Refried beans (also known as frijoles refritos) are an incredible Mexican food made by slow-cooking soaked dry beans, then mashing them with oil, onion, garlic, and spices. Finish it off with a bit of lime for a creamy, extremely flavorful, protein- and fiber-packed dish. Use it as a key component in many recipes or as a delightful side dish and topping.
Starting with dried beans is traditional, but you can also use canned pinto beans to save time. You could even swap them for black beans for a twist on a classic! I walk you through each of these variations below. And while refried beans are perfect as-is, I love adding a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and queso fresco on top for color and added flavor. For more side dish recipes, try my cilantro lime rice, elote, and tostones.
Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients to make the best refried beans! The full list of ingredients with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Pinto beans — dried beans are most commonly used to make refried beans and are worth the extra step. They will produce thicker, creamier refried beans! Be sure to pick through them and discard any damaged beans or potential debris before soaking them.
Aromatics — onion, bay leaf, and garlic cloves infuse the beans with so much flavor and mouth-watering aroma during cooking.
Spices — cumin and chili powder add earthy flavor and are key components to achieving a classic taste.
Lime juice — a squeeze of lime juice brightens the earthy, nutty beans. The acid gives them more depth of flavor, so don’t skip it!
Refried Beans Recipe
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans (450g)
- 1 large onion (280g)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
- Cover and soak the beans in water for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight).
- Drain and rinse the beans and place them in a large pot. Peel and cut the onion in half, leaving the root end intact. Add ½ of the onion and bay leaves to the pot with the beans and cover the beans with cold water, by 2 inches.
- Bring the beans to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium low to simmer for 1 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Remove the beans from the heat and let cool slightly.
- Drain the beans and reserve the cooking liquid. Remove the onion and the bay leaves.
- Return the pot to medium heat. Peel and finely chop the other half of the onion. Add the olive oil, onion, and salt to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the drained beans and ½ to 1 cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid to the pot. Bring to a simmer then remove from the heat. Use a potato masher, or an immersion blender to mash the beans to your desired consistency. (If you like a thinner consistency, stir in more of the bean cooking liquid. If you like a thicker consistency, return to the heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes to thicken.)
- Add the lime juice and season with more salt to taste.
Notes
- You can swap the oil for a different fat. Homemade refried beans are traditionally made with lard. You can use this in place of the olive oil if you like. Rendered bacon fat, avocado oil, or any vegetable oil will also work well.
- Finely chop the onion half that is fried with the beans so the pieces soften properly. If they’re too big, they might still be a bit crunchy after cooking, making them more difficult to mash with the beans. See my tips for how to cut an onion if you need some guidance!
- This makes a large amount of refried beans (about 6 cups). The recipe can easily be cut in half and cooked in a medium pot for a smaller serving size if desired.
- Add toppings if you like: A sprinkle of cilantro, queso fresco, shredded Mexican blend cheese, thinly sliced jalapeno, and/or pico de gallo are all delicious additions.
Nutrition
How To Make Refried Beans
1. Soak the beans for several hours, then drain them and place them in a large pot. Peel and halve the onion through the root end.
2. Add half of the onion (set the other half aside for now) and bay leaves to the pot with the beans. Add cold water, bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and allow the beans to simmer for an hour or two.
3. Drain the cooked beans, but reserve the cooking liquid. Remove the aromatics.
4. Place the empty pot back over medium heat. Peel and chop the rest of the onion. Add olive oil, finely chopped onion, and salt to the pot and cook for a few minutes. Then add the garlic and spices and cook briefly.
5. Add the beans to the pot along with some of the bean cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Use a potato masher or an immersion blender to mash the beans.
6. Drizzle in the lime juice and season with more salt if needed.
A Bean Soaking Short Cut
If you don’t have time to soak the beans overnight, place them in a pot covered with water and bring it to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, turn off the heat, cover, and let the beans sit for 1 to 2 hours. You can even do this first thing in the morning and let the beans sit in the water during the day. Just remember to drain them when you’re ready to cook and continue with the recipe as directed in Step 2.
Alternative Cooking Methods For The Beans
You can use your Instant Pot or slow cooker instead of cooking the dried beans on the stovetop. Both of these methods can reduce the hands-on cooking time and help you prep ahead of time.
- Instant Pot: This is the best time-saving method! Skip the overnight soak and follow my Instant Pot black beans recipe using pinto beans, the halved onion, and bay leaves. Simply add the beans, water, and aromatics to the pressure cooker, pressurize for 25 minutes, release the steam for 25 minutes, and proceed with this recipe from Step 4.
- Slow cooker: This method is perfect for when you have time but don’t want to keep watch over the stove. When you use a slow cooker, you can choose whether or not to soak the beans. Add the dried pinto beans to the slow cooker with the onion, bay leaves, and 6 cups of water. Cook the beans on high for 5 to 6 hours (soaked) or 8 to 10 hours (unsoaked). Then follow the recipe as directed from Step 4.
The Age Of The Dried Beans Will Impact How Quickly They Cook
Did you know that fresher beans cook faster than older ones? Very old beans (I’m talking beans that have been in the pantry for years) may actually still be somewhat tough even after hours of cooking! If you aren’t sure how old your beans are, check the package expiration date. The closer it is to that date, the older the beans are, and generally, the longer the cooking time will be (though the overnight soak will help a lot!). If the beans are fresher, you can start checking them for doneness around 45 minutes to make sure they don’t get too soft.
Can I Use Black Beans For This Recipe?
Absolutely! Use the same cooking method, but keep in mind that dried black beans may soften faster than pinto beans since they are a bit smaller.
Ways To Use Refried Beans
Homemade refried beans can be used in various Mexican and Mexican-inspired recipes or as a side dish and topping! Here are some ideas for how to use them:
- Use them as a filling in Mexican pizzas, taco casserole, tostadas, and Mexican lasagna.
- As a side dish alongside Mexican rice, chicken enchiladas, chicken fajitas, and chilaquiles.
- As a topping or filling for breakfast burritos, breakfast quesadillas, huevos rancheros, or nachos.
- Stir 1 cup of beans with ½ cup of salsa and turn it into an easy bean dip served with tortilla chips!
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Keep the beans at a bare simmer, not boiling. Simmering dried beans too rapidly can cause the bean skins to burst and become waterlogged, which will make them lose their flavor and become watery instead of creamy.
- If your beans still aren’t soft after 2 hours, add a ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to the pot! Baking soda increases the water’s pH, making it alkaline, which helps to break down the pectin in the beans so they soften faster. This can cause the beans to fall apart too much if added at the beginning, so reserve it as a little trick for beans that just don’t want to get tender, like older beans!
- Control the texture and consistency. You can make these refried beans as chunky or smooth, thin or thick as you like! Use the potato masher to control the texture of the beans. Less mashing means chunkier beans and more mashing will make them smoother. And for thinner, slightly “soupier” refried beans, add more of the bean cooking liquid. For thicker beans, keep them on the stove for a few minutes longer so they thicken up more.
- Store leftover refried beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Rinse and drain four 15-ounce (425g) cans of pinto beans, and start the recipe with Step 5. I suggest using chicken stock or vegetable broth in place of the reserved bean broth. This will add extra flavor to the beans since they weren’t cooked with additional seasonings.
Yes. Once cooled completely, transfer the beans to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. I like to split the beans into smaller portions before freezing for easier meal prep when defrosting. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
You can reheat them on the stovetop in a large skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a little water or broth to the beans before reheating to help thin them out and prevent burning.
If you’ve tried this refried bean recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
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