Instant Pot Charro Beans (Printer-Friendly)

Smoky, meaty charro beans with chorizo, bacon, sausage, and fresh tomatoes; hearty Mexican classic made fast.

# What You’ll Need to Cook:

→ Legumes

01 - 500 g dried pinto beans, rinsed

→ Meats

02 - 120 g smoked bacon, diced
03 - 280 g smoked sausage or hotdogs, sliced into coins
04 - 280 g Mexican-style ground chorizo
05 - 60 g chicharrón (pork rinds), chopped (optional)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 2 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
07 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
08 - 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
09 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 20 g fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Pantry & Seasonings

11 - 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt (plus more to taste)
12 - Water to fill Instant Pot to 3-litre line

# Steps to Prepare:

01 - Place rinsed pinto beans in the Instant Pot. Add 120 g diced onion and 1.5 teaspoons salt. Pour water to the 3-litre mark. Lock lid, set to Manual, High Pressure, and cook for 30 minutes. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for quick pressure release after cooking.
02 - While beans cook, heat a large skillet over medium heat and fry the diced bacon until crisp. Transfer bacon to a bowl and reserve rendered fat in the skillet.
03 - In the same skillet with bacon fat, add ground chorizo. Cook until browned and fat is rendered. Add diced tomatoes, remaining diced onion, jalapeños, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until onions are translucent.
04 - Add smoked sausage and cooked bacon back into the skillet. Stir to combine and heat through, then set aside until beans finish cooking.
05 - When beans have finished under pressure, open the Instant Pot lid. Add in skillet ingredients (chorizo, bacon, sausage, sautéed vegetables). Select the sauté function and cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the broth thickens and beans reach desired consistency.
06 - Add chopped cilantro and chicharrón (if using) to the Instant Pot. Continue to sauté for an additional 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed before serving.

# Extra Cooking Tips:

01 - Rinse beans thoroughly before starting for best texture.
02 - Soaking beans before cooking is not required with pressure cooking, but can marginally reduce total cook time.
03 - If beans remain firm after pressure cooking, pressure cook for an additional 5–10 minutes as needed.
04 - Charro beans freeze well when portioned into airtight containers and can be stored up to 3 months.