Forget tacos and celebrate Cinco de Mayo with some Charro Beans (Frijoles Charros) cooked in the Instant Pot and served alongside some carne asada, grilled Mexican street corn, fresh tortillas, and horchata for a delicious and culturally authentic Mexican food experience at home!
Charro Beans (Frijoles Charros)
I have had a major love of Mexican food ever since I was little and started requesting my mom’s homemade shredded beef chimichangas every year for my birthday dinner. My first job was at a Mexican restaurant, and I cook Mexican food more often than almost any other cuisine at our house.
That’s in part because both of our daughters have a fairly significant portion of their genetic make-up that is hispanic. I’ve mentioned before that our family was built through adoption. A few years ago we did dna testing on all of us to find out our genetic backgrounds and the results were so fascinating that I got inspired to start exploring some of the foods of cultures that we come from as a way of building a shared family history and embracing our past.
Along those lines I have made grilled chicken shawarma wraps from the Middle East, Dublin coddle (and many other recipes) from Ireland, sauerkraut & sausages from Germany, and many other Mexican dishes. I don’t always bring it up, but chances are, when I’m attempting something and striving for authenticity in the recipe, I’m thinking of one of our heritages in the process and using food to connect us to our past.
I just love how food can help us understand and explore the world like that! Incidentally, I highly recommend dna testing for anyone through a service like ancestry.com or 23andme.com. I’m not being sponsored or using affiliate links for those sites, it’s just something that I’m super glad we did and think everybody would enjoy learning more about themselves.
So although I would like to claim that this is an authentic Mexican charro beans recipe, I acknowledge that I’m just a mom doing her best to create connections and foster a sense of identity for her daughters by attempting to cook and use flavors from a cuisine that isn’t necessarily my own personal background. Fortunately, there are lots of resources both on and offline to help me in my quest for authenticity.
Why do Americans Celebrate Cinco de Mayo?
I promise to get to the recipe (you can always use the “jump to recipe” buttons at the top of each post to go straight there if you ever feel like it) but the nerd in me has questions that needed answering first! Like why do we celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the United States?
Most Americans think Cinco de Mayo is celebrating Mexican Independence Day, but that is actually the 16th of September, not May 5th! Cinco de Mayo is actually very much a true Mexican-American holiday!
While you can read even more detail about it here, the real reason for Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the United States goes back to the American Civil War and a concurrent conflict in 1862 in Mexico with the French! On May 5, 1862 in Puebla, Mexico a battle occurred between the outnumbered Mexican army and the reputedly superior French forces in a larger conflict that lasted for years. See, Mexico had borrowed heavily from France in previous years and France had sent troops to Mexico to reclaim it, while really seeking to expand France’s influence and give them a foothold in Mexico to support the Confederate Army in the U.S., which France knew would mean a weaker, divided U.S.A. and more opportunities for French control.
Had France won the Battle of Puebla, it would have had a chance to help the Confederacy in the American Civil War, which they seemed to be winning. Instead, Mexico’s victory became a turning point by holding off France, giving the Union forces a chance to make advances that ultimately saved the United States.
Cinco de Mayo was actually first celebrated by Latinos in California in 1863, the year following the battle, with parades, people dressed in Civil War uniforms and speeches about how the Battle of Puebla fit in with the larger narrative of the abolition of slavery. But it eventually became more of a celebration of Mexican identity and we continue to celebrate it much like we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S.A. – with the emphasis on food, culture, and traditions of the originating country but with very little historical knowledge of the significance of the date.
What are Charro Beans?
Charro beans, also known as frijoles charros or “cowboy beans”, got their name from the Mexican cowboys who ate them. They are a traditional Mexican side dish that seem to have originated in Northern Mexico and are made by cooking dried pinto beans long and slow until soft, but not mushy, with ingredients like onion, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, and meat (usually bacon, but occasionally ham, sausage, and chorizo).
There is a variation on charro beans known as borrachos beans, which is essentially the same recipe, just with Mexican beer added to the charro beans (borracho means “drunk” in Spanish).
How to Make Pressure Cooker Charro Beans
While you could absolutely make this easy charro beans recipe in a slow cooker or on the stovetop by adding a little extra water and soaking the beans overnight beforehand, I really wanted to use my Instant Pot for them so I didn’t have to plan ahead.
I got my Instant Pot a couple of months ago and have been experimenting with it here and there, with varying degrees of success. But this is the first pressure cooker recipe that I feel ready to share here on the blog since cooking pinto beans in the pressure cooker is so much faster than on the stovetop or slow cooker and they turned out amazing! It’s hugely rewarding to take a recipe that would normally take at least 8-10 hours and have them ready from start to finish in about 1 hour 15 minutes of total cooking time.
To make these charro beans in the pressure cooker, begin by cooking the bacon in the bottom of the Instant Pot on the sauté setting. When the bacon is almost crispy, add in the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes more, until the onions begin to soften.
Then, it’s just a matter of adding all of the remaining ingredients and pushing a button! Once the Instant Pot pressurizes, the beans only take 30 minutes to cook, followed by about 30-45 minutes for the pressure to release on its own.
Charro beans go great with carne asada, guacamole, Mexican rice, grilled Mexican street corn, and pico de gallo.
Forget tacos and celebrate Cinco de Mayo with some Charro Beans (Frijoles Charros) cooked in the Instant Pot and served alongside some carne asada, grilled Mexican street corn, fresh tortillas, and horchata for a delicious and culturally authentic Mexican food experience at home!
- 1/2 pound bacon (about 8 slices)
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
- 1 jalapeno, minced with seeds removed (optional)
- 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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In the Instant Pot using the sauté setting, cook the bacon until crispy. Add the onions and garlic, and cook until the onions are softened. I don't drain the bacon grease because I think it adds to the flavor of the charro beans, but if there is a lot of it, you can drain most of it before adding the onions, leaving just a little to cook the onions in.
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Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bacon, onions, and garlic, then secure the lid and change the setting to high pressure (my Instant Pot has a button for "beans/chili" that I press and set to "Normal") for 30 minutes.
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When the time is up, allow the pressure cooker to do a complete natural release before removing the lid. It will take about 30-45 minutes.
If making in the slow cooker, follow the same approach by cooking the bacon, onions, and garlic first in a pan, then add the remaining ingredients plus one additional cup of water and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. There is no need to soak the beans if using the slow cooker approach, but if you DO want to soak them overnight beforehand first, they will cook in 5-7 hours on low instead of 8-10.
Adapted from Five Heart Home.
I'm Amy: former lawyer, now SAHM in the CA Bay Area. I love food, photography, books, travel, exercise, adoption and pie. Definitely pie. 
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These would be a great side dish for taco night! I love how you can make them in the Instant Pot. Such a time saver!
Is is wrong that I just want this entire meal for lunch today lol?! I always order charro beans at my favorite Mexican restaurant so I’m so excited to learn to make them at home too.
So flavorful and so easy! Perfect for Taco Tuesday, and it looks delish.
I am loving this amazing side dish. It would pain well with so many main entrees. Your dishes are always so amazing!
Mexican food is well-known for taste, color, and perfect use of spices.Love this recipe. I would love to try charro beans.
IP is a life saver..these charro beans are beautifully done to perfection.Would be such a great side and mexican food never goes wrong.
Dried beans are my favorite way to use my pressure cookers (electric and stove top)! Well, I love to use it for stock too…
This is a brilliant post – informational and interesting. I was born and raised in southern California, spent 22 years in New Mexico, and only recently encountered charro beans when we moved to the Rio Grande Valley of FAR south Texas… This looks like an awesome recipe! Pinning.
These beans look amazing for a more exciting Mexican side dish! I just love how you work to incorporate recipes that speak to your different ancestries – what a fun way to learn more about the world and also invite interesting dinner time conversations with your girls. I will have to keep this in mind as my son gets older!
Can I make this with a side of rice as a meal?
Absolutely! I’ve eaten them that way for lunch and it’s super delicious and filling!
I actually don’t think I’ve ever had Charro beans! I love the flavors in them, and they sound like a fantastic way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. One of the things I’ve loved most about my Instant Pot is how easy it makes cooking dried beans. The pressure cooker setting must really help to infuse all of those fragrant flavors into the beans in this recipe!
This looks like a great dish to have not only on Cinco de Mayo but on “Taco Tuesdays” too! Everyone celebrates taco Tuesday, right? lol! Love that it cooks up so quickly in the instant pot!
Cooked in the instant pot did you say?? I’m there. We’re always on the hunt for new recipes to add to taco night. Saving this one!
What a great side for Taco tuesday. I love that you made them in an instant pot.
Love the history and it’s so interesting how traditions evolve, yet still at the same time continue to incorporate a sense of cultural pride for everyone to share and enjoy. AND those beans are happening soon, they look amazing!
We eat Mexican food several times a week in my house so I can’t wait to try these beans! I think they’d be perfect for summer BBQs too.
I love my InstantPot, but have yet to try beans in it. This looks like a great first recipe to try out! (Although I might disregard your ‘forget tacos’ instruction – fish tacos are my 3 year old’s favorite food!)
Haha, well, we are going to keep eating tacos too. Fish tacos are delish!
We made these yesterday. They were perfect and even better the next day. Thank you.
Yes, the leftovers are fantastic! Glad you enjoyed them!
Can I double the recipe and still do in the Instant Pot, or would that be too full?
I think it would depend on the size of instant pot you have. I have the medium 6-quart size and I don’t think I would risk it, but I’m sure you would be fine if you have the larger 8-quart size.
These were so good. We didn’t have bacon so used butter to saute the onion. I also cooked them for 35 minutes and then lightly mashed some of the beans. My whole family loved them.
Can these be frozen and stored? It makes a huge batch!
I haven’t tried it, but I would think so. They might be slightly watery after thawing, but you could warm them on the stove and cook them for a few minutes to thicken to the desired consistency.
These beans turned out perfect!
Very good but 30 minutes is not enough cook time. I will try quick soaking them first for an hr.
The beans were still really hard after following directions. Had to cook additional 30 min hp.
I agree that I like my beans a little softer, did an extra 30 minutes turn out okay?
I soaked beans overnight… do I use less liquid when cooking
No, use the same amount.
These charro beans are a big, big hit with my family. So delicious and easy!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I have made this many times! It is fantastic. I often serve on the side with Pork tacos. I see no need for another pinto bean Mexican side dish recipe. This is it!