Frijoles Refritos
Making homemade refried beans is easier than you might think and they are far superior in flavor and texture to canned refried beans. Refried beans are the perfect side dish for any Mexican meal.
What to Expect from this Recipe
Think of this recipe as the starting point. We show you how to make simple traditional refried beans which are delicious just as they are and are commonly served this way in Mexico. If you’d like, you can then add any of the optional ingredients as desired to build the flavor to your liking. Every cook has their variation.
Our base recipe is mashed beans fried in oil with white onion and garlic to which you can add minced jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers and cumin. You can top your beans with queso fresco and minced cilantro if you choose.
How You Can Use Refried Beans
Refried beans have an infinite variety of uses. Serve them as a side for almost any Mexican dish like huevos rancheros or chorizo and egg, Use them to top chicken tostadas, or stuff burritos, quesadillas, or fill tacos.
How to Make
Homemade beans or canned?
You will need cooked whole beans to prepare, homemade or canned. our first choice is cooking your own beans using our frijoles de la olla recipe. A slow cooker or instant pot are practical choices for cooking dried beans. You can also cook them on the stovetop in a large pot.
Canned are delicious too.
If you don’t feel like making home-cooked beans, our method of preparation works equally well with canned beans and the results are delicious too.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked beans. Use your favorite variety. Pinto beans, black beans, and bayo beans are good choices (Different varieties of beans give a different flavor. Experiment to find your favorite.)
- ½ cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 finely chopped garlic clove
- 2 tbsp. oil
- A pinch of black pepper
- Salt ½ tsp. + to taste
Preparation
Chop the onion. Finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the optional jalapeño or serrano peppers.
In a medium-sized pan, heat the oil to medium-high heat and add the chopped onion. Sauté until the onion is just becoming transparent.
Add the chopped garlic and if you wish the optional peppers.
Cook for 1 or 2 minutes until the onion is just starting to brown.
Add the cooked beans with a little bit of the cooking water plus the salt and pepper to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes before mashing.
Using a bean masher, mash the beans to the desired consistency. A potato masher will work if you don’t have a bean masher.
Once they are mashed to your preferred consistency, cook for 5 minutes stirring continually. Turn off the heat and allow the beans to rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Adjusting Your Beans
If you prefer your refried beans thinner, use a blender or food processor to puree them before frying them. If you beans are too dry, try adding a couple of tablespoons of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached. If your beans are too thin add water and cook for a few extra minutes.
HealthierThan You Think
Normally, we don’t talk too much about calories and fats in our recipes but in this case, we think it is worth mentioning nutrition.
You might be surprised to know that they are not overloaded with lard. We prepare the recipe with 2 tbsp. of cooking oil. The more traditional preparation method calls for lard but this recipe substitutes cooking oil which is the way many people prepare beans today. This is perfect if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Many people are reluctant to make refried beans because they believe that the fat content is excessive and that they are really unhealthy. There are only 8 grams of fat per ½ cup serving. We think they are a healthy option.
Dishes Served with Refried Beans
To get you started here are some more of our favorite dishes served with refried beans.
Enjoy!
Homemade Refried Beans Recipe
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Cutting board
- Kitchen knife
- Bean masher or potato masher
- Kitchen spoon
- Airtight container for leftovers
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked beans Use black beans, pinto beans, or bayo beans with a little cooking liquid.
- ½ cup white onion finely chopped
- 1 finely chopped garlic clove
- 2 tbsp. cooking oil regular or olive oil
- a pinch of black pepper
- salt ½ tsp. + to taste
Instructions
- Chop the onion. Finely chop the garlic.
- In a medium-sized pan, heat the oil to medium and add the chopped onion. Cook until the onion becomes transparent.
- Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute. Do not allow the garlic to brown which will give it a bitter taste.
- Add the cooked beans with a little bit of the cooking water plus the salt and pepper.
- Cook for 2 minutes before mashing.
- Mash the beans to the consistency you prefer.
- Cook for 5 minutes stirring continually.
- Turn off the heat and allow the beans to rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Refried will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to five days.
- You can reheat your beans in a frying pan over low heat. Add a little water if the beans are too dry.
- You can also reheat them in the microwave.
- You can reduce the cooking oil by 1 tbsp. to reduce the fat.
- A few tbsps. of chicken broth
- Minced jalapeño pepper
- A pinch of cumin
- A pinch of chili powder
- A pinch of Mexican oregano
- Queso fresco to sprinkle on top
- Minced fresh cilantro to sprinkle on top
Dean Fanson says
Just made these awesome first time. I added a pinch of Cumin.
I’ll try again and add chili powder.
Pete Medrano says
I am still looking for a recipe that refries the beans. This recipe only fries them once. Am I missing something?
Ernie says
The name “refried” is a misnomer, Pete. The most common spanish name for the dish is (as stated) Frijoles Refritos. They are beans that have already been cooked (boiled to soften) that are then mashed and fried. think of a different translation for “refritos”–reheated or recooked by frying.
Stephen says
Toast separately, cumin and. Coriander seeds, black peppercorns, rosemary, thyme. Put in a coffee grinder with ome paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, shredded nutmeg, allspice and kosher salt. Grind to a fine powder. Add to beans while frying, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Be sure to use fresh spices. Adjust these spices to suit your own palate but for goodness sake, do something beyond what this recipe calls for. I reconstitute several kinds of dried Mexican chillies and use some of the pot liquor while finishing the beans. Bon appetit!
Tiffany says
These turned out great, I used them as a side dish to tacos. I did use lard instead of oil as it’s my favorite choice of fat to use.
Side note, don’t be alarmed by fat, we all need it to absorb vitamins and nutrients (wont make you fat!). We’ve been misinformed all these years. A good book to read more is called “The Big Fat Surprise” by Nina Teicholz.
Thanks for the recipe!
Stephen Bastedo says
Sometimes the beans are flavored with the herb epazote; however, epazote must be used with caution because it can be toxic to nursing babies, pregnant women and sensitive individuals.