Refried Beans Recipe
This refried beans recipe is a must-have in your file. It's a staple in Mexican-inspired meals and a versatile side dish for many others.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 207kcal
Equipment
- Fine mesh strainer or colander
- Dutch Oven or large pot
- Large bowl
- Potato masher (or bottom of a cup)
- Immersion blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried pinto beans or 4 ¼ cups of cooked beans **see notes for canned beans substitution.
- 8 cups water plus more as needed
- 1 white onion divided into half wedges and half diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice or more to taste
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped, optional add-in or garnish
Instructions
If using canned beans, skip to step 9. See notes for more details.
- Rinse dried beans in a colander and discard any debris or stones. Rinse very well.
- Cook the beans in a large pot with enough water to cover them by 1-2 inches, about 6-8 cups of water.
- Cook them on high until they boil for 2 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and set aside for 1 hour. Remove any foam that rises to the top.
- Once the beans have rested for 1 hour, strain them in fine mesh strainer. The beans can be frozen at this point up to 5 months.
- Place the beans back in the large pot or a Dutch oven, with 5-6 more cups of water. Add the onion wedges, cumin, chili powder, salt, oregano and freshly ground pepper to the water. Bring it to a boil for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1 hour or more.
- Check the beans after 1 hour for softness. If not soft yet, continue cooking and check every 15 minutes until they have softened. If they start to dry out, add more water.
- Place a strainer over a large pot or bowl and pour the beans into the strainer.
- Reserve the cooking liquid and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 5 or more minutes until really soft.
- Stir in the beans and reduce the heat to low and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and add ½ a cup of the cooking liquid at time, while using the potato masher (or bottom of a cup) to mash the beans. Add more cooking liquid to the beans to reach your desired consistency.
- If you want really smooth and creamy refried beans, I recommend blending the beans with an immersion blender, Vitamix or food processor. If using a Vitamix or food processor, do small amounts at a time and add more cooking liquid as desired.
- Once smooth, add the lime juice and salt, to taste. Stir completely.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Canned beans can be used instead of dried beans. You’ll need 3 cans of 14-ounce pinto beans drained and rinsed. Simply skip steps 1-8, if using canned beans. Add the cumin, salt and oregano to the beans in step 9, and add water or vegetable broth to the beans in step 11.
- When cooking the onions and garlic, make sure the onions are really soft so that they will melt into the beans. Nobody likes onion chunks in their beans!
- Leftover beans can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to 5 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 705mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 3mg