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From cowboys to kiddos, everyone goes crazy for Slow Cooker Calico Beans. Loaded with beef and bacon, they’re great for cookouts, parties, and easy meals!
Meggan’s notes
Oh, this recipe! Sort of a chili, kind of baked beans, maybe a sloppy Joe, but always completely delicious. It’s just the kind of thing to make when the weather takes a chilly turn and you’re hungry for something that really sticks to the ribs.
Calico Beans can also go by the name Cowboy Beans, probably because this meaty one-pot meal was a campfire favorite under the starry skies for generations. And if you haven’t tried it before, you’re in for quite a treat.
What are Calico Beans?
Just like a calico cat with so many colors, “calico” just refers to the hodge-podge of beans used in the recipe: pork and beans, kidney beans, and butter beans. The beans are all cooked with bacon and ground beef in a tangy, sweet sauce.
By the way, you don’t have to use those exact beans, strictly speaking. Some people swear by lima beans, while others simply must have pintos. And black beans are always good too.
In other words, pick an assortment of beans that you like and put them together in the crockpot. They’ll be great, no matter what you use.
Cowboy Beans Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Ground beef
- Bacon
- Canned pork and beans
- Butter beans
- Kidney beans
- Onion
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Vinegar
- Brown Sugar
How to make Calico Beans
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and bacon; drain well and transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add onion, all beans, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, and mustard.
- Mix well, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Season to taste with salt (I like 1 teaspoon).
Cowboy Bean Recipe variations
- Molasses. Some people love the richness that the molasses provides, but this recipe already includes molasses in the form of brown sugar.
- Liquid smoke. A tiny bit of liquid smoke gives a nice smokiness to the beans. Try it!
- Pork sausage. Some cooks love using pork sausage in Calico Beans in place of ground beef.
- Lima beans. Canned lima beans are super tasty, too. Any bean is a good bean.
- BBQ sauce. Switch out the ketchup (or part of the ketchup) for your best barbecue sauce.
How to make oven-baked Calico Beans:
- Turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Cook the bacon and beef together in the bottom of a large Dutch oven, cast iron casserole, or other stove-to-oven safe cookware, as long as it has a lid.
- Drain off the fat and add the remaining ingredients and cover, Bake in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until piping hot.
Calico Beans with dried beans:
It’s always super economical to use dried beans in recipes, especially when you’re cooking for large groups. It’s a little extra work to cook the beans, but your whole recipe ends up costing just a few dollars.
- Cook the beans separately, according to size (larger beans may take longer) in a large pot of unsalted water, simmering until tender. Then drain them and they’re ready to go.
- Or, cook the dried beans cook in mere minutes in an Instant Pot (Even though it’s a fabulous appliance, it’s not recommended to make Calico Beans in the Instant Pot using cooked, canned beans. You run the risk of overcooking the canned beans in the electric pressure cooker).
How many dried beans do you need for Calico Beans? Here’s some tips:
- A rounded ½ cup of dried beans = 1 (15-ounce) can of beans
- 1 ½ cups of cooked beans, drained = 1 (15-ounce) can of beans
- 1 ½ pounds dried beans = 1 (#10) can of cooked beans (109 ounces)
How to serve this Calico Bean Recipe
These beans are divine all on their own in a bowl, as a main course. You can treat them like chili and load them up with all your favorite chili toppings:
- Diced jalapeno
- Chopped raw onions
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Crunchy corn chips
Or serve them as a filling and hearty side dish alongside Barbecue Chicken, roasted Greek Potatoes, and the Best Macaroni Salad at your next shindig under the starry skies.
How to store this Recipe for Cowboy Beans
To store Cowboy beans, cool them to room temperature, then pack in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Cowboy beans are great for the freezer, too! Pack into freezer-safe containers and leave at least 1 inch of headspace for expansion. Label, date, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat to 165 degrees on the stovetop or in the microwave.
The flavor of the beans improves over time, so this is one recipe you’ll definitely want to make ahead to get ahead for your next party.
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Cowboy Bean Recipe (Calico Beans)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound bacon diced
- 1 medium onion peeled and chopped
- 2 (16-ounce) cans pork and beans drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can butter beans drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- Salt
Instructions
To make Calico Beans in a slow cooker:
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and bacon; drain well and transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add onion, all beans, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, and mustard. Mix well, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Season to taste with salt (I like 1 teaspoon).
To make Calico Beans in the oven:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and bacon; drain well and transfer to a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Add onion, all beans, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, and mustard. Mix well, cover, and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season to taste with salt (I like 1 teaspoon).
To make Calico Beans on the stove:
- In a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and bacon; drain well.
- Add onion, all beans, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, and mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt (I like 1 teaspoon).
Great easy meal suggestion! It reminds me of a dish my mom used to make for us every Halloween! (She was determined to get some protein in us before trick or treating! It worked! lol!)
I have made these for years and they are one of my favorites. I was wondering what you would think about putting chopped cabbage in with it?
Hi Tim, I say why not! That sounds pretty good to me. Cabbage is a good choice because it won’t get too soggy (at least not right away). If you try it, please let me know. I’ll do the same!
it’s a wonderful cold day fix along with some sweet cornbread and ice tea… we sub pork and beans with ranch style pintos with jalapenos.. adds just a tiny kick..
Sounds delicious!!! I love the combination of sweet & spicy flavors, I’ll have to try that!
I’ve never cooked beans in the slow cooker. . but I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’m all about using my slow cooker in the fall and winter. . in fact, I’m slow cooking pork shoulder right now! Pinned!!
Thank you, Alice! 🙂
ALICE> BTW, a slow cooker/crock pot is also good to use in the summer when it is hot outside.You don’t heat up the kitchen/apt using the oven. Just plan ahead and allow yourself the time,as in the fall/winter.
That’s a great tip, RC. An oven can really heat up the kitchen in the winter never mind the summer!!! 🙂 Meggan
This is slow cooker shortcut central! I love it! Canned pork and beans are horrendous in Australia but they are so good in the US! So I would never have created a recipe like this. Legendary! I am obsessed with my slow cooker! I might try this with just ordinary canned beans. I highly approve that you have used ketchup and vinegar – SO RIGHT. Gotta balance the sweet and sour!!
How can you mess up canned pork and beans?! So sad! I remember when foreigners used to come to the US for Levi’s. Now they are probably coming for the pork and beans!
Oh I need to try these beans! I LOVE baked beans and sloppy joes so you won me over by describing these beans as a cross between the two!
Thanks Julie, how can you go wrong with a dish that puts those two together right?! 🙂
Such a beautiful comfort dish ! Never tried Calico beans, but will definitely get a can of these. Slow cooker is the perfect option for cooking beans, as they normally ( especially not canned ones ) take a while to cook. Pinning!
Thank you so much for the pin, Mira! 🙂
I’ve never had calico beans, so I should make these because they sound and look amazing.
Thanks Janette, I definitely think so. And aren’t beans part of a traditional English fry-up? Because then you’re halfway there. 🙂 Although I might be hallucinating that bean/breakfast thing.
These look incredible Meggan! This looks really similar to a recipe my uncle makes and I can attest that it is just FABULOUS! Pinned!
Thank you Trish, there are tons of variations of these out there so it wouldn’t surprise me if you’ve tried one. 🙂 Thanks for the pin!
Make-ahead dishes are the best. This is real comfort food to me. I could devour that entire bowl in no time – I’d probably make a double batch since I can already tell how tasty they must be ;).
Thank you Kathi! I seriously love these beans… I had them for breakfast this morning, even. 🙂 I heart leftovers!!!