Charro Beans with Hot Dogs

Charro beans, or frijoles charros, are named after the Mexican charros who’d cook this brothy pinto bean soup over open fires. Loaded with vegetables, such as tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños, charro beans it’s a common side dish at carne asadas. Charro beans are typically ladled out alongside grilled meat, rice, and fresh tortillas. It’s a humble food that tastes like it simmered all day, even when it didn’t.

While other variations of charro beans contain bacon or chorizo, this recipe is for charro beans with weenies. Looking to make this a hearty entrée? Add more hot dog to the recipe!

Why You’ll Love This Hot Dog Charro Beans Recipe

• Quick – Use pre-cooked or canned pinto beans to compile this recipe in less than 30 minutes.
• Bold flavors – Sautéing the hot dogs and vegetables together before adding the beans helps to build a flavorful base that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours.
• Crowd-pleaser – A common side dish at Mexican carne asadas, charro beans disappear fast but can easily be scaled up to serve a larger crowd!
• Affordable – Pinto beans and hot dogs are among the most affordable ingredients you can purchase, making this a budget-friendly recipe.
• Customizable heat – Adjust the amount of jalapeños you add to this recipe or replace with serrano peppers for an even spicier pinto bean soup.

Ingredients for Making Frijoles Charros con Salchicha

• Hot Dogs – Use regular beef, pork, or even turkey hot dog franks to make this a hearty side dish.
• White Onion – A staple in Mexican cooking, white onion adds a clean, sharp flavor to the charro beans.
• Roma Tomatoes – Meatier and less watery than round tomatoes, they hold their shape while sauteing and add body to the broth, instead of making them watery.
• Jalapeños – Add as many or as little as you want to your heat preference.
• Fresh Cilantro – Keep the frijoles a la charra bright with fresh cilantro. For those who don’t like cilantro, you can leave this out.
• Cooked Pinto Beans – This recipe works with either homemade cooked pinto beans or canned pinto beans. Check out my slower cooker pinto beans recipe if making from scratch!

Recommended Tools for This Recipe

• Large pot – A wide, deep pot gives you enough surface area to properly sauté the vegetables and franks before adding the beans.
• Chef’s knife – This recipe calls for a lot of chopping, so a sharp knife is vital!
• Cutting Board – A large cutting board helps to avoid overcrowding when chopping all the vegetables needed for charro beans.

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Print Recipe

Charro Beans with Hot Dogs

Courses: Appetizer Recipes

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 35 mins

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Servings

• 4 franks (hot dogs) (sliced)
• 1 tbsp oil
• ¹⁄₂ white onion (diced)
• 2 roma tomatoes (diced)
• 2 jalapeños (diced)
• ¹⁄₃ bunch cilantro (chopped)
• 4 c pinto beans
• 1 tbsp salt (to taste)

Instructions

1. Prepare ingredients

   Dice hot dogs, tomatoes, jalapeños, and onions. Roughly chop cilantro.

2. Heat oil

   In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

3. Combine ingredients

   Mix ingredients into the pot, frying for about 5 minutes.

4. Add beans & water

   Add cooked pinto beans and water to desired consistency.

5. Season

   Season with salt and pepper.

6. Simmer

   Simmer for 15 minutes.

7. Serve

   Serve immediately.