in a freezer safe airtight container or zip top bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw beans overnight in the refrigerator and heat through on the stove top.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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