Cowboy beans 🤠🔥
Smoky, sweet, a little spicy—basically the campfire MVP of side dishes.
Here’s the classic idea, plus an easy stovetop version you can riff on.
What they are
Hearty baked-style beans loaded with:
- Bacon (or sausage)
- Onion + garlic
- A mix of beans (pinto, kidney, baked beans)
- BBQ sauce, brown sugar, mustard
- Chili powder or a little heat
They’re big at cookouts, potlucks, and anything involving ribs.
Easy cowboy beans (stovetop)
Ingredients
- 4–6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 can baked beans
- 1 can pinto or kidney beans, drained
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp yellow or Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp chili powder (or more đź‘€)
- Black pepper to taste
How
- Cook bacon until crispy. Leave a little fat in the pan.
- Sauté onion in the bacon fat until soft, add garlic for 30 sec.
- Dump everything else in.
- Simmer uncovered 20–30 minutes until thick and saucy.
Make ’em your own
- 🌶 Add jalapeños or chipotle
- 🍖 Swap bacon for smoked sausage or brisket
- 🍯 Go sweeter with maple syrup
- 🍺 Splash of beer for depth
Want a slow-cooker, vegetarian, or next-level BBQ competition version?
