There’s nothing quite like a big pot of Charro Bean Soup simmering away on the stove. It smells divine! It’s one of those recipes that feels rustic and homey, but it’s also packed with so much flavor that it always surprises people.

With tender pinto beans, smoky bacon, spicy chorizo, and fresh veggies, this soup is hearty enough to be a main dish yet cozy enough to serve as a side dish to your favorite Mexican meals.

What is Charro Bean Soup?

In Mexico, charro beans are known as frijoles charros or cowboy beans, a traditional cowboy-style dish that’s been loved for generations. It consists of pinto beans slowly cooked with different meats (ham, chorizo and bacon) in a rich flavorful broth with peppers, onions and tomatoes.

Last year when I was figuring out the best charro beans recipe, I had the thought that if I added a little more broth and a few more ingredients, charro beans could be made into a bold, hearty soup. AND Charro Bean Soup was born! We are obsessed! It’s total Mexican comfort food!

Charro Beans vs. Borracho Beans

Many people have questions about the difference between charro beans and borracho beans because they are so similar. The short answer is beer. Ha! “Borracho beans” “drunken beans” included beer in the liquid that the beans get simmered in. That’s really the only difference. The beer gives the beans a deeper, more malty flavor, but both are made with smoky meats, pinto beans, vegetables and seasonings.

Ingredients for Charro Bean Soup

For the Beans

• Dried Pinto Beans: The base of the dish—hearty, creamy beans that provide protein, fiber, and body to the soup. Cooking them from dry gives a richer, more authentic flavor and texture compared to canned beans.
• Yellow Onion: Adds natural sweetness and depth to the cooking liquid. It builds a flavor base for the beans as they simmer.
• Garlic: Infuses the beans with a subtle, savory flavor that enhances the broth and ties in with the traditional Mexican flavor profile.
• Bay Leaves: Give a subtle earthy, herbal note that rounds out the flavor and makes the beans taste more complex.
• Kosher Salt: Seasons the beans from the inside out as they cook, enhancing their natural flavor.
• Dried Mexican Oregano: Distinct from Italian oregano, it has a slightly citrusy, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with Mexican spices and beans. It’s traditional and really deepens authenticity.
• Water: The cooking medium that softens the beans and carries all the aromatics. Using water instead of broth at this stage lets the beans shine without overpowering them too early.

For the Soup

• Proteins: Bacon, Ham and Chorizo
• Vegetables and Aromatics: Yellow Onion, Jalapeño,

Sometimes the simplest things end up being the biggest wins. That’s how I feel about this cheesy, crispy, Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla. My boys and I threw them together a few weeks ago for the first time with some of the items we tend to on hand in the freezer. Suffice it to say that these are way tastier than they have any right to be!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla

I fell in love with the Just Bare brand of frozen chicken bites several years ago when I first found them at Costco. We make ours in the air fryer, and they are the perfect solution for adding some quick protein to a salad or a sandwich.

I could lie and tell you that this recipe was a long series of difficult developments. But, it’s so much simpler than that. We literally just threw together our favorite air fried chicken bites with cheese and some crumbled leftover bacon. Dip your hot quesadillas in some homemade ranch and it all still counts as cooking, OK?

And for what it’s worth, I’ll happily eat this for lunch, or for dinner. And I do. On repeat, my friends. I eat this on repeat. I’ve made a LOT of quesadillas over the years. They’re one of my favorite quick snacks or meals, and they never get old because you can just swap out ingredients.

And, what I’ve learned while making probably hundreds if not thousands of quesadillas over the years is that the right pan makes a big difference for steady, even heat. This hard anodized non-stick pan is HANDS DOWN the best nonstick pan I have ever used. Don’t waste your money on the trendy and viral brand names. I’ve owned them, and they aren’t worth it. This one will not let you down.

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Sweet and savory teriyaki chicken is topped with fresh pineapple and all the classic taco fillings to make these Pineapple Chicken Tacos a major win at the dinner table.

Teriyaki Chicken Tacos

You know how sometimes a flavor combo just sticks in your brain? I have been stuck on these pineapple tacos ever since my friend Jill told me about her family’s take on them.

There’s something simply divine about teriyaki chicken with sweet pineapple. Add in the experience of eating it as a taco, with all the other classic toppings in the mix, and it’s truly amazing.

Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

While my crew normally eats tacos with hot sauce, we all enjoyed these tacos with a drizzle of this easy homemade teriyaki sauce on top. It packs so much sweet and savory flavor, and you can make it in just minutes.

If you’ve never made teriyaki at home, then you definitely should give it a try! The flavors are perfectly balanced, and it’s such a simple recipe. This sauce is way better than anything you can find bottled and for sale on grocery store shelves.

Pineapple Chicken Tacos

Listen, I know that pineapple in savory dishes can be divisive. But, I have to admit that I am unapologetically on team pineapple. I adore Hawaiian pizza. And, I love these pineapple chicken tacos for the same reasons.

If you have someone w

There aren’t many things that can beat a big pot of pork chile verde simmering on the stove. It fills the house with the kind of aroma that makes you hungry long before it’s ready.

Made with pork shoulder, roasted tomatillos, poblano and jalapeno peppers, Pork Chile Verde is hearty, New Mexican comfort food. When it all comes together, the result is melt-in-your-mouth pork coated in the most delicious green chile sauce you can imagine.

Pork Chile Verde

It does take a little time, but that’s part of the beauty of chile verde. This is a recipe that rewards patience. It’s the kind of dish you make when you want your house to smell incredible all afternoon. Most of the time is hands-off, while the pork simmers in a broth infused with onions, garlic, cumin, and oregano until it’s fork-tender.

Towards the end of that simmering time, you’ll pop the tomatillos and peppers under the broiler to bring out their smoky, slightly sweet flavors. Toss those roasted vegetables into the blender along with the cilantro, and turn it into the chile verde sauce that is going to transform that tender pork.

Chile Verde Pork

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

• 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion
• 6 cloves garlic 
• 2 teaspoons ground
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon chicken base
• 2 pounds fresh tomatillos 
• 4 fresh poblano chiles 
• 2 fresh jalapeno peppers 
• ½ bunch fresh cilantro

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The best green chile stew is loaded with bite-sized chunks of pork that are seasoned with onion and plenty of garlic. The pork is simmered in a green chile sauce until tender enough to almost fall apart when you bite it.

New Mexico Green Chile Stew

This is the ultimate comfort food.

Filled with that irresistible pork, potatoes, and roasted green chile, this stew is what I dream of when the weather starts cooling off each fall. And before any other native New Mexican can correct me, I am well aware of the ridiculousness of actually claiming the BEST NM Green Chile Stew, because technically, I do love them all.

That said, this is my family’s best green chile stew, and we love it more than all the others. Made with chunks of tender pork and potatoes, spicy hot green chile, and a savory broth that you’ll be dipping your tortillas into and scraping the bowl clean, this is it for me.

Green Chile Stew

Over the years, I’ve made Green Chile Stew with many different kinds of meat: pork, ground beef, steak, and chicken. However, this Green Chile Stew is hands-down our favorite.

Not that I won’t happily try YOUR green chile stew recipe if you send it to me! I don’t discriminate between green chile recipes. We love adding green chile to our enchiladas, burritos, tacos, soups, and scrambled egg skillets. If the dish includes green chile, my boys will dive straight into it.