If you enjoy making and eating Mexican food as much as my family does, then it is definitely worth learning to make refried beans from scratch. Homemade refried beans are healthier for you since the store-bought canned refried beans are usually contain hydrogenated oils and preservatives. The are a great whole food recipe that are also very inexpensive to make. To me, they also taste so much better than the canned alternatives. They really are that good – and you can flavor them any way you like!
In fact, to be honest, I always thought that I didn’t like refried beans. I often tell my husband that the canned versions taste weird or “like dirt.” It wasn’t until I decided to make refried beans from scratch a few years ago that I discovered how much I really do like them. I can adjust the flavors in my recipe to my family’s tastes and I can also control the final texture when I puree them.
Look at that cheese stretch! Yummm. What’s your favorite game day or Cinco de Mayo recipe? Check out these recipes:
Homemade Refried Beans
Ingredients
- 4 cups Homemade Pinto Beans
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 cup sweet onion , diced
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- chicken stock (To thin beans to desired consistency)
Instructions
- In a large pot or saucepan [paid link], saute the onions in the oil until they are soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Add the beans. Stir in the cumin, paprika, salt, chili powder, and black pepper.
- Bring to a slow simmer and allow it all to cook on low heat for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If the mixture seems too dry, you may need to thin it with a splash of chicken stock.
- Once the beans have cooked for a while and the flavors have had a chance to meld, mash the beans with a potato masher, fork, or an immersion blender [paid link] to your desired consistency. Adjust seasonings, as needed, to taste. Enjoy!
Used canned beans and rinsed them well, then followed the instructions adjusting for a smaller batch. So excellent
Love this recipe! Can’t wait to try it myself.
Hi Mary! Thank you. We love refried beans. I spice them up according to taste. We added jalapenos and they were delicious.