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San Antonio is hosting the 2026 NBA Finals Championship series! With NBA Sports Media and sports fans worldwide coming to San Antonio, the energy is electric!
Visitors in town will be heading to the Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants expecting their sizzling steak fajitas, and cheesy Tex-Mex Enchiladas to have their traditional Mexican side dishes of either Refried Beans or Charro Beans (Frijoles Charros in Spanish), along with their Mexican Rice.
But if you can’t make it to town this week, don’t worry. You can make this easy Instant Pot Charro Beans recipe at home with your Puffy Tacos or Enchiladas Verdes for your Mexican version of an old fashioned weeknight dinner.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Mexican Charro Beans Recipe
- 🛒 Charro Beans Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Instant Pot Charro Beans
- Pro Cooking Tips for Perfect Frijoles Charros
- How To Store and Reheat Charro Beans
- Recipe Variations
- What To Serve with Charro Beans
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- More Easy Mexican Sides and Bean Recipes
- Recipe
- Reviews
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Mexican Charro Beans Recipe
- No Soaking Required – Skip the overnight soaking of the beans because the Instant Pot pressure cooker makes dry pinto beans incredibly tender in under an hour.
- True San Antonio Flavor – These Charro Beans deliver smoky, restaurant quality, South-Texas taste without cutting corners.
- Perfect Weeknight Dinner Side Fish – It scales easily from two for dinner up to a crowd for a Mexican Fiesta!
- One Pot Clean up – Sauté the smoky bacon and chorizo sausage in the same inner pot to keep your kitchen clean.
- The Ultimate Side Dish – Ditch the canned refried beans, and easily make from scratch homemade charro beans with the Instant Pot.
- Budget Friendly Meal Prep – It uses simple, affordable pantry staples to create a large, hearty batch of flavorful beans that freeze beautifully.
🛒 Charro Beans Ingredients & Substitutions
To get that authentic San Antonio flavor, you only need a few pantry staples and fresh ingredients. Here is what you need to gather, along with any substitutions, if you need to clear out your pantry and fridge.
- Bacon – Thick sliced bacon works perfectly here. It renders down to create a smoky, rich fat base to used to sauté the onions, garlic and jalapeños. You can use smoked ham hocks or salt pork, if needed.
- Chorizo – Mexican chorizo adds a glorious red color and spiced warmth to the broth. Be sure to remove the casing before cooking. You can swap it out for ground pork sausage with paprika.
- Onion – one medium white onion adds a natural sweet depth to the savory base. Dice it finely so it melts beautifully into the final sauce.
- Jalapeño – Fresh jalapeños provide that essential Texas spicy kick. Remove the seeds and white ribs to keep the heat mild, or leave them in if you like a spicy punch.
- Garlic – Use plenty of fresh minced garlic to create a rich, fragrant foundation. Garlic powder works in a pinch, but fresh cloves give it the best authentic flavor.
- Chipotles in Adobo sauce – This is my secret weapon for incredible depth of flavor. Chop one or two peppers to infuse the broth with an irresistible, deep smokiness.
- Cumin – Ground cumin is a foundational spice that adds a warm, earthy, aroma, that pairs beautifully with the rich meats.
- Chile Powder – A touch of your favorite chili powder enhances the deep Tex-Mex flavor. It pairs beautifully with the fresh peppers and smoked meats.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes – One can of diced tomatoes adds a lovely, bright acidity to balance the heavy meats. Roasted Diced tomatoes works wonderfully here also.
- Chicken Broth – Cooking the dry beans in chicken broth instead of water infuses the beans with rich flavor inside and out. Vegetable broth works great also.
- Pinto Beans – The absolute foundation of this recipe. There is no need to soak them beforehand, but make sure to rinse them thoroughly, and pick out any small stones.
- Fresh Cilantro – Toss this in right before serving as a bright garnish that adds a pop of color.
How To Make Instant Pot Charro Beans
Step 1 – Crisp the Bacon: Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode, add the chopped bacon, and cook for 4-5 minutes until it just begins to crisp.
Step 2 – Brown The Chorizo: Add the Mexican chorizo to the Instant Pot and cook in sauté mode, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until completely browned.
Step 3 – Sauté the Aromatics: Stir in the diced onion, jalapeño, minced garlic, and seasonings including salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
Step 4 – Deglaze The Pan: Pour in the canned diced tomatoes, adobo sauce (from the can of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce), and chicken broth. Stir well, using your spoon to thoroughly scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot to prevent a “burn” warning.
Step 5 – Add The Pinto Beans: Add the rinsed, dry pinto beans into the liquid and stir well to ensure all of the beans are submerged.
Step 6 – Seal and Pressure Cook: Secure the lid, turn the pressure cooker release valve to the SEALING position, and select manual / pressure cook (depending on the model) on HIGH PRESSURE for 45 minutes.
Step 7 – Natural Pressure Release: After the cooking time finishes, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure for 20 minutes before venting any remaining steam.
Step 8 – Thicken the Broth: Open the lid and stir the beans well. For a richer, thicker broth, mash some of the beans with a wooden spoon, and select Sauté mode again and let the liquid simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
Step 9 – Garnish and Server: Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in the fresh chopped cilantro. (You can do this in the Instant Pot or wait and garnish individual servings – your choice.) Serve your warm frijoles charros with with fresh lime wedges, warm tortillas, or tortilla chips.
Pro Cooking Tips for Perfect Frijoles Charros
- Rinse and Sort Your Beans – Since we are skipping the long soak, take an extra minute to dump your dry pinto beans onto a rimmed sheet pan. Pick through them to discard any pebbles, debris, or broken, shriveled beans, then rinse them thoroughly under cold running water.
- The “Mash” Secret for Thick Broth – Authentic charro beans should be like a charro bean soup that’s delightfully brothy, but not watery. Once the cooking cycle finishes, and you open the lid, use the back of a large wooden spoon or a potato masher to gently crush a half-cup of the cooked beans right against the side of the inner pot. Stir them back into the liquid. The released starches will naturally thicken the broth.
- Double Check The Age of Your Beans – Old, dry beans take longer to soften. If your bag of dry beans has been sitting in the back of the pantry for over a year, they may still feel a little firm after the standard cooking time. If this happens, simply simply pop the lid back on and pressure cook them for an additional 5 – 7 minutes.
- Control The Heat Level – The spice level in the recipe is completely customizable. Sautéing the jalapeño with the seeds and white ribs left in tact, will give your brand a fiery, authentic kick. If you prefer a milder, family-friendly side dish, carefully scrape out the seeds and ribs before dicing the pepper.
How To Store and Reheat Charro Beans
- Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container for up to 3 – 5 days.
- Freeze – Place cooled beans in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Thaw – Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before heating.
- Reheat
- Stove Reheat: Place thawed beans in a pot on the stove. Add a splash of water or chicken broth to before heating to restore the velvety liquid. Reheat over medium-low heat for 5 – 7 minutes.
- Microwave Reheat: Warm on medium power in 1-minute intervals. Add more water or chicken broth, if needed.
- Instant Pot Reheat: Use the Sauté function on low for 5 – 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a splash or two of water or broth, if needed.
Recipe Variations
- Charro Bean Soup – Turn this Mexican side dish into a comforting Main Dish by adding an extra cup or two of chicken broth before pressure cooking.
- Go Vegetarian or Vegan – To make this vegetarian, skip the bacon and chorizo and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and optionally, add a dash of liquid smoke. Sauté the onions, jalapeños and garlic in olive oil instead of bacon and chorizo.
- Borracho Beans – Swap out 1 cup of chicken broth for 1 cup of Mexican Amber Beer. The alcohol cooks off leaving a deep, rich, and slightly earthy undertone.
- Slow Cooker Charro Beans – Don’t have a pressure cooker, you can easily convert this into a slow cooker charro bean recipe. Sauté your meats, aromatics, and spices in a skillet on the stove first, then transfer everything to your crockpot with the dry beans and broth. Cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours until tender.
- Add Extra Greens – For a nutritional boost, stir in a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach or chopped Swiss chard during the last five minutes of cooking. The residual heat will wilt the greens beautifully into the savory, smoky broth.
What To Serve with Charro Beans
Serve charro beans with sliced limes, tortilla chips and your favorite Mexican main dishes, such as Fajitas, Enchiladas, Puffy Tacos, with sides of Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, and Mexican Street Corn.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Older, dry beans may lose moisture, and therefore, take longer to soften. Simply, pressure cook them for another 5 – 7 minutes with a natural release.
Use a full natural pressure release for at least 20 minutes. A quick release forces starchy, foaming bean liquid out of the valve, which ruins the texture of your frijoles charros, and creates a massive mess on the counter.
For a bean broth with a thicker consistency, use the back of a large wooden spoon or a potato masher to gently crush a half-cup of the cooked beans right against the side of the inner pot. Stir them back into the liquid. The released starches will naturally thicken the broth.
This happens when the bacon or chorizo sticks to the bottom of the Instant Pot during the sauté step. Always stir a splash of chicken broth first and use a wooden spoon to thoroughly scrape those bits off of the bottom to deglaze the pot before pressure cooking.
Absolutely. Chop 1 – 2 whole chipotles, depending on your spicy heat preference, from your can of chipotles in adobo sauce for a deeper, extra smoky heat profile.
Yes! The smoky flavors of the bacon, chorizo, and spices actually deepen and meld together overnight, making them taste even better the next day.
Yes, you can use canned beans, but you will skip the pressure cooking altogether. Sauté the bacon, chorizo, and aromatics in the Instant Pot, stir in the rinsed can of beans, add a splash of broth, and use the sauce function to simmer everything for 10 – 15 minutes.
More Easy Mexican Sides and Bean Recipes
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Instant Pot Baked Beans
- Instant Pot Black Beans
- Corn and Black Bean Salad
- Sopa Tarasca (Pinto Bean Soup)
- Mexican Rice and Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
- Texas Brisket Queso
If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below and let me know if you added your own twist, and what you served it with. Don't forget to rate the recipe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. This helps others find the recipe too!
Recipe
Ingredients
For Pressure Cooking
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1/2 pound Mexican chorizo
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 jalapeño diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce can) diced tomatoes
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chipotle sauce from canned chipotles in adobo (for spicier, add a chipotle)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound dried pinto beans (rinsed and sorted)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For Serving:
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Crumbled queso fresco
- Warm tortillas
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add chopped bacon and cook until bacon begins to crisp.
- Add chorizo and cook, breaking it apart, until browned.
- Stir in onion, jalapeno, garlic, chipotle sauce, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Add the beans and stir to cover.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing.
- Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow natural pressure release for 15 to 20 minutes before opening the lid.
- Stir the beans well. For a thicker broth, mash about 1/4 cup of beans with a wooden spoon, then simmer on sauté mode for a few minutes until slightly reduced.
- Stir in chopped cilantro before serving.
- Serve warm with lime wedges and warm tortillas, or chips.
Hi, I’m Michele Feuerborn, a home cook with 25+ years experience, and former AllRecipes Allstar, creating bold & easy Southern, Mexican, Tex-Mex, and Instant Pot recipes. Featured in publications like Parade and BuzzFeed. Read More…
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