Description
A creamy, homemade refried beans recipe enhanced with a smoky chipotle swirl and crumbled cotija cheese. This high-protein dish transforms simple weeknight meals into a rich, flavorful family dinner, far superior to canned versions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
- 6 cups vegetable broth, divided
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium white onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1–2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, stems removed
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the chipotle can
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar (or maple syrup)
- 1/4 cup warm vegetable broth or water, for the swirl
- 1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Beans: Rinse soaked pinto beans, then simmer in a large pot with broth for 1.5-2 hours until very tender. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.
- Prepare Smoky Swirl: In a blender, combine chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, agave, and 1/4 cup warm broth; blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat oil in the pot. Sauté onion until translucent, then add garlic and cumin, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Mash Beans: Add the cooked pinto beans to the pot with the aromatics. Add 1/2 cup reserved liquid and salt. Mash the beans, adding more liquid gradually until a creamy texture with some texture remains.
- Thicken and Swirl: Stir the beans over low heat for 5-10 minutes until thickened. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of the chipotle mixture gently before serving.
- Garnish and Serve: Spoon hot beans into a bowl. Garnish with crumbled Cotija cheese, cilantro, and additional chipotle swirl.
Notes
Make a large batch on Sunday for quick portions throughout the week. If refried beans thicken too much upon cooling, add a splash of reserved cooking liquid when reheating.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 120 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Simmering, Mashing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 275 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
Keywords: refried beans, pinto beans, vegetarian, side dish, mexican, chipotle, homemade, high-protein