Cowboy Beans With Ground Beef

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 03/24/21
Cowboy Beans With Ground Beef

The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
594 Calories
18g Fat
69g Carbs
41g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 594
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 24%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 1396mg 61%
Total Carbohydrate 69g 25%
Dietary Fiber 13g 46%
Total Sugars 30g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 130mg 10%
Iron 6mg 36%
Potassium 1295mg 28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Cowboy beans is a hearty Southwestern dish consisting of beans and ground beef in a sweet and tangy sauce. This recipe is made with four different kinds of beans, along with bacon, ground beef, bottled barbecue sauce, and plenty of flavoring, making the dish even more complex and filling. Cowboy beans are perfect alongside barbecue at a cookout, when tailgating, or as the main dish for an everyday family meal.

You can cook these cowboy beans in the oven or the slow cooker. Finish them off with some shredded cheddar cheese, if you like, and serve with cornbread or crusty rolls and a green salad or roasted Brussels sprouts.

1:40

Click Play to See This Cowboy Beans Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound bacon, diced

  • 1 pound lean ground beef

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion

  • 1/4 cup ketchup

  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons molasses

  • 1 tablespoon ​​chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons mustard

  • 1 (16-ounce) can baked beans

  • 1 (16-ounce) can butter beans, drained

  • 1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained

  • 1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans, drained​

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Cowboy Beans With Ground Beef ingredients

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  2. Heat oven to 350 F. Put the diced bacon in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.

    bacon in a skillet

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  3. Cook, stirring, until the bacon is crisp, for several minutes.

    bacon cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  4. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and reserve.

    bacon pieces on a paper towel lined plate

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  5. Pour off the bacon drippings.

    Pour off the bacon drippings

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  6. In the same pan or pot over medium heat, cook the ground beef until it is browned, breaking it up and stirring as it cooks. Add the chopped onion and cook until tender. Drain off any excess fat.

    beef and onions cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  7. Add the ketchup, barbecue sauce, granulated and brown sugars, molasses, chili powder, salt, pepper, and mustard. Add all of the beans and stir to combine the ingredients.

    Add the ketchup, barbecue sauce, white and brown sugars, molasses, chili powder, salt, pepper, and mustard to the beef mixture

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  8. If the Dutch oven isn't ovenproof, transfer the bean mixture to a casserole or baking dish. Sprinkle the bacon over the top of the bean and beef mixture. Bake for 1 hour.

    beef and bean mixture in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  9. If desired, top the beans with about 1 cup of shredded cheese. Continue baking in the oven until cheese has melted, about 4 to 5 minutes.

    Cowboy Beans With Ground Beef

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Recipe Variations

  • Replace the ground beef with sliced smoked sausage or hot dogs.
  • SautĂ© about 1/2 cup of chopped green or multicolored bell peppers along with the ground beef and onions.
  • Feel free to vary the beans in this dish. Black beans could replace the butter beans or kidney beans, or use Great Northern beans or navy beans.

Slow Cooker Method

This recipe can also be made in a slow cooker.

  • Simply transfer the bean mixture to the crock pot insert of a slow cooker. 
  • Sprinkle over the cooked bacon.
  • Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, reduce heat to low, and then cook for 2 to 4 hours longer.
  • Remove the lid just long enough to top with cheese, if desired. Return the lid and continue to cook on low until cheese has melted.

How to Store and Freeze Cowboy Beans

Cowboy beans, like most chili dishes, taste better the longer they sit. They'll be good for up to three to four days in the fridge. If you'd like to freeze them, you can. It's often a good idea to freeze chili in containers that are sized appropriately for your crew, so you don't have to guess when you're defrosting.


Cowboy beans can be defrosted in the microwave and reheated that way, or on the stovetop over medium-low heat until heated through.