These quick and easy Refried Beans are perfect for a multitude of dishes! Using a short list of inexpensive ingredients, you can amp up your next Mexican night with this simple 20 minute recipe.
Many people may find refried beans lacklustre and basic, but when you add a few simple spices and some fresh lime juice like I did in this recipe, game over! These refried beans are the perfect addition to your next Mexican or Tex-Mex night and are far superior than any store bought variety you will find.
Refried Beans
- Easy One Pan, Under 30 Minute Recipe
- Simple, Short Ingredient List
- Versatile
- Vegan & Gluten Free
- Delicious & Better Than Store Bought!
Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat, the more you.. you know how the rest goes. This recipe is SO easy to make and requires a short list of inexpensive ingredients. It’s essentially dumping everything together, cooking it up quickly, and then mashing until creamy and smooth. No fuss, no muss!
Ingredient Notes
- Olive Oil – Substitute sunflower, safflower, or avocado oil.
- Onion – I used a small onion, diced. White or yellow will work!
- Garlic – Fresh is best! Minced.
- Seasoning – I used a simple combination of chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and salt.
- Beans – I used canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained.
- Lime Juice – I prefer using freshly squeezed! Use what you have on hand.
How To Make Refried Beans
- Cook Onions: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have softened and become translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add Seasoning: Add the garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt, stir and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Cook Beans: Add the beans and water, stir, and cook covered for 5 minutes.
- Mash: Remove the lid and reduce the heat to low. Using a potato masher, mash the beans until desired consistency. For a smoother and creamier consistency, use an immersion blender.
- Finish: Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
Refried beans are made up of (that’s right, you guessed it!) beans. Typically made with pinto beans, there are many different ways that refried beans can be made! Ultimately, in short, refried beans are mashed beans that are used in a wide variety of Mexican or Tex Mex cuisines.
Pinto beans are the most common type of bean used, but if you don’t have pinto beans on hand, or want to try something new, you can always opt for black beans instead! Black beans aren’t soft and won’t blend as easily as pinto beans, but if you don’t mind a little chunkiness, they’re a great option!
In both Mexican and Tex-Mex style restaurants, refried beans are often topped with cheese and served on the side of any dish, along with rice. But that’s not all! Refried beans are a healthy side dish to serve along with or inside any Mexican-style meal. Use them on tacos, chilaquiles, enchiladas, taquitos, nachos, casseroles, burritos, taco pizzas, quesadillas – the list is endless!
Absolutely! You can make a bulk batch and then freeze them for later use. This is a perfect way to simplify future meals! Scroll down to “freezing” section for full instructions.Â
Tips
- You can use dry beans instead of canned beans, but you won’t notice much difference, aside from how much longer it will take! You’d have to soak and cook your beans first, then continue with the recipe as instructed.
- Add some cilantro for some extra kick and flavor!
- Chop the onion really small so it blends well when mashing! This will ensure silky smooth refried beans.
- If you want your beans to be extra creamy with no chunkiness, use a food processor or immersion blender!
- If your refried beans seem dry, add a splash of water to them.
Storing
Transfer any leftover refried beans to an airtight container or sealable bag. The will last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Freezing
Allow your refried beans to fully cool before freezing. I would recommend separating the beans into portions for easy defrosting. Place in an airtight container or freezer bags for up to 8 months.
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Refried Beans
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- 30 oz pinto beans (2 cans of 15 oz each), rinsed and drained
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- Cook Onions: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have softened and become translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add Seasoning: Add the garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, salt, stir and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Cook Beans: Add the beans and water, stir, and cook covered for 5 minutes.
- Mash: Remove the lid and reduce the heat to low. Using a potato masher, mash the beans until desired consistency. For a smoother and creamier consistency, use an immersion blender.
- Finish: Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.
Recipe Notes
- You can use dry beans instead of canned beans, but you won’t notice much difference, aside from how much longer it will take! You’d have to soak and cook your beans first, then continue with the recipe as instructed.
- Add some cilantro for some extra kick and flavor!
- Chop the onion really small so it blends well when mashing! This will ensure silky smooth refried beans.
- If you want your beans to be extra creamy with no chunkiness, use a food processor or immersion blender!
- If your refried beans seem dry, add a splash of water to them.
- Transfer any leftover refried beans to an airtight container or sealable bag. The will last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Allow your refried beans to fully cool before freezing. I would recommend separating the beans into portions for easy defrosting. Place in an airtight container or freezer bags for up to 8 months.
Excellent! First time for retried beans and it’s a hit!
Yay! Awesome, love to hear it 🙂