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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).
I’ve been making calico beans for 60+ years. I make it quite often as my main meal. When making it as a side dish I leave the ground beef out. I do a double batch and freeze it in portions.
Thank you for taking the time to write, Sla! Take care! – Meggan
Do the beans stay firm (not mushy) after 8 hours in crock pot? Thank you.
Hi Dot, I find them to be well cooked after 8 hours on low. You can always check on them before the 8 hour mark and serve when they are your preferred firmness. I hope you love them! – Meggan
My son said “Kudos to the chef! I really like these beans! Next time we need to make them on the smoker.” For years I have made 4th of July baked beans, but the recipe calls for molasses which is now over $5 a jar and I never used it for anything else. Since I love everything I’ve ever made from Culinary Hill, I thought I’d give these a try. I used sausage instead of ground beef and everyone loved them. Thanks for another great recipe, Meggan!
You’re so welcome, Barbara! I’m so glad they were a hit! I appreciate your son’s suggestion, I’m going to give it a try instead using a little liquid smoke for my next batch! – Meggan
My 6 quart crock pot was about half full so it looked like I could double the recipe. Has anyone tried? I had a package of meatloaf mix ( ground beef, veal, pork) and used it. I accidentally bought no sugar Heinz ketchup so I used that. I used only 1/2 cup brown sugar. It turned out delicious. My crock pot, set on high for two hours, more than heated it through so for my crock pot, I would check at 1.5 hours when it is set on high.
Hi Jody, thank you so much for your comment! I haven’t tried to double it myself in the slow cooker, sorry! Two other readers wrote they were going to try, but they didn’t write back to say how it went. I’m so glad you loved it! Take care! – Meggan
I don’t see vinegar in the ingredients listed on the recipe card. Perhaps adds cover it but I don’t think so. It could make the recipe confusing. Great recipe though. I add liquid smoke and sometimes add some chili powder or a chopped jalapeño for a little heat.
Hi Janice, sorry for the confusion! It’s 2 teaspoons white vinegar, it’s listed after the ketchup. Your additions sound delicious! – Meggan
How would dried 15 bean mix work?
Hi Dale, I haven’t tried it with 15 bean mix. I would caution substituting a mix with dry kidney beans because they contain phytohemagglutinin, a type of lectin that is very toxic at high levels. To substitute dried kidney beans in recipes, you MUST pre-soak dried kidney beans AND hold them at boiling point (212 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least 10 minutes. This means you should never cook kidney beans in a slow cooker. You won’t know for sure if the slow cooker reached 212 degrees and held it for 10 minutes. Better to be safe than sorry! So in this case, I would suggest cooking the bean mix according to the package directions, then drain and rinse them, and then proceed with the recipe. Please ket me know if you have any more questions! – Meggan
Made this for a potluck and it was a hit! Very tasty.
Happy to hear it was a hit! – Meggan
Can you use Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar instead of whats listed on the recipe?
Hi Maty Jo! I haven’t tried it myself, but I don’t see why not! Sounds delicious! – Meggan
I use red wine vinegar – yum!!
This looks delicious but it says “Kindey” beans on the picture instead of “Kidney” beans. Just a little typo but I thought I’d tell you!
Thanks Leslie, I’ll get right on that! – Meggan
Can you use dryed beans instead of canned beans?? what would the ratio be?
Hi Carla, 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)