Print

Cowboy Beans

Print Recipe

A hearty, smoky, and slightly sweet baked bean dish loaded with bacon, ground beef, and a mix of beans, perfect for feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 lb thick-cut bacon, chopped
  • 2 green bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, 7–9 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving drippings in the pot.
  3. Add bell peppers and onion to the bacon drippings; sauté until tender and lightly golden, 7–9 minutes.
  4. Add ground beef and garlic; cook, crumbling the beef, until no longer pink. Stir in chili powder, salt, paprika, and black pepper.
  5. Drain and rinse all beans. Stir beans, ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, hot sauce (if using), and cooked bacon into the beef mixture.
  6. Cover and bake until the liquid has thickened, about 45 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

For a spicier kick, swap one green bell pepper with a poblano or jalapeño. This dish can be made ahead and reheats well. Feel free to adjust the sweetness or heat to taste.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.rapidrecipes.blog/hearty-delicious-cowboy-beans/