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Herbivore's Kitchen

Vegan Charro Beans Recipe

If you’ve never heard of charro beans, welcome to the best thing you’ve never tasted! Seriously! This vegan charro beans recipe needs to be on your vegan recipe shortlist. Charro beans, aka cowboy beans, are pinto beans slow-cooked with some heavenly seasonings. My recipe calls for dried beans in a crockpot, but you can also adapt it to canned beans on the stovetop.
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Prep Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 16 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American Southwest, Mexican, vegan, vegetarian
Servings 0 cups cooked

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups dried pinto beans see Recipe Notes for canned beans adaptation
  • 1/4 cup tamari
  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
  • 1 jalapeno washed, deseeded and diced
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1/2 tbsp chili powder
  • 6 cups water + additional water, as necessary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • cilantro washed and torn, as optional garnishment
  • jalapeno washed and sliced, as optional garnishment
  • fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Soak the dried beans overnight in a large bowl. Cover the beans with at least 4 inches of fresh water, as they will expand considerably. See Recipe Notes for instructions on quick-starting dried beans or making this recipe with canned beans.
  • The next morning, drain and rinse the beans.
  • Combine the tamari, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Add the olive oil to a medium-sized skillet and heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion and salt and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the onions to cook slowly until they start to brown. About 12-15 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, jalapeno,cumin and chili powder. Increase the heat to medium and sauté with the onions for 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
  • Add the tamari mixture. Cook the combined ingredients, stirring periodically, to allow the tamari mixture to reduce slightly. 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the tamari mixture, pinto beans, water and bay leaves to the crockpot. Set the crockpot on Slow Cook Highand allow the beans to cook until they are soft. Check the crockpot periodically to add more water if necessary.
  • Remove the bay leaves and serve the beans topped with fresh cilantro, jalapeno slices and fresh ground pepper, if desired.

Notes

  • It’s not always easy to remember to soak dried beans the night before. If you forget, you can quick-start the beans.  To do this, add 8 cups of water + 2 tsp of baking soda and the dried pinto beans to a large pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Allow the beans to simmer for 1 hour, then drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the crockpot in accordance with the recipe.
  • Want to make this recipe with canned beans? To do that, forego the crockpot and make the entire recipe in a large stockpot instead. Drain and rinse 2 15 oz cans of pinto beans and add them in accordance with the instructions above. Instead of 8 cups of water, add just enough water to barely cover the beans. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce it to a low simmer. Allow the beans to simmer for at least 30 minutes until they are soft.  
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