Calico beans are a timeless classic, perfect for potlucks, barbecues, or cozy family dinners. This robust and flavorful dish, sometimes known as cowboy beans or funeral beans, brings together a medley of beans, savory ground beef, and smoky bacon, all simmered in a tangy-sweet sauce. If you’re searching for a crowd-pleasing side that echoes the hearty, home-style cooking of the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, then look no further. This calico beans recipe delivers that comforting, satisfying taste that everyone will love.
A delicious and comforting casserole of calico beans, featuring a rich blend of beans, bacon, and ground beef in a sweet and tangy sauce, perfect for any gathering.
What Makes This Calico Beans Recipe a Must-Try?
This isn’t just another baked bean recipe; it’s a hearty casserole that stands out. Calico beans are celebrated for their depth of flavor and satisfying texture. The combination of different beans – typically pork and beans, kidney beans, and butter beans (or lima beans) – creates a wonderful complexity. Adding ground beef and bacon elevates this dish from a simple side to a more substantial and fulfilling component of any meal.
Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, need a reliable dish for a potluck, or simply want to bring some classic comfort food to your family table, this calico beans recipe is your answer. It’s versatile, easy to make, and always a hit. Just like Pioneer Woman recipes, this dish is all about wholesome ingredients and big flavors that bring people together.
A close-up shot of baked calico beans, showcasing the variety of beans, crispy bacon, and savory ground beef in a thick, flavorful sauce.
The Story Behind Calico Beans: More Than Just Baked Beans
Calico beans have a charming history and go by several names, each hinting at their origins and versatility. “Cowboy beans” evokes images of hearty meals cooked over an open fire, perfect for ranch hands after a long day. “Trucker beans” suggests a filling, easy-to-transport meal for those on the road. The name “funeral beans,” while perhaps a bit somber, speaks to the dish’s role as a comforting and communal food brought to gatherings during times of mourning.
Regardless of the name, the essence of calico beans remains the same: a robust, flavorful, and satisfying bean casserole that brings people together. This recipe captures that essence perfectly, offering a taste of classic American comfort food that’s sure to become a family favorite.
Calico beans served as a side dish, highlighting its versatility and appeal for outdoor gatherings and casual meals like hotdogs and hamburgers.
Ingredient Spotlight: What You Need for Perfect Calico Beans
Let’s dive into the key ingredients that make this calico beans recipe so special. Using quality ingredients will elevate the flavors and ensure a truly delicious outcome.
- Ground Beef: Provides a hearty, meaty base for the casserole. While ground beef is traditional and recommended for the richest flavor, you can substitute ground turkey or chicken if preferred.
- Bacon: Adds smoky depth and crispy texture. Pork bacon is classic, but turkey bacon can be used as a substitute for a leaner option.
- Pork and Beans (or Baked Beans): Forms the foundation of the bean mixture and contributes to the sauce’s thickness. Do not drain these beans; the liquid is crucial for flavor and consistency.
- Kidney Beans: Introduce a different texture and slightly earthy flavor. Dark red kidney beans are often preferred for their robust taste and color, but light red kidney beans will also work well.
- Butter Beans (or Lima Beans): Offer a creamy texture and mild flavor that complements the other beans. Large butter beans are ideal if you can find them. If not, lima beans are a readily available alternative.
- Ketchup: Adds a tangy sweetness to the sauce. A standard ketchup works perfectly.
- Mustard: Provides a subtle tang and depth of flavor. Yellow mustard is classic, but you could experiment with Dijon or a grainy mustard for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Brown Sugar: Sweetens the sauce and adds a molasses-like richness. Dark brown sugar is preferred for its deeper flavor, but light brown sugar is a fine substitute.
- Onion: Provides aromatic base notes and savory depth. Yellow or white onions work well.
Ingredients for calico beans in a casserole dish before baking, showcasing the raw components like beans, ground beef, and bacon.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Calico Beans
Making calico beans is straightforward and rewarding. Follow these simple steps to create this comforting casserole:
- Crisp the Bacon: In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon, reserving about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the skillet. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
- Sauté the Onion: Dice the onion and cook it in the reserved bacon grease until softened and translucent. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes.
- Brown the Ground Beef: Add the ground beef to the skillet with the onions and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat.
- Combine the Beans: In a large 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the butter beans (drained), pork and beans (undrained), and kidney beans (drained).
- Mix the Sauce: In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar until well combined.
- Assemble the Casserole: Pour the sauce over the bean mixture in the baking dish. Add the cooked ground beef, sautéed onions, and crumbled bacon. Stir everything together to ensure all ingredients are well combined and coated in the sauce.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the calico beans in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly around the edges.
A collage illustrating the steps to make calico beans, from cooking bacon and ground beef to mixing ingredients and baking.
Alternative Cooking Methods: Slow Cooker & Stovetop
While baking in the oven is the traditional method, calico beans can also be easily adapted for slow cookers or stovetops, offering flexibility based on your needs and preferences.
- Slow Cooker Calico Beans: For a hands-off approach, transfer the bean mixture to a slow cooker after combining all ingredients. Cook on low heat for 2-3 hours or on high heat for 1-2 hours. The slow cooker method is excellent for developing deep flavors and keeping the beans warm for serving at gatherings.
- Stovetop Calico Beans: If you need a quicker option, you can cook calico beans on the stovetop. Use a Dutch oven or large pot. Combine all ingredients, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Serving Suggestions: Perfect Pairings for Calico Beans
Calico beans are incredibly versatile and pair well with a wide variety of dishes. They are a classic side for:
- Barbecues: Serve alongside grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, ribs, or chicken.
- Potlucks and Picnics: Easy to transport and always a crowd-pleaser.
- Comfort Food Dinners: Complement meatloaf, roasted chicken, or ham.
- Breakfast or Brunch: For a hearty breakfast, serve with scrambled eggs and toast.
Calico beans presented as a side dish next to hotdogs, emphasizing its role as a quintessential BBQ and cookout accompaniment.
Tips for the Best Calico Beans
- Don’t Drain the Pork and Beans: The liquid from the pork and beans is essential for creating a flavorful and thick sauce.
- Spice it Up: For a touch of heat, add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes to the sauce mixture.
- Smoky Flavor Boost: Enhance the smoky flavor by adding 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the bean mixture.
- Make Ahead: Calico beans are a great make-ahead dish. You can prepare them a day in advance and reheat before serving. In fact, the flavors often meld and deepen overnight.
- Storage: Store leftover calico beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. They also freeze well for longer storage.
Recipe Card: Pioneer Woman Inspired Calico Beans
## Baked Calico Beans Recipe with Bacon
**Calico Beans are a variety of beans slowly baked in a casserole dish with bacon, ground beef, and a thick, tangy, sweet sauce.**
Yields: 12 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
**Ingredients:**
* 1 pound ground beef
* ½ pound bacon, diced
* 1 small onion, finely diced
* 15 ounces can butter beans, drained
* 30 ounces can pork and beans, undrained
* 15 ounces can kidney beans, drained
* ¾ cup ketchup
* 1 teaspoon mustard
* ¾ cup brown sugar
**Instructions:**
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Remove bacon, reserving 1 tablespoon of grease. Crumble bacon and set aside.
2. Dice onion and sauté in reserved bacon grease until softened.
3. Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, drain excess fat.
4. In a small bowl, mix ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar.
5. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, combine butter beans, pork and beans, kidney beans, cooked ground beef, sautéed onion, and crumbled bacon.
6. Pour sauce mixture over bean mixture and stir to combine.
7. Bake for 40 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.
8. Serve hot and enjoy!
**Notes:**
* For a spicier dish, add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon red chili flakes.
* For a smoky flavor, add 1 teaspoon liquid smoke.
* If large butter beans are unavailable, use lima beans as a substitute.
Enjoy this hearty and flavorful calico beans recipe – a perfect side dish that’s sure to become a staple in your kitchen, bringing the warmth and comfort of home-style cooking to every meal, just like the Pioneer Woman! Let us know in the comments below how you liked this recipe and if you made any variations! We’d love to see your creations – share your photos on Instagram or Facebook and tag us @pioneertechnologyrecipes #pioneertechnologyrecipes!
