Easy Homemade Refried Beans

Step 1

Open the pinto bean cans and pour them into a colander.  Reserve about 1 cup of the liquid from the cans.  Rinse the beans and set aside.

Step 2

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat and add 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil.  Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt.  Cook onion until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes, and then add in the minced garlic.  Cook the onion and garlic for another minute or so.

Step 3

Add in the pinto beans along with all the spices and about 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Mix everything together well and let cook over low heat for a few minutes.

Step 4

Pour in 1 cup of the reserved bean liquid, or water/stock, mix everything together and then cover and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove the lid and use a potato masher to mash the beans to your liking.  I mashed mine for a couple of minutes and the texture turned out great.  I like mine to be mostly smooth but still have some whole bean pieces.  You could also put them in a food processor if you want them really smooth.  Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for later use.