easy refried beans

Easy creamy refried beans made with canned pinto beans, onion, garlic and bacon drippings.

Easy Refried Beans

bacon drippings/grease (or lard or corn oil)

½ onion, finely diced

garlic, finely minced

pinto beans, undrained

water

Kosher salt and pepper

queso fresco,

Heat bacon drippings in medium-large skillet.  Add onions and stir and cook until softened and starting to brown.  Add garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add 1 can of pinto beans ~ do not rinse or drain ~ and ¼ cup water. Bring to a simmer and then mash with a potato masher to desired consistency, about 7 to 10 minutes until pretty smooth and thickened up. 

Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with a little queso fresco crumbled on top.

A perfect mix of smooth refried beans and whole pinto beans seasoned with Mexican spices, garlic, and onions. Top it all with your favorite cheese and bake for 15 minutes.&nbsp;This dish makes a perfect and easy Mexican side dish!

The Best 15-Minute Refried Beans

oz canned refried beans (get traditional, not fat-free)

15.5 oz canned whole pinto beans (drained and rinsed)

onions, finely diced

garlic clove, minced

tsp oil

tsp each: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt

**optional, couple dashes of tabasco or hot sauce

shredded cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, colby jack, queso fresco, monterey jack)

**optional garnish- cilantro and diced tomatoes

In a small frying pan, over medium low heat, saute the onions and garlic in the oil until they are translucent, about 4 minutes.

While the onions and garlic cook, in a mixing bowl stir together the refried beans and whole pinto beans, all the seasonings, and optional hot sauce.&nbsp;Once the onions and garlic are ready stir them into the bean mixture.

Pour the beans into the baking dish. Top with the shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 10 minutes.At the end of 10 minutes remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.Garnish with cilantro and diced tomatoes if you are feeling fancy.&nbsp;Enjoy this awesome Mexican side dish!

Preheat the oven to 350. Grab a small baking dish, 8x8 or 9x9

Refried beans are easy to make yourself. Try my canned beans refried beans recipe, to pair with all your favorite main dishes.

Refried Beans

(15 oz each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup onion, finely chopped

oil (canola, olive oil)

garlic,

cumin

chili powder

lime juice

vegetable stock

In a medium saucepan you will want to...

In a medium saucepan you will want to turn on medium heat. Then add your oil and let it get warm. Toss in your onions and salt.

Cook your onions until they are softened and...

Cook your onions until they are softened and become translucent, this takes around 5 minutes.

Add in your garlic, cumin, and chili powder....

Add in your garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds, you want it to begin to smell fragrant.

Now pour your drained beans in along with...

Now pour your drained beans in along with vegetable stock. Stir and cook covered for 5 minutes on medium-low heat.

Reduce your heat to low and remove your...

Reduce your heat to low and remove your lid. Grab a potato masher or blender and mix up the beans. I generally mix only half the bans up as I like a thicker texture. But mix to your desired texture.

You will want to cook the beans for...

You will want to cook the beans for 2-3 more minutes stirring often.

Once done remove beans from the heat, and...

Once done remove beans from the heat, and stir in the lime juice. Add salt to taste if ou would prefer.

If your refried beans seem dry you can...

If your refried beans seem dry you can add a splash of broth or even water. Cover and stir occassionally until you are ready to serve.

How to make delicious, healthy, vegan Refried Beans from scratch using dry beans or canned beans on the stovetop or in your instant pot.

 Homemade Refried Beans (Instant Pot or Stovetop) 

lb pinto beans, 2 1/4 cups (dried), or sub 6 cups cooked beans (4

salt

bay leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)

——–

garlic powder

chipotle powder (optional)

½-1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

olive oil (optional)

STOVE TOP

Place dry beans in a bowl or pot and pour 5 cups of water over the top. Let them sit on the counter overnight or for 8 hours, until they will swell and double in size. Drain. If using canned or cooked beans see notes.

Place soaked beans in a large pot with 5 cups of fresh water. Add salt, cumin, chili powder and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and turn heat to low then simmer gently until tender, about 2 hours.

Drain the beans , reserving the cooking liquid,  and remove the bay leaves.

Place them in the food processor with the additional salt and spices. Add 1- 1 ½ cups of the cooking liquid into the food processor and puree until smooth.

Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the puree for extra richness and delicious flavor.

Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve, or divide and freeze, or simply refrigerate for the week. They will keep for 3-4 days.

Yum! Easy recipe to add to the Taco Tuesday rotation. Using the reserved cooking liquid is a must to whip up creamy beans. I use the same method for making hummus. Cooking liquid is also a great way to store any cooked beans in the refrigerator or freezer and a tasty liquid for making soups and chili. (PS, cooking liquid DOES NOT equal the liquid in the canned beans from the store ?.)

I had over cooked some adzuki beans and they were mush. I was looking for a recipe to use them and tried this.  I added some cumin since I hadn't cooked them in spices and only used water to mix them. It is delicious, and so easy! Thank you!

My hubby loves black beans and beans of all kinds - we cook a lot of them - but as much as he also enjoys Mexican food he just has never been able to become a fan of refried beans.  Until we made this  pureed bean recipe (using Rancho Gordo beans and the stovetop method).  These are great with your tleyuda (sp) recipe too.  Thanks for taking the time to create and post this.

Delicious! Many thanks for the recipe and the method. Canned refried beans are hard to find and expensive where we live,  so I'm using thepandemic as a perfect time to learn how to cook more things from scratch. You made my day!

These really are the BEST EVER refried beans! They are full of flavor and super easy to make - especially in the instant pot. We've been making them every week for the last 6 months and they just never get old. We leave out the oil and just mash them up with a potato masher. No more bland refried beans. So delicious!

Hi Sylvia! I just found your blog and am so happy I did :) These are indeed the BEST EVER refried beans! 

I used some dried pinto beans that have been in my pantry for probably 5 years (yikes!) but nonetheless they turned out amazing and are so, so simple with the Instant Pot and food processor. I was planning to add the oil but ended up forgetting it, and they were still so rich in flavor (I used 1t of all of the optional spices listed). 

Thank you for this awesome recipe!

I made this recipe today exactly as written, with all the optional ingredients, and it is very flavorful! Thank you.

I followed the instructions for the Instant Pot using flor de mayo beans. I love the Instant Pot for cooking beans - so easy and perfectly creamy! The end result was so good! Creamy with excellent flavor. I added some EVOO for richness and that really completed the dish. I will be returning to this recipe again and again.

This is very good! Unfortunately, I only had canned pinto beans so they lost flesh when I cooked them for two hours. I also added too much liquid into the blender with the bean mix. Ooops! Still, this refried beans was so much better than what you’d get in a can! Despite being too liquify, the refried beans were yummy!

This recipe worked well with Rancho Gordo Mayocoba beans in my Instant pot. The only change I made was adding some dried hot peppers that I removed before mashing the beans. Will definitely make again!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/TYeMgD1h.mp4

How to make Refried Beans from scratch using dry beans or canned beans! A simple vegan recipe with so much flavor! These can be made on the stove-top or in an Instant Pot with just 15 minutes of hands-on time. Video.

Refried Beans from Scratch 

A simple and easy Homemade Mexican Refried Red Kidney Beans recipe. Made from scratch. Perfect for a Mexican Feast. 7 Simple Ingredients. 10 Minutes. Gluten-Free. Vegan.

Easy Refried Kidney Beans

Can Kidney Beans ((Don't Drain))

Onion ((Finely Chopped))

Clove Garlic ((Minced))

Tsp Chili Powder

Tsp Cumin

Tsp White Pepper

Salt

Add the beans (including the liquid) from the can into a medium sauce pan, over a medium heat.

Add all the rest of the ingredients, and cook until heated through.

While it cooks, be sure to smash the beans until they reach your desired consistency.

Make these ultra-simple thick, creamy refried beans to elevate your next meal. They’re easy, inexpensive, and better than store-bought!

Classic Refried Beans

dry pinto beans ((See Note 1))

onion

guajillo chili pepper ((or Ancho, stem and seeds removed))

garlic (crushed only)

lard ((See Note 2))

refried beans

Garlic Clove

Pick through dry beans for any rocks or debris. Cover beans with 2 inches of water in a stock pot. Add a quarter onion (save remaining for other use), dried chili and crushed garlic.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Remove and discard the onion, chili and garlic.&nbsp;You should have about 5 cups of cooked beans.

In a large skillet over high heat melt the lard.

Drain beans, reserving about a cup of the bean water. Add the beans to the skillet. Fry for several minutes, stirring.

Mash with the back of a spoon or potato masher. Add enough bean broth and continue mashing until your desired consistency. I like mine a little chunky and never purée in a food process. If you do, then by all means do it.

Season with some salt and black pepper if needed. Serve with crumbled Cotija or Queso Fresco cheese on top.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/OvEwdWoX.mp4

There&#039;s something deeply satisfying about making your own refried beans at home—rich, creamy, and full of flavor. Whether you&#039;re spreading them on a tortilla for enchiladas or serving them as a side, homemade refried beans bring a comforting, authentic taste that just can&#039;t be beat. Plus, they&#039;re super easy to whip up with just a few simple ingredients

The Best Homemade Refried Beans

pinto beans

olive oil (or bacon fat

yellow onion (finely diced)

bay leaves

garlic (finely chopped)

kosher salt (plus

smoked paprika

Dalkin&Co Taco Seasoning

lime (juiced, more as needed)

Soak the pinto beans overnight. Drain and rinse your beans and transfer them to a large pot. Cover the beans with water by 2 inches and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer the beans until they are totally tender, remove from heat, drain off the liquid to a reserved measuring cup for later use. 

Use a potato masher to start mashing your beans to a chunky texture. If you prefer super smooth refried beans, use an immersion blender.

Heat the olive oil (or bacon fat or lard) in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the onions to saute. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the beans to the pan along with the bay leaves and garlic and stir to combine for 60 seconds. Add about 1 1/2 cups of reserved bean broth and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. Add more broth, about 1/4 cup at a time to achieve your desired consistency. Note: the beans will thicken once taken off the heat.

Stir in the seasonings, cook for 2-3 minutes more, and then stir in the lime juice. Remove the bay leaves once they are of the heat. Taste and adjust salt and seasoning. Use as needed or keep warm to make burritos. These last in the fridge, in an air tight container for up to 7-10 days. You can also freeze them in individual portions for later use and easy defrosting.

Olive oil is overpowering, has kind of a sweetness. Would use a more neutral flavor oil or lard next time. Otherwise good

I made these over the weekend for a Mexican Dinner Party. My husband stated that not to serve any other type of moving forward.  So easy to make and we had no leftovers with people having second's and third's.  Thank you for the great easy recipe.

Made this tonight and did bean and cheese burritos with it….. TO DIE FOR!!! Never buying canned refried beans again.

I am going to be trying this for sure! Nothing better than homemade!!

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Top 7 easy refried beans recipes from across the web

The most viewed easy refried beans recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Easy Refried Beans

The Best 15-Minute Refried Beans

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Homemade Refried Beans (Instant Po...

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Classic Refried Beans

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The most viewed easy refried beans recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine