A variety of canned beans and ground beef come together to create these classic Calico Beans. These smoky, flavorful beans are perfect for summer gatherings!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
With all the barbecues, potlucks, and family gatherings that will be taking place on our last long weekend of the summer, I thought it was time to pull out my easy recipe for Calico Beans. These beefy baked beans are a real crowd pleaser and the perfect dish to bring along to a summer potluck. You might have heard them referred to as Cowboy Beans, well they’re one and the same and they are delicious!
I love to cook baked beans from scratch but when I had a house full of little ones, this was the recipe I turned to most. It calls for canned beans, is easy as can be, and my little ones loved it. Especially our oldest son, Ryan, which is why in our house they will forever be referred to as Ryan’s Favorite Beans.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon – Great baked beans recipes all have one thing in common. They start with bacon!
- Ground beef – I use 90% lean ground beef.
- Yellow onion
- Pork and beans – You’ll need two 28 ounce cans of good ol’ pork and beans, like Van Camps. Place the contents of one can in a colander and allow the liquid to drain off (don’t rinse them). The other can is left undrained.
- Kidney beans – Two cans, drained.
- Pinto or lima beans – Traditional Calico Bean recipes call for lima beans, also known as butter beans. But I’ll warn you, they are a very uniquely flavored bean and some people don’t love them. You can substitute any other variety of beans that you like. Pinto, white or black beans are all great choices.
- BBQ sauce – Your favorite brand. We love Kinder’s Mild.
- Light brown sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Liquid smoke flavoring – A little liquid smoke goes a long way to add great smoky flavor to these beans.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to Make Easy Calico Beans
- Place the bacon in a Dutch oven and cook it over medium-high heat until crisped. Transfer it to paper towels to drain. When cool enough, break it into small pieces and set it aside. Drain all but a scant amount of bacon grease from the pot.
- Place the ground beef and onion in the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and cooked through and the onion is tender. Drain the grease from the pot and return it to the stove.
- Add the drained pork and beans, pork and beans with liquid, kidney beans, pinto beans, and bacon pieces.
- Stir in the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, liquid smoke, salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 1 hour in a preheated 350 degree F oven.
FAQs and Valerie’s Tips
The one thing that all Calico Bean recipes have in common is that they all call for a variety of different colored beans. Most recipes call for pork and beans, red kidney beans, and lighter colored lima, white, or pinto beans. Just like the kitties of the same name, this array of colors is how they got their name.
Yes! Prepare the beans on the stove, as directed, but instead of baking them, transfer them to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Cook them on low for 3 hours at the most, stirring about halfway through the cooking time. Remember, canned beans are already cooked so you want to avoid cooking them longer than 3 hours in a slow cooker or the texture can become mushy and undesirable.
Absolutely. Most recipes for baked beans, including this one, reheat wonderfully. Make them up to two days in advance, allow them to cool and then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly. Reheat them gently on the stove or covered in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes, or just until warmed through. For longer storage, see the freezer instructions below.
Storage
Refrigerator
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly. Use leftover Calico Beans within 3 to 4 days for the best quality. For longer storage, see the freezer instructions below.
Freezer
Transfer the cooked and cooled beans to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow frozen beans to thaw safely in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Easy Baked Bean Recipes
Sign up for my free newsletter for all the latest recipes and join me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more cooking inspiration!
Calico Beans
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
- 28 ounces pork and beans, drained
- 28 ounces pork and beans, with liquid (don't drain)
- 30 ounces kidney beans, (2 15-ounce cans) drained
- 15 ounces pinto, lima, white, or black beans, drained
- 1 ½ cups BBQ sauce
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the strips of bacon in a Dutch oven. Place over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and cook until crisped, flipping halfway through. Transfer the cooked bacon to paper towels to drain. When cool enough, break it into small pieces and set it aside.
- Drain all but a scant amount of the bacon grease from the pot and return it to the heat. Place the ground beef and onion in the Dutch oven and cook, stirring to break up the beef until it is cooked through and the onion is tender. Drain the grease from the pot and return it to the heat.
- Add the drained pork and beans, pork and beans with liquid, kidney beans, and pinto or other beans. Stir in the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, liquid smoke, salt, pepper, and crumbled bacon.
- Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
- Transfer any leftovers to a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
What are the two bottles on the left? This looks great! Definitely going to make this.
Hi Sandi. I think you are referring to the salt and pepper grinders. I get those from Costco.
Can you use Romano Beans?
Romano beans are a completely different type of bean and I don’t think they would work very well in this recipe. I think you’d be better off looking for a recipe more suitable for green beans.
I have been making my Baked Beans this way for yours.
They are my Ryan’s favorite also.
I add a small squeeze of mustard (adds just a little zing to it), parsley, chives (both dried), and a pinch of garlic powder.
Awesome beans!!!!
Years not yours, Sorry!!!
This is a recipe our family has used for years. We call it “Calico Beans” because of all the colors of the different beans used. We also put Garbanzo beans in ours as well as the Limas and (two colors of) Kidneys. A variation you can use also is to change the meat. Hamburger/ground round is typically used, but ground sausage mixed with ground turkey gives it a different flavor; plus you can make it a bit spicy if you use the spicier sausage. This is a great dish for the crockpot also and served with cornbread, makes an excellent cold weather supper.
You can also use ground turkey instead of ground beef.Since I can’t use beef I used turkey
I have had something like those beans. Only they also put green beans in too. VERY YUMMY!!!!! 🙂
I make something like this but use hot links (Hillshire brand) halved or quartered, chopped bell pepper, jalapeño, Anaheim chili, Worcestershire sauce, & more brown sugar. You can control the spiciness of this by using more or less chilies. My beans were requested every time there was a get together.
We call these Calico Beans in our family and I have been making them for years…they are always a big hit at potlucks and are often requested. I have also shared this recipe many times and it always gets rave reviews any where it is served!!
BTW, your photography is awesome. Would-be food bloggers, take note.
That is all.