Chipotle and Chorizo Red Beans Recipe

Updated April 02, 2025

Canned chipotles in adobo sauce bring sweet smoke, earthiness, and plenty of heat to vinegar- and chorizo-spiked beans. I'm partial to bola roja beans, which are firm, meaty, and handle stewing nearly forever, but any red bean will do.

Spice Hunting: Chipotle

Recipe Details

Chipotle and Chorizo Red Beans Recipe

Cook 50 mins

Active 60 mins

Total 50 mins

Serves 6 to 8 servings

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1 pound Mexican chorizo, removed from its casing
1 large onion, diced
4 poblano chiles, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seed
3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeds removed and roughly chopped
15 ounces roasted, canned tomatoes, diced
1 pound red beans, pre-cooked, with their cooking liquid, or 4 (15 ounce) cans
Apple cider vinegar, to taste

Directions

Heat a large Dutch oven on high with oil. When it smokes, add chorizo, crumbling with wooden spoon. Stir frequently until fat renders out and chorizo is crisp and well browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
Add onion and poblanos, stirring to coat with fat. Stir occassionally until onions turn translucent and poblanos turn slightly charred around edges. Add garlic, cumin, and chipotle, and cook for one more minute.
When spices are aromatic, return chorizo to pot and add tomatoes and beans (with their cooking liquid if using dried). Add water to not quite cover beans, then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 20 to 30 minutes or until flavors are well melded.
Add vinegar and salt to taste, Serve with finely chopped red onion, cilantro, and sour cream at the table.

This Recipe Appears In

Spice Hunting: Chipotle

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
375	Calories
24g	Fat
21g	Carbs
20g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	375
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g	31%
Saturated Fat 8g	42%
Cholesterol 50mg	17%
Sodium 765mg	33%
Total Carbohydrate 21g	7%
Dietary Fiber 6g	21%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 16mg	79%
Calcium 63mg	5%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 652mg	14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.