Western Beans
Submitted by lheys
Smoky Western beans with bacon, pinto beans, kidney beans, and lentils simmered in a spiced tomato sauce with cumin and chili powder. Easy one-pot comfort food for a crowd.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
45 minREADY
60 minThese Western beans are the kind of no-nonsense, stick-to-your-ribs side dish that belongs at every cookout, potluck, and chili night.
Bacon gets crisped up in the pot first, then onions cook down in the rendered fat until soft and sweet.
From there, pinto beans, kidney beans, and dry lentils all go in together with canned tomatoes, ketchup, cumin, chili powder, garlic, and a bay leaf, and the whole pot simmers for 45 minutes until the lentils are tender and everything has melted into a thick, saucy, smoky stew.
Feeds 10 and takes about an hour from start to finish.
Kitchen Tips
- The lentils cook right in the pot with the canned beans, so no pre-soaking needed. They absorb the broth and thicken everything up naturally.
- Dice the bacon small so it distributes evenly through the beans rather than sitting in big chewy chunks.
- Stir only once or twice during the simmer. Too much stirring breaks the beans down into mush.
- Pull the bay leaf out before serving. Nobody wants to bite into that.
Ingredients
Directions
Lightly fry bacon in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan.
Add onion; cook until transparent.
Stir in remaining ingredients.
Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring once or twice.
Remove bay leaf before serving.
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