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You are here: Home / Beans / Refried Beans

Refried Beans

Douglas Cullen, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

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.

Homemade Refried Beans

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.

Bowl of Homemade Refried Beans

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
Bowl of Frijoles de la Olla to Make Refried Beans

Preparation

Chop the onion. Finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the optional jalapeño or serrano peppers.

Chopped Onion and Garlic on Wooden Cutting Board

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.

Frying Chopped Onion in Pan

Add the chopped garlic and if you wish the optional peppers.

Chopped Onion and Garlic in Frying Pan

Cook for 1 or 2 minutes until the onion is just starting to brown.

Cooked Onions in Frying Pan

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.

Beans Cooking in Pan

Using a bean masher, mash the beans to the desired consistency. A potato masher will work if you don’t have a bean masher.

Mashing Refried Beans
Mashing Refried Beans in Pan

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.

Refried Beans in Pan

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.

  • Huevo a la Mexicana
  • Migas Norteñas
  • Scrambled Egg Torta

Enjoy! 

Easy Homemade Refried Beans
Print Pin
3.38 from 40 votes

Homemade Refried Beans Recipe

Flavorful homemade refried beans are easy to make in 15 minutes. Start with your favorite bean variety, pinto, black, or bayo.
Course Side
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword beans, black beans, frijoles, pinto beans
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 182kcal
Author Andrés Carnalla

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

Storage:
  • Refried will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to five days.
Reheating:
  • 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.
Substitutions:
  • You can reduce the cooking oil by 1 tbsp. to reduce the fat.
Optional:
Add any of the following to your liking.
  • 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

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 cup | Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 207mg

More Mexican Bean Recipes

  • Black Bean Soup with Avocado
  • Enchiladas with Bean Sauce (Enfrijoladas)

More Beans

  • Frijoles de la Olla
  • Garbanzos With a Guajillo Chile Sauce
  • How to Cook Beans

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dean Fanson says

    January 16, 2020 at 12:03 pm

    5 stars
    Just made these awesome first time. I added a pinch of Cumin.
    I’ll try again and add chili powder.

    Reply
  2. Pete Medrano says

    February 05, 2020 at 5:15 pm

    I am still looking for a recipe that refries the beans. This recipe only fries them once. Am I missing something?

    Reply
    • Ernie says

      April 30, 2020 at 5:23 pm

      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.

      Reply
    • Nicole Cruz says

      June 12, 2022 at 3:29 pm

      4 stars
      My grandma from Central America taught me to boil beans with 1/2 tsp of chicken bouillon, 1 minced garlic. Then cook then with vegetable oil, seeded jalapeños, yellow onion, tomatoes & approx 1 tsp of salt. Finally, refry them with 1/2 sautéed yellow onion the next day. Cook them slow while stirring them for about 30 minutes. I used my paste like refried beans to make breakfast burritos, Mexican breakfast tacos and shredded chicken burritos.

      Reply
  3. Stephen says

    May 09, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Tom says

      June 26, 2021 at 7:57 am

      Wow what a pretentious, rude ass.

      Reply
  4. Tiffany says

    February 01, 2021 at 1:20 pm

    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!

    Reply
  5. Stephen Bastedo says

    May 04, 2021 at 12:05 am

    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.

    Reply
  6. Rita Quick says

    January 29, 2022 at 5:53 pm

    I’ve heard baking soda can help stop or reduce the amount of gas the beans can make for those who eat them. My biggest worry is how much should I use and will it affect the taste?

    Reply
  7. Marcello S. Pecchenino says

    February 06, 2022 at 3:54 am

    5 stars
    I have to say as a person who is part Mexican / Italian, LARD is not bad for you in the least, new research is different now, KETO & INTERMITTENT FASTING AND THE CARNIVORE DIET all recommend FATS & LARD for a healthier leaner body, what kills it all is carbs and sugar ! My Mexican Grandma used to cook her re fried beans with Lard & Cheese, sea salt and cumin and they were very yummy. Thanks for your recipe and reminder.

    Reply
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Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

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D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

More about me →


Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Traditional Sopa de Fideo
  • Red Pork Pozole
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Agua de Jamaica
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Mole Poblano

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