Perfect Refried Beans Recipe
- PREP 10min
- COOK 1hrs 30min
- TOTAL 1hrs 40min
For the creamiest, most flavorful refried beans, start with dried beans. Cooking the beans from scratch allows us to add flavorful aromatics like onion, garlic, and cilantro to the cooking liquid. You can cook the dried beans on the stovetop, which takes 1 ½ to 2 hours, or in a pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot), which takes about 1 hour.
If you are short on time, you can also make refried beans using canned beans, which takes less than 20 minutes. We’ve shared all of these cooking variations in the recipe below.
You Will Need
Cook Beans from Scratch
1/2 pound (226g) dried pinto beans or dried black beans (about 1 cup)
1/2 medium onion, peeled and left whole
2 medium cloves garlic
4 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 bay leaf
Salt, to taste
Homemade Refried Beans
3 cups (470g) cooked pinto or black beans, see notes for canned
3 tablespoons olive oil, butter, lard or bacon drippings
1/2 cup chopped onion (1/2 medium onion)
1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 medium clove)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
2 to 3 lime wedges
Optional toppings: sliced or diced jalapeño, crumbled Mexican queso fresco or shredded cheese, diced white onion, diced tomato, or fresh cilantro
Directions
Cook Dried Beans
There is no need to soak the beans for this recipe. Rinse the dried beans, and then add them to a large pot.
Add the onion half, garlic cloves, bay leaf, and cilantro sprigs. Cover with at least 3 inches of water.
Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the beans are extremely tender (almost silky inside), 1 ½ to 2 hours. If the beans look dry during cooking, add more water.
Remove the onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf, and cilantro sprigs and discard them. Season the beans and liquid with salt. Start with 1/4 teaspoon and increase to your taste.
Drain the beans, but do not discard the cooking liquid. We will use some of the liquid to make the refried beans. You will need about 3 cups of the beans to make refried beans. If you have over 3 cups, reserve the rest for another recipe.
Make Refried Beans
In a large skillet, heat the fat (oil, butter, lard, or bacon drippings) over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it smells sweet and begins to brown around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the 3 cups of cooked beans, moving them around the pan for a minute or two so that they are heated through. Add 1 cup of the bean cooking liquid, and then use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the beans into your desired consistency.
If the beans seem a little dry as you are mashing them, add a splash more liquid. The beans dry out over time, so keeping the cooking liquid nearby is an excellent way to maintain the best consistency, especially if you make them in advance.
Taste the beans and adjust with additional salt, pepper, or spices. Serve with a squeeze of lime and your favorite toppings scattered on top.
Substituting Canned Beans
Use 2 (15oz) cans of pinto or black beans. Two cans will be approximately 2 ¾ cups of beans, which is close enough to 3 cups for this recipe.
Open the cans, drain, and then rinse the beans. Follow the recipe instructions in the section labeled “Make Refried Beans” above, but replace the 3 cups of home-cooked beans for canned beans.
Instead of using the bean cooking liquid for thinning the refried beans, you will need to substitute for another liquid. We recommend using a flavorful stock (vegetable stock or chicken stock), you will need 1 to 1 ½ cups.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Homemade refried beans last in an airtight container up to 4 days and in the freezer up to 1 month.
- Instant Pot Beans: Add the dried beans and aromatics to a 6-quart pressure cooker. Add 6 cups of water, but do not fill past the “max fill line.” Add 1 teaspoon of neutral oil like vegetable or olive oil (this prevents the beans from foaming). Seal the lid and cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes, and then allow the cooker to naturally release. Season the beans and liquid with salt. Start with 1/4 teaspoon and go from there based on your tastes.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.