Charro Bean Soup

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There’s nothing quite like a big pot of Charro Bean Soup simmering away on the stove. It smells divine! It’s one of those recipes that feels rustic and homey, but it’s also packed with so much flavor that it always surprises people.

Prep Time20

Cook Time2 40

Total Time3

Course: 50 of the Best Easy Soup Recipes for Families

Keyword: beans, mexican, mexican food, pinto beans, side dish

Servings:

Author: Carrian Cheney

Equipment

Ingredients

1 Pound Dried Pinto Beans (see Notes for using canned beans)
½ Yellow Onion or white
3 Cloves Garlic smashed
2 Bay Leaves
1 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon Dried Mexican Oregano (this is a must!)
6 Cups Water or more

For the Charro Beans

8 Ounces Bacon chopped
1 Cup Ham cubed, cooked
2 ½ Ounces Chorizo
½ Yellow Onion or white, diced
1 Jalapeño minced
2 Cloves Garlic minced
1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon or 1 bouillon cube for after cooking
1 Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes diced, 15oz
1 ½ Cups Corn frozen
½-1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce minced
½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
¾ teaspoon Ground Cumin
Kosher Salt to taste
Cilantro chopped, for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Prepare the Beans

Rinse the beans under running water to remove any dirt, then drain.
1 Pound Dried Pinto Beans
Add the beans, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, Mexican oregano, and water to cover the ingredients, plus a few inches, to a large pot or Dutch oven.
½ Yellow Onion, 3 Cloves Garlic, 2 Bay Leaves, 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, ½ teaspoon Dried Mexican Oregano, 6 Cups Water
Bring the beans to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until soft and tender.
Check the beans at the 1-hour mark and add more water as needed if it begins to dry out. Twice I needed an hour and a few times I needed almost 2 ½ hours so be a little flexible on time. You will be reserving the cooking liquid!
Drain the beans into a large bowl to reserve the cooking liquid. Discard the bay leaves. Measure out 3 cups of the bean liquid. If you don’t have 3 cups, add additional water. Set aside.

For the Soup

Using the same large pot or Dutch oven, add the bacon and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes until the edges begin to crisp and the fat is rendered.
8 Ounces Bacon
Stir in the ham, chorizo, onions, and jalapeño and chipotle pepper and cook for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent, and the peppers are tender.
1 Cup Ham, 2 ½ Ounces Chorizo, ½ Yellow Onion, 1 Jalapeño, ½-1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce
Stir in the garlic,1 bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon better than bouillon, tomatoes, corn, smoked paprika and ground cumin, stirring to combine. Cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes release their juices and begin to break down.
2 Cloves Garlic, 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, 1 Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes, ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika, ¾ teaspoon Ground Cumin, 1 ½ Cups Corn
Add in the cooked beans and the 3 cups of cooking liquid. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Taste and season with salt as needed. Stir in cilantro and serve.
Kosher Salt, Cilantro

Notes

To use canned beans: You’ll need four 15-ounce cans of drained and rinsed pinto beans and 4 cups of chicken broth. Skip to the bacon step to begin the recipe.

You can skip the chorizo or chili pepper if you want less spice.

This recipe tastes best the second and even third day so it's amazing to make ahead.

Nutrition