The very best Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans! This easy recipe is so hearty and filling and just perfect for chilly weather! Loaded with three types of beans, bacon, and beef, this family favorite is frequently served up at holiday gatherings, potlucks, and parties and is a must for game day. We love to serve this with Cheesy Bacon Ranch Bread, Best Ever Broccoli Salad, and The BEST Ambrosia Salad for dessert. Delish!
Cowboy Beans
Last week I sent an urgent message to my Aunt Rhonda: I needed my Uncle Tim’s Cowboy Beans recipe STAT. A craving had hit hard and I knew that this easy slow cooker beans recipe would be the perfect thing for the cooler weather. Plus, my boys were asking for it 🙂
You guys. If you’ve never had Cowboy Beans before you’re in for a treat. They are also called Calico Beans or even Calico Beans Casserole depending on your region.
What they are is HEAVEN.
If you like my Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Barbecue Beans recipe, you’re going to love this one. There are a lot of similar flavors going on in these Cowboy Beans.
What Goes Into Cowboy Beans?
It’s a seemingly simple combination of ingredients including canned beans that come together in the most glorious of ways. Here’s what you’ll need:
- ground beef – I like to use lean ground beef but any will work as it gets cooked and drained before being added to the slow cooker.
- bacon – because, why not? No, seriously. The bacon adds so much flavor to this Cowboy Beans recipe – don’t leave it out!
- onion – where there is bacon there should be onion, right?
- kidney beans – make sure to drain and rinse your beans
- white beans – there is some family debate about which beans to use here. Some use butter beans, some lima beans, I prefer white beans. But as you can probably tell, any beans will work here. Black beans would be delicious!
- pork ‘n beans – you’ll need two cans and they should NOT be drained. Throw the whole can in there.
- ketchup – helps create the sauce and thickens it a bit.
- brown sugar – a nice touch of sweetness to balance out all this savory going on here.
- liquid smoke – it’s the combination of ketchup, brown sugar and the liquid smoke that gives these Calico Baked Beans their “barbecue” flavor. I like to use about a tablespoon, my Uncle Tim uses about two tablespoons.
- barbecue sauce (optional) – I didn’t add this to the ingredients below but if you’d like, a half cup or so of your favorite barbecue sauce can be added.
Are Cowboy Beans Chili?
These Calico beans or Cowboy Beans are not chili but can be treated like a chili would. Therefore, feel free to eat by itself or serve along with Fritos, tortilla chips, sour cream, cheddar cheese, etc. You’re going to love how it’s so filling and leftovers are even better the next day.
You can serve the Cowboy Beans right out of the crockpot on game day or scoop them into a serving dish for the family to serve themselves at the table. It’s an anything goes kind of recipe. My favorite kind actually 🙂
Can Cowboy Beans Be Made In The Oven?
Absolutely! Basically they become “baked beans”. First you’ll need to follow the first three steps in the instructions below using a dutch oven or large oven safe pot. Next, you’ll add all of the remaining ingredients, stir, and place in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. Finally, just serve as you would chili!
What To Serve With Cowboy Beans
Since this dish can be either a main dish or a side dish, there is a lot of flexibility. Here are some ideas:
- Serve over homemade biscuits for an easy dinner.
- Top with Fritos and cheddar cheese for a yummy take on chili.
- Serve as a side dish on game day along with Spinach Artichoke Dip with Roasted Garlic and Baked Bacon Cheese Dip. Don’t forget the chips!
- Goes great with these sides: Twice Baked Potato Casserole, Bacon Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs, Oven Roasted Herb and Garlic Parmesan Potatoes, and Ham and Cheese Mini Corn Muffins.
More Slow Cooker Recipes to Try!
- Slow Cooker Green Beans with Bacon
- Crockpot Kielbasa and Barbecue Beans
- Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil
- Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce
I really hope you give this easy recipe a try! So delicious and hearty and I love how versatile of a dish it is. My boys just gobble it up!
How To Make Cowboy Beans
The BEST Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans
Ingredients
- 16 ounces lean ground beef
- 12 ounces bacon
- 1 onion diced
- 16 ounces can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 16 ounces can white beans drained and rinsed
- 32 ounces pork ‘n beans
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain and set aside.
- Add bacon to the skillet and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until cooked through, stirring frequently.
- Add onions and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent.
- Add ground beef and bacon mixture to a large 6 quart slow cooker.
- Add pork ‘n beans, drained kidney and white beans, ketchup, brown sugar and liquid smoke.
- Stir gently to combine. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high 2 to 3 hours, stirring as needed. If the mixture seems a little dry, add a few tablespoons of water.
- Serve with tortillas chips, corn chips, sour cream, cheese, whatever you want. Anything goes!
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Nutrition
Brenda N says
Made this night before last and my family loves it so much they ask for it again tonight! Thank you for simple and great food.
Paige says
We don’t like kidney beans, can you substitute pinto beans?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Sure can!
Robin Dinsmore says
Can this recipe use ground breakfast sausage instead of beef?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yes it can but the flavor will be different – quite a bit different.
Cat says
I’ve been making this recipe for years, except we’ve always called it Texas Beans… it’s fantastic if you’re hosting a BBQ! Feeds a crowd, fills up my crockpot… Highly recommend! 🙂
Colleen says
Very good. Made it just as written. Added a green onion
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks Collen!
MtnDewey says
good stuff. cute
Dawn says
I made this for my family yesterday, it was delicious! I was looking to cut fat and calories where I could so I used ground turkey. To save time I used 6 oz of bacon bits. I will definitely makes these Cowboy Beans again.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m so excited to try it with turkey now! Thanks Dawn!
Paige says
Made these today to bring up to our cabin for the 4th of July weekend. I didn’t put them in the slow cooker yet but will do that Saturday afternoon so they are ready for dinner that night. My son is bringing his smoker and will be smoking some racks of ribs. I think these Cowboy Beans will go perfectly as a side dish along with some Fritos Scoops. I did sneak a taste and even though they haven’t sat in the slow cooker for a few hours yet, they are awesome so I know they will be spectacular Saturday night! Thanks for sharing your recipe Trish!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
The PERFECT side – yes! Thanks Paige!
Denise says
I’ve made this. We called it “Cowboy baked beans.” The only difference in my recipe is to substitute a can of kernel corn with broth for the kidney beans, which the skins tend to be tough. And I add half a diced green bell pepper (medium) when I cook the onion. Other than that I do Trish’s recipe the same way.
George Morrison says
Good idea. Also I like the Ranch Style Beans.
Guy E Smoker says
I made this yesterday for supper only I made it in a cast iron dutch oven on the oven. Very delicious. Will be making it again & again.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Excellent way to make them as well! So glad you enjoyed the recipe Guy!
marie crawn says
can you use sausage instead of ground beef
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Sure can! That would be delicious!
Susan Gerdom says
Did you mean like Italian sausage or breakfast sausage