They are easy to make in about 15 minutes. The beans are sautéed with onion, garlic, and spices, then mashed or blended to achieve the perfect creaminess. Try them with corn tortillas or wheat tortillas, pico de gallo, and guacamole, in tacos, burritos, and tostadas. Dried pinto beans, red kidney beans, or black beans are first cooked in water, then mashed and pan-fried in fat (lard, butter, or oil), onion, garlic, and spices. If you use canned beans, no need to boil them first. Homemade refried beans are a healthful and delicious recipe for your Mexican nights. They are also an excellent source of protein and fiber. BEANS: Pinto beans are the most common variety used in refried beans. However, you can substitute black beans, kidney beans, and cranberry beans for pinto beans.You can make frijoles refritos with dried beans or canned beans. If you use dried beans, you need to soak them in water for 8 to 12 hours first, then boil them until tender, about 2 hours. Remember, you’ll need cooking or canning liquid to fry the beans, so don’t discard it. You can substitute vegetable broth for the cooking/canning liquid. OLIVE OIL: We pan-fry the beans in heart-healthy olive oil. You can substitute lard or butter for olive oil. ONION AND GARLIC: For the flavor base. JALAPEÑOS: Add a chopped jalapeño to the flavor base for some heat. CUMIN: You can use ground cumin or cumin seeds. We use ground. SALT: We recommend sea salt or kosher salt. LIME JUICE: We love adding lime juice to the beans for freshness and acidity. CILANTRO (fresh coriander): optional for garnishing. In a large skillet, sauté finely chopped onion and jalapeño in olive oil for 4 minutes. Add pressed garlic and cumin and sauté one more minute. Add two cans of beans and their canning liquid. If you use homecooked beans, add 3 cups of cooked beans and 1 cup of cooking liquid. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes or until the liquid thickens. Blend the beans with an immersion blender or mash them with a potato masher. Stir the juice of one lime, then taste it and adjust for salt before serving.
Serving suggestions
Refried beans are delicious as a dip, spread, or topping for salads and grain bowls. We like to serve them in a bowl topped with fresh cilantro. Try them with tostadas, tacos, or in a burrito. They pair well with pico de Gallo, guacamole, and salsa verde. Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezer: Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator over several hours. Stir in two tablespoons of water and reheat in the microwave for 1 minute.
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MEXICAN INSPIRED: Black bean burger, tostadas, quinoa salad, sweet potato chili, black bean soup, pico de Gallo, guacamole, black bean salad, lentil chili, vegetarian chili, breakfast burrito, sweet potato hash, how to cook black beans. SPREADS & DIPS: Avocado spread, hummus, baba ganoush, white bean dip, tomato pesto, lentil hummus, mutabal, roasted red pepper hummus.
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