Description
This homemade refried beans recipe offers a creamy, hearty side dish packed with rich, earthy flavor, far surpassing canned versions. It’s surprisingly easy to make and perfect for taco nights or healthy weeknight meals.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried pinto beans, picked over and rinsed
- 10 cups vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (such as canola or sunflower)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1.5 teaspoons ground chipotle powder, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 0.5 cup cream cheese, softened (or Greek yogurt)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Pinto Beans: Sort and rinse 2 cups (450 g) dried pinto beans well, removing any debris. Soak beans overnight (8-12 hours) or quick soak (boil 5 minutes, rest 1 hour) to aid tenderness.
- Simmer Beans: Simmer rinsed pinto beans in 10 cups (2.5 L) vegetable broth for 1.5 to 2 hours, covered, until very tender to mash. Drain beans, reserving at least 2 cups (500 ml) of the cooking liquid.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add diced yellow onion; cook until softened and translucent (5-7 minutes). Add minced garlic and minced jalapeño (optional); cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant (do not brown).
- Combine and Mash: Add cooked pinto beans to the skillet. Stir in 2 teaspoons (10 ml) smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground chipotle powder (for the beans), 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour in 1 cup (250 ml) reserved bean liquid. Mash beans with a potato masher to your desired consistency.
- Finish Cooking: Continue cooking mashed beans over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and for the beans to thicken.
- Prepare Swirl and Serve: For a creamy swirl, combine softened cream cheese, 0.5 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground chipotle powder (for the swirl), and fresh lime juice in a small bowl. Garnish the finished refried beans with fresh cilantro and the cream cheese swirl before serving.
Notes
To save time, use a pressure cooker for no-soak beans, which cook in just 30-45 minutes. If your refried beans are too dry, slowly add more reserved bean liquid (0.25 cup at a time) until creamy; if too wet, simmer longer until thickened. Enhance flavor with a squeeze of fresh lime juice or additional salt. Black beans or cannellini beans can be substituted for pinto beans, and chipotle in adobo can replace chipotle powder for a spicier kick.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 120 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop Simmering and Mashing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 0.5 cup (150 g)
- Calories: 230 calories
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
Keywords: refried beans, pinto beans, homemade, easy recipe, vegetarian, side dish, Mexican, weeknight meal, creamy, savory