Description
Creamy, flavorful refried beans made from scratch the traditional way, with flexible ingredients and soul-warming depth—perfect as a side or main attraction.
Ingredients
2 cups dried pinto beans or 3 cans, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped white onion (yellow or red optional)
2–3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp neutral oil (olive oil, or coconut oil)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: lime juice, cotija cheese, chipotle pepper, or Mexican oregano
Instructions
1. Soak dried beans overnight if using; drain and rinse.
2. In a large pot, cover beans with water by two inches. Add chopped onion and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 75–90 minutes until beans are soft. Scoop out onion and reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
4. In a skillet, heat oil. Add garlic and spices; sauté for 1 minute.
5. Add beans and reserved liquid. Stir and mash with potato masher or hand blender.
6. Mash until creamy, adding more liquid if needed.
7. Season with salt, lime juice, or additional cumin to taste.
Notes
Use fresh garlic and quality spices for bold flavor.
Blend half the beans and mash the rest for a balanced texture.
To make it vegan, use avocado or olive oil.
Add chopped jalapeños, caramelized onions, or cilantro to boost flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: refried beans, pinto beans, comfort food, vegetarian, vegan, healthy