Borracho beans (also called drunken frijoles) are pinto beans slow-simmered with beer and seasonings. Sign me up! Try this easy crock pot recipe and find your new favorite side dish for #TacoTuesday.
No, you didn’t second guess your eyes – that is indeed BACON in that picture. Yes, I am finally bringing a non plant-based recipe to the blog but it’s done in the name of love for Mr. Street Smart! If you haven’t guessed by now, he’s an omnivore through-and-through and gets hit by the bacon craving pretty hard at times. And the red meat…and the chicken…and the BBQ (we do live in Kansas City, after all).
So to appease him while also having fun with a new recipe, I decided to recreate a dish we first tried in Tulsa while visiting friends for the Route 66 Half Marathon. The day before the race we ate lunch at a local Tex-Mex restaurant and entrees were served with a side of borracho beans.
I’ll be honest. I had no idea what these were.
But reassurance from our friends that they were good made it an easy choice. And they weren’t just good, they were AMAZING. I failed a little because I didn’t realize they were made with pork fat at the time (although they tasted strikingly similar to the pork and beans my dad makes). Plant-based fail, flexitarian win.
In the past I didn’t care much for the magical fruit, not because I experienced the lovely GI side effects but because I was just plain lazy. Sure, I loved my canned black beans and occasional chickpeas, but beyond that I just didn’t consider them something to keep on hand. And soaking beans overnight? Forget about it.
But I’ve fallen in love with beans in the crock pot and pressure cooker recently and batch cooking them is so worthwhile. Beans (and really, pulses in general) are so affordable and so versatile. Plus, did I mention the fiber? This recipe as a side dish provides nearly 13 grams of the stuff that keeps us regular. So, so important for gut health and helping us feel full.
[Tweet “Try Borracho Beans as a flavorful side dish that packs in nearly 13 grams of fiber per serving”]
I kid you not…one bowl of this stuff and your hunger will be GONE.
This recipe is so forgiving, it really seems to taste great regardless of the seasonings. 100% up to you.
Love cumin? Go crazy
Don’t have epazote? Extra cilantro instead
Wait, this recipe needs a beer? Use whatever you have
Between the bacon, beer, and beans, you’ve got this thing covered. As a side dish it’s a hearty accompaniment to tacos or enchiladas, and could even serve as the main course if you pair it with rice or other grain, a side salad, and maybe a few tortilla chips.
What’s your favorite side dish for #TacoTuesday? If you’ve never tried borracho beans, trust me, this one is worth a shot!
Here is the recipe for Borracho Beans:
Borracho Beans
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups dry pinto beans
- 5 cups water
- 12 fl oz dark beer
- 1/2 pound thick cut bacon
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 serrano peppers, seeded and minced
- 1 tbsp brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp epazote, dried
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp oregano, dried
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Sift the dry beans and remove any stones or debris. Soak in water for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Add the beans to the slow cooker along with 5 cups water and 12 ounces dark beer and cook on HIGH for 1-2 hours. Chop the bacon into 1/2″ pieces and cook with the chopped onion until fully cooked and crispy. Drain most of the grease and add to the slow cooker. Add the garlic, serrano peppers, brown sugar, epazote, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Reduce heat to LOW and cook for 2-3 hours more.
- Roughly chop the roma tomatoes and cilantro. Reserve 1/4 cup cilantro. Add the rest of the cilantro and chopped tomatoes to the slow cooker and cook for one more hour on LOW setting. Serve with broth as a side dish or over rice or other grain.
Notes
Nutrition
[Tweet “If you haven’t tried Borracho Beans yet, you need to check out this slow cooker recipe. Too easy!”]
Questions & Reviews
These sounds so amazing!! I would definitely whip these up for a delicious and nutritious meal for the game days this holiday season! I’m thinking the Rose Bowl 🙂
Go for it! I think this would be an awesome game-day dish. It can sit for hours and feed a crowd!
I love the flavors going on in these crockpot beans, Cara! I will definitely try making these with beer!
Thanks Cindy! I can’t wait to make this again and test another kind of beer. So many good Mexican beers but I didn’t have any on hand at the time!
“drunken frijoles”…that sounds like my kind of meal! Seriously though I love adding beans to our meal in place of meat and this recipe looks great!
Thank you! We love subbing beans into recipes, so many sneaky ways to add fiber!
these are no ordinary beans! they look delicious!
Thank you!
Love the flavors going on in this dish! The perfect nutritious comfort food!
Thanks Jamie! It’s going to be another cold-weather staple this winter. Our crock pot will be getting some heavy use in the months ahead!
I live on the Texas-Mexico border and this looks like the “real deal!” I’ve never made borracho beans, though, so I must try it!
I’m a Midwest native so I can’t vouch for their authenticity but I’m hopeful I’m not too far off target! They sure were tasty!
These sound SO yummy!!!
Thank you Katie! I’ll definitely be making these again soon!
These flavors sound amazing. I’ve never heard of Epazote?!?!
I never had either so I had to do some digging to learn more. This bottle came to me in a wedding gift-box from Penzey’s called “Taste of Mexico” but before this I was clueless!
I’m a newly converted [bean] believer, and I can’t wait to add this recipe to my list. Looks delicious!
Welcome to the club! Enjoy!
Lovely recipe. Sadly my Thai green curry paste wasn’t as hot as I wanted it, but it was tasty. Will definitely make again 🙂