Refried beans are cooked and mashed beans that are a staple in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine that can be served as a side dish, condiment, dip or as an ingredient in other recipes. The name is a bit of a misnomer since the ‘re’ means ‘well’ so they are actually ‘well fried beans’ rather than ‘twice fried beans’. At their base refried beans are simply beans, often pinto beans, that are cooked, fried and mashed but you can add extras like onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, etc. to taste. The beans are traditionally fried in lard which adds flavour but you could also substitute bacon grease or butter for a different flavour or even oil if you want something a little healthier or without too much flavour. I like to make refried beans in one of two ways, the quick and easy pantry friendly way with canned beans and the slow cooker way with dried beans and both methods are super easy and taste way better than canned!
Refried beans are great as a snack with tortilla chips for dipping!
Add some ooey gooey melted cheese and it are even better!
Just look at all of that stringy melted cheese!
Refried Beans (Frijoles Refritos)
Quick, easy, healthy and pantry friendly homemade refried beans.
ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, diced (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
- 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans (or other bean), drained and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked beans, from 1/ cup dry)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
- * water (optional)
- salt to taste
directions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the beans, cook until warm, mash and add water to get the beans to the consistency that you desire before seasoning with salt to taste.
Option: Add a touch of chipotle chili powder for smokiness.
Option: Instead of using water to thin the beans use broth or the water that you cooked the beans in, if you cooked dry beans, for more flavour.
Slow Cooker Refried Beans
Easy slow cooker refried beans that are healthy and pantry friendly.
ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans, picked over
- 1 small onion, small dice (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
- 4 cups water
- salt to taste
directions
- Place the beans, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumim and water in the slow cooker and cook on high for 8 hours.
- Drain the liquid, reserving it, mash the beans and add as much of the cooking liquid as desired to get the consistency that you want before seasoning with salt to taste.
Option: Add a touch of chipotle chili powder for smokiness.
Option: Fry the mashed beans in lard, bacon grease, butter or vegetable oil.
Option: Mix in and/or top with shredded cheese!
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Coffee & Vanilla says
December 2, 2007 at 11:20 pmKevin,
I’m jealous, I love refried beans!! 🙂
Margot
tigerfish says
December 3, 2007 at 6:56 amFirst time hearing about refried beans :O
Dhanggit says
December 3, 2007 at 9:04 ami remember i had my best beans in a small resto in montreal when we went there for our summer vacation.. i forgot the name though.. never knew its possible to refry them!
Deborah says
December 3, 2007 at 4:39 pmI’m a bacon grease fan, so I usually save mine and put it in the fridge for when I need it. That way, I always have some on hand!
PG says
March 22, 2009 at 7:39 amyes, I had asked myself that question too, thank you for the good explaination. The burrito looked gorgeous!
Anonymous says
July 27, 2009 at 1:28 amThe beans are 're'fried because they are well cooked. "Re" being used as a Spanish prefix to denote 'quite' or 'well' or 'very'. It has nothing to do with the beans being fried twice, which of course you knew. So your explanation is fairly sound, although without perhaps knowing why.
Anonymous says
January 9, 2010 at 3:02 pmWell this explains alot…I was opening a can of pinto beans and mashing them, then microwaving. I can't wait to start making them this way instead. Thanks!
Ducky says
January 27, 2010 at 11:51 amThis looks great and so simple! I had frijoles so many times when I lived in Mexico, but never learned how to cook it myself. I'm going to make this and try one of your dips tonight:)
bellini says
May 3, 2015 at 11:22 pmLove the Vine of this cheesy dish Kevin. I wish this were on my table tonight.
Joshua Hampton says
May 4, 2015 at 12:28 amI love how thick and cheesy that dip is. Yum.