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This calico beans recipe combines ground beef, bacon, and three types of beans in a sweet and smoky sauce. Make it in the oven or slow cooker — perfect for potlucks and BBQs!
This calico beans recipe has earned a permanent spot at every family gathering I host. Hearty ground beef, crispy bacon, and three kinds of beans come together in a sweet and smoky sauce that tastes like pure comfort food. You can make it in the oven or slow cooker, and it feeds a crowd without much fuss.
My grandmother made these beans for every potluck and holiday table I can remember. Once I started making them myself, they became my most-requested dish to bring to summer cookouts and neighborhood gatherings. They’re that reliable.
Erin’s Notes
- Full of flavor. Sweet, smoky, savory, and just a little tangy — this sauce hits every note. It’s pure comfort food.
- Feeds a crowd. This recipe makes a generous batch and is easy to double for large gatherings.
- Make it ahead. The flavor actually improves overnight, making it a great make-ahead dish for potlucks.
- Two cooking methods. Choose the oven for a slightly thicker sauce, or the slow cooker for hands-off convenience
What Are Calico Beans?
Calico beans get their name from calico cats, the colorful, patchwork coats of those cats mirror the mix of different-colored beans in the dish. You might also hear them called “cowboy beans” or “trucker beans.” They’re a classic American comfort food, a bit like baked beans crossed with beef chili, but without the heavy spice. Expect to find them at potlucks, backyard barbecues, and family reunions across the country.
Recipe Ingredients
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Ground Beef – I like to use lean ground beef to keep the grease to a minimum.
- Onion – Any onion you’d like. Yellow, brown onions, or shallots all work here.
- Bacon – Cooked using your preferred method (the air fryer is quick and easy) and crumbled before you start.
- Pork and Beans – You’ll find canned pork and beans in the canned food aisle of most grocery stores.
- Canned Beans – A mix of beans gives these calico beans their “mottled” look. I use kidney beans and butter beans but feel free to substitute your favorite canned beans.
- Ketchup and Mustard – You can substitute ketchup with tomato paste if needed. Use any mustard you’d like, whether that’s yellow, whole-grain, or even Dijon mustard.
- Brown Sugar – Or granulated sugar, to give these beans a sweet flavor similar to traditional baked beans.
- Cider Vinegar – I like apple cider vinegar since the sweetness pairs nicely with the beans and bacon. Since you only need a small amount, feel free to use any type of vinegar you have on hand.
Calico Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- ½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 28 oz can pork and beans
- 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained
- 1 15 oz can butter beans (or lima beans)
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- In a large skillet brown ground beef and onion together, breaking apart until the beef is cooked and the onions are soft. Drain away any excess grease.1 pound lean ground beef, ½ cup finely chopped onion
- Stir in all of the remaining ingredients until well combined.½ pound bacon, 1 28 oz can pork and beans, 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained, 1 15 oz can butter beans (or lima beans), ¾ cup ketchup, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- Bake for 30-45 minutes until hot and bubbly.
- OR
- Pour mixture into a crockpot and heat on low for 2-3 hours, until hot and bubbly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Calico Beans
- Cook the beef. Start by browning the beef and onions in a large skillet, and drain off the grease.
- Combine. Next, stir in the rest of the ingredients. If your skillet is oven-safe, pop the whole thing into the oven. If not, transfer the calico beans to a baking dish.
- Bake or Slow Cook. Choose your method below and cook until hot and bubbly.
Oven Method
Preheat your oven to 350ºF. If your skillet is oven-safe, pop it straight in. Otherwise, transfer the mixture to a 9×13 baking dish or casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 30–45 minutes, until the beans are hot and bubbling and the sauce has thickened. The oven method gives you a slightly caramelized top layer that’s hard to beat.
Slow Cooker Method
After combining everything in the skillet, pour the mixture into your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 2–3 hours, or until hot and bubbly. This is a great method when you’re serving at a party, just switch to the WARM setting to keep them perfect until everyone is ready to eat.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Swap the beans. Any combination of beans works — pinto beans, great northern beans, black beans, or an extra can of baked beans. Use whatever you have on hand.
- Change the protein. Ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork all work in place of beef. For a vegetarian version, try lentils, crumbled tofu, or chickpeas.
- Make it smoky. Add ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke to the sauce for a deep, campfire-style flavor.
- Make it spicy. Stir in ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, a few dashes of hot sauce, or some diced jalapeños.
- Use BBQ sauce. Swap some or all of the ketchup for your favorite barbecue sauce for a smokier, tangier profile.
- Add veggies. A diced green or red bell pepper sautéed with the beef adds color and nutrition.
- Skip the meat. Use your favorite plant-based bacon and a meatless ground substitute for a fully vegetarian dish.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t drain the pork and beans. The liquid in that can is packed with flavor and helps create the sauce.
- Make them ahead. These beans taste even better the next day once the flavors have melded. Make a day in advance and reheat before serving.
- Drain the other beans. Kidney and butter beans should be drained and rinsed so you can control the overall liquid level.
- Keep them warm. If bringing to a potluck, transfer to a slow cooker on WARM so they stay at perfect serving temperature.
Serving Suggestions
Calico beans are most at home alongside classic cookout food: burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, pulled pork, or saucy ribs. They’re also hearty enough to be a meal on their own. Try serving them over rice or with a skillet of cornbread and a simple green salad.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover calico beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. You can reheat the beans quickly in a saucepan or the microwave.
- Freeze. These beans are good to freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Absolutely. Replace the ground beef with lentils, chickpeas, crumbled tofu, or a plant-based meat substitute. Use turkey bacon or a plant-based bacon for a fully vegetarian or vegan version. The sweet and smoky sauce carries the dish beautifully either way.
Yes. Let them cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, leaving an inch of headspace. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop over low heat.
Your recipe today reminds me that I haven’t made this in a long time and it’s one of my husband’s favorites! We’ve always called it Cowboy Beans. Adding bacon sounds like a perfect addition that I haven’t used, but it will be in there next time! Thank you!
These are without question the best baked beans I’ve ever made. They have so much zippy flavor!
Hands down the best beans I have ever made or had!
I tried your Calico Beans recipe for our family barbecue, and it was a huge success! The mix of beans and ground beef with that delicious sauce was perfect. Everyone asked for the recipe.
This was very easy to make and turned out so good! It had so much flavor! Perfect side dish!
Easy to prepare in either the oven or a slow cooker, it’s a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for any occasion.
This is the BEST bean recipe. It’s a whole meal by itself!