Best Refried Beans From Scratch Recipes

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.

BEST REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Put the pinto beans in a bowl and cover with 2 inches of water. Soak for 8 hours to overnight.
• Transfer the beans to a medium saucepan and cover with water by about 1 inch. Add onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, celery seed, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let cook for 1 1/2 hours.
• Use a colander to separate the liquid from the solids. Transfer the solids to a food processor with diced tomatoes, hot sauce, oregano, and cayenne. Blend to desired consistency.

REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Rinse the beans thoroughly, then place them in a large pot with the bacon. Pour water over the top. Use enough water to cover the beans by 1 or 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours. If the liquid seems to evaporate too quickly, add more water during the cooking process. The beans are done when they're fork tender, without much bite.
• Add the chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir and taste, adjusting the seasoning as necessary. Add in other seasonings as desired.
• Heat the fat in a large skillet and cook the onions until translucent. Add the beans to the skillet and mash them until they're the consistency you want. Stir and cook them until heated, then add the grated cheese. Top with the jalapenos.

REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Reserve about a third of the beans. Mash the rest of the beans in a medium bowl with a large fork. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Add the spices and cook until fragrant about 1 minute.
• Add the mashed beans and half the broth; cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved beans and the enough of the remaining broth to loosen up the beans. Simmer until the beans are thick but not pasty, about 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the fresh coriander, if desired, and serve.

REFRIED BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Place black beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain.
• Place beans in a pot and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer beans until very tender, about 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium; cook and stir onion and garlic until onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add black beans, green chiles, chili powder, and cumin; cook and stir until flavors blend, about 5 minutes.
• Blend black bean mixture in a food processor until smooth. Add tomato paste, chicken broth, vinegar, and salt; blend until desired consistency is reached. Return beans to pot and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes more.

REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Rinse the dry beans: Rinse the beans in water and check for and remove any small stones, pieces of dirt, or bad beans. Remove any beans that float in water.
• Cook the beans on the stove top or in the pressure cooker: Stove Top Method Put beans into a pot and cover with at least 3 inches of water-about 3 quarts total for 2 1/2 cups of dry beans. Add half an onion, salt, and oregano. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer, covered, for about 2 1/2 hours. The cooking time will vary depending on the batch of beans you have. The beans are done when they are soft and the skin is just beginning to break open. If the beans are still hard after 2 1/2 hours, add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda to the pot and cook a half hour or more longer. Pressure Cooker Method Put beans into a 4 quart or larger Instant Pot or pressure cooker with a 15 pound weight. Add 8 cups (2 quarts) of water. (Make sure you never fill a pressure cooker with water more than 2/3 of the way up the pot.) Add the onion, salt, and oregano. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes on high pressure, then let the beans cool naturally for 10 minutes before releasing the pressure valve. The beans should be soft and the skins barely breaking open. If the beans are still quite hard, add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda and bring to pressure again for 10 minutes. Note: If you are using a standard pressure cooker (not an Instant Pot), allow the pressure cooker to cool completely before opening. If there is resistance when attempting to open the cooker, do not open it, allow it to cool further. Follow the directions for your brand of pressure cooker. (See How to Make Fast No Soak Beans in a Pressure Cooker .) Either method: Strain the beans from the cooking water, reserving about a cup of the cooking water. Remove the remnants of onion or oregano sprig if using.
• Sauté the onions in fat: Chop the remaining half an onion. Heat the bacon fat or oil in a wide, sturdy frying pan (not a flimsy nonstick) on medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent. (You can do this while the beans are cooking.)
• Add the beans, mash them in pan: Add the strained beans and about a 1/4 cup of the bean cooking water or plain water to the pan. Using a potato masher, mash the beans in the pan, while you are cooking them, until they are a rough purée.
• Add water and season: Add more bean water or plain water to desired level of creaminess and to keep the fried beans from getting too dried out. Add more salt to taste. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder, if using. When the beans are heated through, top with crumbled cotija cheese or shredded cheddar cheese (1/2 cup) to serve (optional). (You can also stir in slices of cheddar to melt into the hot beans.)

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.

AUTHENTIC REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Put beans and water into Dutch oven.
• Soak at least six hours.
• Pour beans into colander and rinse thoroughly.
• Add two cups water back into the Dutch oven, along with bacon grease, garlic powder, bouillon and chili powder.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cover and reduce heat, simmering for about four to six hours.
• Stir occasionally.
• You'll know when the frijoles are done because they'll be very tender.
• Mash until about only half are left whole.