Looking for the perfect side dish? These Crock-Pot Calico Beans are not only simple to make but super flavorful. We also love this as a main dinner dish or also a huge hit for summer bbq’s or any gathering.
Slow Cooker Calico Beans
These Calico beans are so good and easy to make. You can pair this recipe with almost anything for dinner! The flavors are smokey and the texture is so meaty and thick which makes it super filling and delicious.
Calico Beans are similar to Cowboy Beans, most likely because it’s a meaty one-pot meal that’s been enjoyed by the campfire for many years.
What are Calico Beans?
There is one thing that all Calico Bean recipes have in common – a variety of colored beans. Most recipes call for pork and beans, kidney beans, and light beans (like butter, lima or pinto). Just like how cats have the same name, this has a variety of colors.
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
Ground Beef: I love using ground beef in this recipe, but you are free to use other meats of your choosing.
Bacon: you can substitute turkey bacon or leave out completely if you wish.
Onion: Adding onions to this recipe can make it have extra texture and adds a wonderful aroma.
Beans: Use cans of pork and beans, kidney beans, and butter beans for this recipe or any kind of your liking.
Ketchup: Ketchup will add a sweeter flavor to the baked beans. I could eat this recipe every day!
Brown Sugar: Using this will add richness to the baked beans as well as make them a whole lot sweeter.
Worcestershire: To get that delicious smokey flavor to the baked beans, use this sauce.
Vinegar: Using vinegar will add a bit of sour flavor to the recipe, but will make it taste so very good.
How To Make Calico Beans
Step 1. Place the ground beef and bacon into a large skillet and cook on medium-high heat. Remove the excess grease once cooked.
Step 2. Put the cooked ground beef, bacon, diced onion, pork and beans, drained kidney and butter beans, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar, and water into the crockpot and mix to combine.
Step 3. Put some salt and pepper to taste and seal with a lid. Allow the recipe to cook for 4 hours on low making sure to stir only once.
Step 4. Serve and Enjoy!
What To Eat With Crockpot Baked Beans?
Some of my favorite things to eat with baked beans are hotdogs, burgers, chicken, steak, pork, and other types of meats. You can have it as a side or add more meat into the recipe for a meal.
Tips & Tricks For Making Calico Beans:
Here are some great tips and tricks for making the best-baked beans:
- If you don’t have ketchup, you can use bbq sauce as a substitute.
- To add a pop of flavor, you can put in some bell pepper or jalapenos.
- You can use your favorite types of beans for this recipe. Instead of kidney and butter beans, you can use cannellini, black beans, or pinto beans.
- Another great meat to use instead of beef is breakfast sausage or smoked sausage.
More Side Dishes Recipes:
- Fried Green Beans {Beer Battered}
- Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes with Spicy Ranch
- Root Beer Baked Beans with Bacon
- Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans
Calico Beans (Crock Pot)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound bacon diced
- Half onion diced
- 1 15 ounces can pork & beans
- 1 15 ounces can kidney beans, drained
- 1 15 ounces can butter beans large , drained
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat brown and cook your bacon and ground beef. Drain off the grease.
- To your slow cooker add the ground beef, bacon, diced onion, pork and beans, drained kidney and butter beans, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar, and water.
- Stir to combine.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, stirring once.
- Serve!
Last Step:
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