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Calico Beans (aka Cowboy Beans) have four different types of beans, ground beef and bacon – a hearty side dish that’s always a hit!
My Best Ever Baked Beans and Baked Beans from Scratch have been very popular here on the blog! But as much as I love those beans, adding a variety of beans adds so much color and texture to the classic side dish…perfect paired with burgers, pork chops, pulled pork and so much more!
What are Calico Beans?
They’re named after calico cats, cats that are white with patches of black, brown and/or orange. These beans resemble the colorful aspects of the cat’s coat of fur, landing them the name “calico beans!”
Some people also call these cowboy beans or trucker beans!
Why You’ll Love These Calico Beans
- Hearty, meaty, comforting, DELISH
- Great balance of sweet, salty and smoky
- Three different ways to cook them
- Makes a big batch, perfect for serving a crowd
- Easy to customize (many substitution options)
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Beef – You can also use ground pork if you prefer
- Bacon – Regular or thick-cut bacon will work
- Beans – You’ll use four different types in this recipe (kidney beans, butter beans, pinto beans and baked beans)
- Onion – A white or yellow onion is best
- Tomato Sauce
- Ketchup
- Barbecue Sauce – Use your favorite type! I love using Sweet Baby Ray’s for the perfect balance of sweetness and smokiness!
- Sugar & Brown Sugar – Or you can use all brown sugar
- Vinegar – White vinegar or apple cider vinegar are both great options
How to Make Calico Beans
Start by cooking the ground beef and the bacon. I like to cook the bacon until nice and crisp so it’s easy to crumble or chop up. It also adds so much texture to the beans!
You’ll also drain the kidney beans, butter beans and pinto beans. I like to use this can drainer so I don’t lose any of the beans!
Once all of the ingredients are ready, add them all to the slow cooker (read below if you’d prefer to cook on the stovetop or in the oven). Cook on high for 1 hour or on low for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick to the sides of the pot.
Calico Beans Cooking Methods
Slow Cooker – Cook on high for 1 hour or on low for 2-3 hours. Note the this will be the most saucy version as you won’t have much water evaporate when covered with the slow cooker lid.
Stovetop – Cook the beans on the stovetop over medium heat until bubbly. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently.
Oven – Pour the beans in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 300F for about an hour, stirring every 20 minutes. (If you want thicker beans, bake without the foil and more of the juices will evaporate.)
Substitutions and Variations
- Meat – You can swap the ground beef for ground pork and the bacon for turkey bacon. You can also skip the meat altogether if you prefer!
- Beans – If you can’t find one of the types of beans listed in the recipe, you can replace it with lima beans, great northern beans or an additional can of baked beans (or pork and beans).
- Sugar – If you’re watching your sugar, you can omit the white sugar altogether and just use the brown sugar.
- Make it Spicy – Add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper for some heat!
Other Delicious Side Dishes
- Macaroni Corn Casserole
- Buttery Mashed Potatoes
- Homemade Cornbread
- Parmesan Crusted Potatoes
- Cornbread Pudding
- Mile High Biscuits
Calico Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef cooked and drained
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 15-ounce can baked beans (or pork & beans) do NOT drain
- 1 15-ounce can pinto beans drained
- 1 15-ounce can light red kidney beans drained
- 1 15-ounce can butter beans baby or large, drained
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker and stir until combined.1 pound ground beef, 8 slices bacon, 1 15-ounce can baked beans (or pork & beans), 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, 1 15-ounce can light red kidney beans, 1 15-ounce can butter beans, 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce, 1 cup diced onion, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar
- Place the lid on top of the slow cooker and cook on low for 2-3 hours OR on high for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.salt and pepper
