Healthier Charro Beans
- Feb 6
- 3 min read
A healthier twist to the Mexican classic comfort food, Charro Beans. Mexican flavors enriched with nutritious ingredients. With a medley of tender beans, savory spices, and fresh vegetables, every bite offers a taste of tradition, slow-cooked to perfection.
I know most of ya’ll will scroll past this, but this message is important especially if you’re Mexican American like me!
Food has always been my bridge to a culture I’ve sometimes felt just outside of. I've struggled with speaking Spanish and often felt like I wasn’t “Mexican enough.”
By creating nutritious Mexican meals, I’ve found a way to reconnect and celebrate my heritage in a way that feels authentic to me!
Did you know?
Only 3% of registered dietitians are Hispanic or Latino? Yet, the prevalence of diabetes is much higher in Latinos in comparison to non-Hispanic whites. Obesity rates of Hispanic & Latinos are roughly 45% !!
Research shows Hispanics are 1.5 to 2 times more likely than non-Hispanic White adults to have one of the major chronic diseases: type II diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, or chronic lung disease.
All of which can be prevented through nutrition & lifestyle changes...
It’s time to take back our health and help create a healthier generation of Latinos.
So shoot—if I can’t speak perfect Spanish, the least I can do is teach people that our food is nourishing… and show how we can make healthier versions without losing our culture.
This is my way of giving back—nourishing our people while I keep working on my Español 😹
4 Reasons why you'll love this recipe!
Super Fiber-Rich and excellent protein source: You get 50% of your daily fiber intake in 1 serving! This is also a leaner twist to the classic, making it high in protein without excessive saturated fat!
Convenient and Easy to Prepare: Using a crock pot makes the cooking process incredibly convenient, especially for busy individuals. This hands-off cooking method allows for multitasking and alleviates the stress of preparing a meal after a long day.
Enhanced Flavors: Slow-cooking beans over an extended period helps to meld and develop flavors, resulting in a richer and tastier dish. The spices and seasonings will have plenty of time to infuse the beans, creating a savory and satisfying meal.
Versatile and Customizable: They can be served as a main dish, a side, or even as a component in other recipes like picadillo or a fresh side salad. 🙌🏼
Healthier Charro Beans
Ingredients
1 lb dried pinto beans, rinsed
6 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes (14–15 oz)
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
4 strips bacon
1/2 medium onion,diced
1 lb cooked 93/7 lean ground beef
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp consomate (tomato bouillon)
1 tsp cumin
Salt & black pepper, to taste
Jalapeños or serranos, diced (to taste)
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
Add the dried pinto beans, water, diced tomatoes, chipotle pepper, tomato bouillon, cumin, salt, and pepper to a crock pot or a large pot on stove top. Stir to combine. Add the bay leaves.
For crock pot, cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until beans are fully tender. For stove top, cook on medium- low heat for 4-5 hours until beans are fully tender. Remove the bay leaves (important!).
While the beans finish cooking, cook the bacon until crispy and set aside. Then brown the ground beef in a skillet (you can use some bacon fat), draining excess fat once finished.
Once beans are tender, stir in the cooked bacon, ground beef, diced onion, garlic, oregano, and jalapeños. Mix well.
Let everything cook together for 30–45 minutes on LOW to allow flavors to meld. Stir in fresh cilantro just before serving. Adjust salt and spice as needed. Enjoy!
Nutrition per serving (~2.5 cups): ~413 calories |33gm Protein |51 gm carbohydrates |9gm Fat|16gm Fiber
Printable version:
I tired your protein tortillas using Greek yogurt. Amazing, I added nm dry green chili powder 😋 thank you. Everyone loved them and I actually thought they tasted better the the usual tortillas with lard.