🌮🔥 Happy Taco Thursday, Fam!

This week, we’re going all in on the unsung heroes of taco night: the sides. Because yes, tacos are royalty, but every great taco table needs a supporting cast with main-character energy.

And who better to lead the charge than Chef Rick Bayless? The Food Network OG, award-winning restaurateur, and longtime champion of real-deal Mexican cooking has been bringing the gospel of chiles, masa, adobo, and big flavor into our kitchens for decades.

We kicked off the week with crispy adobo-roasted potatoes, and now we’re dropping side número dos: Cowboy Beans.

Smoky bacon, jalapeños, tomatoes, and tender beans simmer into a rich, spoon-thick bowl built for tortillas, toppings, and a full table takeover.

👇 Scroll down for this week’s next taco-night sidekick.

Cheers & hot sauce,
~ The Taco Tuesday Crew

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Recipe By: @chefrickbayless

🫘 Fun Fact: Beans have been a Mexican table staple for centuries, often served alongside tortillas, rice, salsas, and tacos as everyday comfort fuel.

WATCH The VIDEO!

4 slices (4 ounces) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
1 medium white onion, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded if you wish and cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted), undrained
1 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) dried pinto beans, picked over for any small stones or debris
Salt
1 cup loosely packed, roughly chopped cilantro

1️⃣ Bacon First, Always
Set your pressure cooker to sauté on normal or medium. Add the bacon and cook for several minutes, stirring regularly, until it starts to brown and gives up that glorious fat.

If your bacon is being shy and doesn’t render much, add a couple tablespoons of oil. No dry bean business today.

2️⃣ Build the Flavor Base
Add the onion and cook until golden, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and jalapeños, then cook for about 1 minute, just until the garlic starts to brown and the whole pot smells like the party officially started.

3️⃣ Tomatoes Join the Chat
Stir in the tomatoes and cook for another minute.

This is the little saucy moment before the beans go big.

4️⃣ Pressure Cook the Beans
Add the beans, 1 teaspoon table salt, and 6 cups of water.

Cover and pressure cook on high for 1 hour. If time allows, let the pressure release naturally. The beans deserve a slow exit.

5️⃣ Blend for Creaminess
When you’re ready to serve, scoop out 1 cup of the beans and blend until smooth.

Add the blended beans back into the pot and stir. This is the secret move that makes the whole thing rich, cozy, and spoon-thick without doing too much.

6️⃣ Finish & Serve
Stir in the cilantro, taste, and add more salt if needed.

Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Bonus points for tortillas, hot sauce, and someone yelling “Who made the beans?!”

No Pressure Cooker? No Problem.

7️⃣ Stovetop Method
Cook the bacon, onion, garlic, jalapeños, and tomatoes in a medium-large 4- to 6-quart pot, preferably a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat.

Add the beans, salt, and 2 ½ quarts water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer gently, partially covered, until the beans are fully tender, about 2 hours.

Add water as needed to keep the liquid level about the same. Then finish with the blended beans and cilantro, just like above.

8️⃣ Slow Cooker Method
Cook the bacon, onion, garlic, jalapeños, and tomatoes in the removable insert of a 6-quart slow cooker, or in a large skillet if your insert isn’t stovetop-safe.

Transfer everything to the slow cooker, then add the beans, 1 teaspoon table salt, and 7 cups of water.

Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or longer if your slow cooker switches to warm. Finish with the blended beans and cilantro.

Bean magic, three ways. Choose your fighter.

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