Learn how to make refried beans at home! It's easy and inexpensive whether you're starting with canned beans or cooking them from scratch. Ready in under 30 minutes, this vegetarian refried beans recipe is the best!
Hello friends! You know we're huge fans of all things beans here on HNL, and today we're taking a deep dive into how to make your own Refried Beans!
Refried beans aren't exactly the most glamourous recipe—I mean, they can't all be colourful bowls of ramen brimming with fresh vegetables or artfully arranged niçoise salads, right?
Lucky for us, refried beans make up for their bland appearance by packing in alllll the flavor. Garlicky, smoky, and savory, these homemade refried beans are going to become a mealtime staple in your home.
How do I know? Well, first, you can use them in so many different ways, from burrito bowls to healthy dips and tacos (we love them in these Bean and Cheese Tacos!). But also because they're:
- A cinch to make. Maybe not quite as easy as cracking open a can, but still: super easy! If you thought making refried beans was an hours long process, you’ll be surprised to learn that it just takes a few minutes on the stovetop—and nope, there’s no double frying involved.
- Miles better than store-bought. We're talking apples and oranges here, friends. When you know how to make refried beans yourself, you can say good-bye to those gloppy cans of supermarket beans.
- Healthier than restaurant-style refried beans. You don't need to add heaps of lard or oil to get that signature smooth, creamy texture.
Ingredients for Refried Beans
You only need a few basics to pull together this easy refried beans recipe! You'll find specific quantities in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, but here's a quick overview of what we're going to be using:
- Olive oil --> Or another neutral oil you like to use for cooking.
- Yellow onion --> White onion works too; it has a bit more bite.
- Garlic --> You can always add more garlic, but you should never add less.
- Smoked paprika --> A heavy-hitter that adds earthy, smoky flavour reminiscent of bacon fat.
- Dried oregano --> Preferably Mexican oregano.
- Ground chili powder --> Chilli powder can vary in terms of heat level; if yours is mild and you want some kick to your beans, add cayenne too.
- Pinto beans --> Canned or dried, I don’t judge. Rinse and drain the canned beans or here's how to cook pinto beans from scratch!
- Vegetable broth --> Homemade or store-bought. If you use dried beans, you can use the bean broth, AKA the cooking liquid from the beans.
- Salt --> The amount you’ll add depends on the saltiness of the broth.
- Lemon juice --> Optional, for some tanginess. Fresh lime juice also works.
How to Make Refried Beans
You'll find detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. For now here's a step-by-step overview, complete with photos!
After you’ve heated the oil in a heavy skillet, add the onion and sauté it until it’s just beginning to brown. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until you can smell garlic in the air—with the garlic, you don’t want it to brown because this can give it a sharp, unpleasant flavour.
Stir the spices into the pan; you don’t need to cook them for a long time, just until they’re fragrant, which shouldn’t take more than a few seconds. This is called blooming the spices and it really makes a difference in your cooking!
Now, add the canned or cooked beans. Stir them into the pan so they’re well-coated with all those bloomin’ spices and cook for about 2 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable broth, give it a good stir, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
Can you believe we’re almost done?!
Remove the pan from the heat. From here, you can choose your own adventure. For chunkier refried beans, use a potato masher.
For smoother beans, let them cool a bit and then transfer them to a food processor or blender; vent it a little to keep steam from building up, cover the lid with a towel (to keep any bean spatters from landing on you) and puree until smooth.
Finish by adding the lemon juice, if desired, and then season with salt to taste. At this point, you can adjust the consistency by returning the beans to the stovetop to make them thicker or adding more both to make them thinner.
How to use Refried Beans
There are countless ways to put your refried beans to use other than using them as a side dish. Here are some of my favourites:
- Tacos: Spoon some refried beans onto a warm tortilla, top it with your favourite toppings—peach salsa, perhaps?—and you've got yourself one delicious dinner. And be sure to try our Bean and Cheese Tacos!
- Burrito Bowls: Add a scoop of refried beans to your next vegetarian burrito bowl, along with rice, fresh cilantro, and veggies.
- Nachos: Make some epic vegetarian nachos by topping a sheet pan of tortilla chips with refried beans, salsa, fajita veggies, and shredded cheese. Bake, add fresh toppings, and devour. (Or make air fryer nachos!)
- Quesadillas: You can't go wrong with a cheesy quesadilla—and refried beans are the perfect filling to add a little more nutrition to the mix.
- Mexican Pizza: Spread the refried beans onto your favourite whole wheat crust, then spoon on some salsa and top with cheese. Bake, then finish with taco toppings like lettuce, scallions, pickled jalapeño peppers, and tomatoes.
- Bean Dip: Stir some salsa and ground cumin into your refried beans for an easy, creamy dip. Take it to the next level by putting the mixture in a baking dish, adding a layer of shredded cheese, and baking until it’s melty. Garnish with fresh herbs and you're good to go!
Storing Refried Beans
Refried beans are fantastic for meal prep! They'll keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container or in the freezer for 3 months. When you're ready to eat, just heat them up on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth or in the microwave until warmed through.
Recipe FAQ
Refried beans are not actually fried twice. The name comes from the Spanish phrase "frijoles refritos," which means well-fried beans—a reference to the process of partially mashing and then cooking the beans in lard
Restaurants often use lard or oil to cook their beans, resulting in a richer flavour and creamy texture. But you can achieve delicious results at home without adding any extra fat by using vegetable broth.
Yes! This recipe uses oil and vegetable broth instead of lard. The oil cooks the aromatics and adds some richness, while the broth makes the beans creamy and flavourful.
Traditional refried beans recipes are made using pinto beans. However, you can absolutely substitute another type of beans, such as black beans, instead.
Refried Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil or other neutral oil
- ½ small yellow onion finely minced (about ½ cup minced onion)
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano preferably Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground chilli powder
- 4 14- ounce cans pinto beans drained and rinsed (or 1 pound dried pinto beans, cooked)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- Salt to taste
- 1 - 2 Tablespoons lemon juice optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.3 Tablespoons olive oil
- Add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and just starting to turn brown.½ small yellow onion
- Add the garlic, and sauté for 1-2 minutes more.3 cloves garlic
- Add the smoked paprika, oregano, and chilli powder, and stir to combine.1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon ground chilli powder
- Add the pinto beans, and sauté together with the aromatics for about 2 minutes.4 14- ounce cans pinto beans
- Add the vegetable broth and stir the mixture together well. Allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes.1 cup vegetable broth
- Remove from the heat and use a potato masher to mash the beans. Alternatively you can transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender if you prefer very smooth refried beans.
- Stir in the lemon juice, taste, and season with salt as needed.Salt to taste, 1 - 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only
- If the beans are runnier than you prefer, you can continue to cook them until the liquid cooks off. Bear in mind that they will continue to thicken as they cool.
- If your refried beans are too thick, you can add a bit more vegetable broth, one tablespoon at a time, until they reach the desired consistency.
Bennett
Blooming the spices made a huge difference. What a delicious recipe!
Katie Trant
I know, right?! Blooming for the win!