Borracho Beans Are the Most Flavorful Beans You’ll Ever Make

Beans were a staple growing up and my family ate them in various forms throughout the week. One of the things that I’ve learned from making them so often: make sure the broth packs a big flavorful punch since the beans will absorb all of that flavor. 

Frijoles borrachos (borracho beans) are a traditional side dish from South Texas that typically include bacon, tomatoes, chiles, spices, and dark Mexican beer—talk about a flavorful broth. The beer is what makes them borrachos or "drunk," and extra special.

Similar recipes will call for canned tomatoes, but I like to play off the smokiness of the bacon and sweetness of the beer by broiling fresh tomatoes, jalapeños, and onion. Blending them into a salsa that gets added to the beans creates a creamier broth with more body and real depth of flavor.  

Have Time? Use Dried Beans

For this borracho beans recipe, I use canned beans which are a great time saver. If you have a few hours to let the beans simmer, I would highly recommend using dry beans as I think they result in a softer, creamier end product.

To use dried pinto beans, start with one pound of beans and sort through them, removing any shriveled beans or rocks. Then soak or quick soak the beans before proceeding with the recipe. You can even cook them up to three days ahead of time, storing them in an airtight container in the fridge along with some of the cooking liquid so they don’t dry out. 

For an even more flavorful result, add the soaked (but not cooked) beans in step 4 (instead of canned beans) along with 6 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid cracked, stirring occasionally, until tender and thickened, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

How I Serve Borracho Beans

Frijoles borrachos are a great addition to carne asada as they pair really well with grilled meat or grilled chicken and a side of rice. They also benefit from being garnished with fresh toppings like pico de gallo or a briny nopal salad to complement their richness. 

When I make borracho beans at home, I typically like to pair them with sweet cornbread to balance out the malty bitter notes from the beer. To garnish the beans, I like to use diced tomato, green onion, thinly sliced jalapeño, and, if I have any on hand, queso cotija for a salty sprinkle. If I’m making frijoles borrachos as the main dish, I also like to fry extra bacon and reserve it to top the bowl when serving. 

If you have any leftovers they also make great refried beans. Just heat a couple of tablespoons of neutral oil or lard (or reserved bacon grease if you fried up some extra bacon) and add the beans and broth, mashing them as they fry up. Once fully warmed, they should thicken up and you’ll have a super flavorful pan of refried beans.

Beans for Dinner

• Fava Bean Dip With Goat Cheese and Garlic
• Butternut Squash and Black Bean Skillet Dinner
• Sweet Potato White Bean Dip
• Easy Tuscan Bean Soup
• Marry Me Beans

Preheat the oven broiler to high.

Line a sheet pan with foil.

Broil and blend the vegetables:

Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them skin side-up on the sheet pan. Slice the jalapeños in half lengthwise and remove the stems and seeds, then trim the root end off the green onions. Place them next to the tomatoes so everything is in an even layer.

Broil the vegetables until the skins on the tomatoes and jalapeños are blistered and the green ends of the onions are charred, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the vegetables to a blender along with the cilantro, garlic cloves, peppercorns, and cumin seeds. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.

Cook the bacon:

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crispy and the fat has rendered out, 8 to 10 minutes. Do not remove any of the fat.

Assemble and simmer:

Carefully pour the salsa mixture from the blender into the pot and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the beer and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes to concentrate the beer flavor and cook off most of the alcohol.

Add the beans along with 2 cups of water and a sprig of thyme. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the beans don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. 

Season, garnish, and serve:

Remove the sprig of thyme and taste the beans for salt. The amount will vary depending on the beans you use, but you will probably need around 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Serve garnished with diced tomato, green onion, and a squeeze of lime.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

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