Elvis Presley Always Ordered This Simple Dish At Mexican Restaurants

When most people think of Elvis Presley, their minds go more in the direction of blue suede shoes, white jumpsuits, and "the King's" signature hip wiggle than hot meals, Mexican or otherwise. But the rock and roll icon was also a big eater and knew what he liked. While Presley famously enjoyed his beloved peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwiches (now commonly known as "The Elvis"), they weren't his only favorites. As a native of Mississippi, Presley enjoyed his Southern classics, like deep-fried pickles, but he was also a fan of Mexican food. Specifically, he liked the Mexican food at Las Casuelas Original in Palm Springs, California, where he would always order up a plate of ranchero beans and an iced tea.

Still in business, Las Casuelas Original is a traditional family-run restaurant that uses decades-old Mexican recipes. Presley's favorite dish is still served and listed on the menu as frijoles rancheros. Despite the name, the dish contains far more than just beans. In fact, to make frijoles rancheros at Las Casuelas Original, whole pinto beans are cooked with tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, guerito chiles, cilantro, and cheese for a rich, comforting, spicy dish fit for, well, "the King."

The tradition of enjoying frijoles rancheros isn't exclusively Mexican. In fact, many people associate the dish, which can also be referred to as "cowboy beans," with the southwestern United States because of its popularity there. The name variation makes some sense, as frijoles rancheros, which are sometimes called frijoles charros, were named for Mexican cowboys in Mexico's northern regions, who needed such hearty fare after a day of working hard on a hacienda.

Cowboy beans, the more typical American name for frijoles rancheros, can vary depending on the personal preferences of the cook. In fact, some recipes even call for an amount of coffee in their sauce to add richness and depth of flavor. Cowboy beans are a popular side dish to serve with barbecue, although they would also go well with a plate of deep-fried pickle slices — a meal that Presley would certainly approve of.