Best Gregs Pinto Beans Refried Beans Recipes

EASY 1-POT REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• CANNED: If starting with canned beans, simply open cans and set aside. As the original recipe is written, about 2 15-oz (425-g) cans will yield 3 cups cooked beans.
• FROM SCRATCH: If cooking pinto beans from scratch, we recommend this recipe, which yields 5 cups cooked beans. We recommend reducing the serving size to six 1/2-cup servings (rather than 10 servings), which would yield 3 cups cooked beans. The spices and diced tomatoes with green chilies are optional.
• INSTANT POT: If cooking pinto beans in an Instant Pot, we recommend following this recipe but swapping the black beans for pinto beans. Be sure to save any leftover cooking liquid.
• REFRIED BEANS: To prepare refried beans, heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add oil (or water) and onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender - about 4-5 minutes. Then add minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Turn down heat if browning too quickly.
• Next add your cooked beans and any of the cooking liquid. Depending on your cooking method, your beans may be looking somewhat dry or they may be submerged in cooking liquid. Because we're going to simmer the beans even more, you want them to be just submerged, so add only as much vegetable broth as needed to just cover the beans.
• Bring to a low boil over medium heat. Then add your salt. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes to further cook and tenderize the beans. If they begin looking dry or stick to the bottom of the pan at any point, add more vegetable broth to moisten.
• Your beans should now be tender. Our preferred way of mashing is with an immersion blender. If using an immersion blender, tip the pot to one side so the blade can be submerged and blend until the beans are creamy and smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, a bean or potato masher will also work. It just takes more work and they won't get quite as creamy.
• If you're blending or mashing and your beans have become too thick, thin with more vegetable broth as needed.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt to taste. We didn't find the beans needed more than this. However, you could add chili powder or chipotle pepper in adobo for some heat, or some ground cumin for smokiness.
• Serve as is, or garnish with desired toppings (lime juice, hot sauce, cilantro, red onion, or this vegan Mexican-style queso would be delicious).
• Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, warm in a pot or saucepan, adding more broth as needed.

QUICK AND EASY REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Heat canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
• Cook garlic cloves in hot oil, turning once, until brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Smash garlic cloves in skillet with a fork.
• Stir pinto beans, cumin, chili powder, and salt into mashed garlic and cook until beans are thoroughly heated, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Smash bean mixture with a potato masher to desired texture. Squeeze lime juice over smashed beans and stir until combined.

REFRIED PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Cook 4 chopped bacon slices and 1 chopped onion in olive oil over medium heat, 7 minutes. Add 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 minced seeded jalapeno and 1/2 teaspoon each ground cumin, dried oregano and kosher salt. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add two 14.5-ounce cans pinto beans (drained and rinsed) and 2 1/2 cups water. Cook, mashing, 7 minutes. Stir in more cilantro and hot sauce.

HOMEMADE REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Rinse pinto beans in a colander, removing any unwanted pebbles or pieces that may be in the bag.
• Add the beans to a large pot, cover with water and soak overnight.
• Drain soaked beans and return them to the pot. Add fresh water to cover the beans up to two inches above them. Add onion to the pot and a couple dashes of salt.
• Bring beans to a boil, cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Check the beans and if they're not completely cooked after one hour, let them simmer a few minutes longer until they're done.
• Drain the beans, removing the onion and reserving the bean broth water.
• In a large skillet (preferably an iron skillet), heat lard or oil over medium heat.
• Add the garlic and stir. Add the beans, cumin, oregano and 1/4 cup of the bean broth. (You could also chop the reserved onion and add it to the pan).
• Cook, gently smashing the beans as they cook with a potato masher or fork.
• Continue stirring and mashing, adding additional bean broth as needed until you get the texture you like and the beans are the consistency of soft mashed potatoes. Taste and season with additional salt, cumin and oregano, as needed. Top with shredded cheese, if desired.

REFRIED PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the beans, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook, skimming occasionally, approximately 1 1/2 hours. To test for doneness, taste 3 or 4 of the smaller beans. They should be cooked through and creamy inside. Mash, along with the liquid in the pot, with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until creamy.
• Heat the lard or other fat in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Saute the onions with the salt and pepper until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mashed beans and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the beans form a mass that pulls away from the sides and bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Refried beans can be kept in the refrigerator 3 or 4 days and reheated in a covered casserole in a 350 degree oven.

GREG'S PINTO BEANS - REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Mash and cook chorizo in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
• Drain half of the liquid out of the cans of beans (or leave undrained, but it will take longer cooking to thicken). Add partially drained beans to the browned chorizo; stir well. Stir in 3 small fresh chile peppers (whole).
• Bring beans to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-high. Stirring occasionally, let beans continue to cook for 10 to 20 minutes, or until liquid begins to thicken. When beans begin to thicken, mash beans in the pot with a potato masher, leaving some beans whole.
• Reduce heat to medium; continue to cook and stir occasionally, until beans have thickened to your preferred consistency, about 5 minutes longer.
• When done, remove the chili peppers. Stir in a dash of garlic powder and a splash of corn oil, if desired. Stir in cubed cheese and remove from heat.
• Serve warm, with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Lightly drain the beans, reserving the juice from the tin, but do not rinse (you want the beans in about half the liquid from the can). Depending on the texture you prefer, either mash them roughly in a bowl or blitz them using a blender until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or casserole and cook the onions for 8-10 mins until soft and golden. Scatter in the garlic, chilli and cumin seeds, and sizzle everything for 2 mins more. Tip in the beans, oregano, paprika and a pinch of salt. Cook everything together for 5 mins until the beans have heated through adding more reserved bean juice if it's too thick. Serve straightaway with a sprinkling of coriander, if you like, or leave to cool and keep chilled. Will keep chilled for up to three days or frozen for a month. Reheat with a splash of water mixed in.