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    Home » Dips » Refried Beans

    Refried Beans

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    These homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. Creamy, chunky pinto beans with a hint of onion, garlic, and a handful of spices make these refried beans so delicious. Finished with fresh cilantro and lime juice, you’ll never go back to settling for canned refried beans ever again.

    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com

    Perfect for Mexican or Southwestern-inspired meals at all times of the day, these delicious refried beans couldn’t be easier to make or easier to eat! They pair well with almost anything and they take only 25 minutes from start to finish. You can also adjust them to your preferences (see notes below!).

    Why You'll Love this Refried Beans Recipe

    • They’re incredibly simple. These homemade refried beans can be made with less than 10 ingredients, and most of them are grocery staples that you probably already have on hand.
    • Classic Mexican flavors. These homemade refried beans has all the classic flavors of Mexican cuisine including cumin, paprika, lime juice, and cilantro. It’s just like the kind you’d devour at dinner at your favorite Mexican restaurant!
    • So versatile. Refried beans go well with so many dishes, and they can be served as a dip, a side, a foundational ingredient, or as a garnish or topping. This one recipe can be used a dozen different ways!
    • Easy to make. Refried beans are a staple food that don’t require any special culinary prowess, just a few minutes and a little bit of effort. Prep the ingredients, heat things up, and then mash and combine — that’s really all you need to do.
    • Vegan and gluten-free. Not many dips can boast vegan and gluten-free status. These refried beans are perfect for all diets — vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, you name it!
    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com

    Ingredient Notes

    To make these delicious Refried Beans, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

    • avocado oil - olive oil or vegetable oil will also work.
    • onion - white onions, yellow onions, or even shallots are best, but you can use whatever type of onions you have on hand at the moment.
    • garlic - fresh garlic is best flavor-wise, but you can use pre-minced garlic to save time and effort if needed. Use 1 teaspoon per clove.
    • pinto beans - navy beans or black beans make excellent swaps for the pintos if you need a substitute. We used canned pinto beans to make this recipe quick and easy but you can also use dried beans that will need to be soaked overnight. Use 1 ½ cup uncooked dried beans.
    • cumin - if you don’t have cumin, try taco seasoning, coriander, or chili powder.
    • paprika - chili powder can be used in place of the paprika if necessary.
    • lime juice - fresh squeezed is best, but you can also try concentrated lime juice.
    • cilantro - you can swap the cilantro with any soft herb like dill or basil, but it will alter the taste slightly.
    • salt and pepper

    You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large skillet.

    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com

    How to Make the Best Refried Beans

    1. Cook ingredients. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add pinto beans, water, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook until beans are heated through and softened, about 5 minutes.
    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com
    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com
    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com
    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com
    1. Mash. Turn heat to low and mash up the beans using a potato masher or a fork. Stir constantly and adjust the consistency by adding water, ¼ cup at a time, if needed. For a smoother consistency, transfer the beans to a food process and puree until smooth.
    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com
    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com
    1. Serve. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.
    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com

    Recipe Variations

    • Make them spicy. Refried beans are not traditionally spicy, but you can make them spicy if you like. Add jalapeños, chili powder, or hot sauce depending on your flavor preference and how spicy you want it to be.
    • Make it cheesy. Stir in some shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, or cotija cheese.
    • Substitute the beans. Add in different kinds of beans or switch out the pinto beans for a different kind of bean completely such as black beans or chickpeas.
    • Make it a dip. You can serve these refried beans as a dip with tortilla chips, or make it even creamier and dip-like by mixing in some sour cream or Greek yogurt.

    How to Serve

    Serve these Refried Beans as-is for an easy side, or spread them on tortillas for wraps, burritos and tacos! You can also use them as a topping for burrito bowls and salads. Some of our favorite dishes to serve with refried beans are:

    • Tacos. Serve it with Ground Beef Mexican Tacos, Carne Asada Tacos, Chicken Tacos, or Cauliflower Tacos.
    • Quesadillas. Try it as a filling in our Cheese Quesadilla or a side for our Vegetarian Quesadillas or Baked Chicken Quesadillas.
    • Burritos. Include it in a Beef and Bean Burrito.
    • Bowls and salads. Add some refried beans in a Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl or salads like this Beef Taco Salad or Southwest Quinoa Salad.
    • Breakfast. Serve refried beans on the side of a plate of Huevos Rancheros or Chilaquiles Verdes.
    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com

    Recipe Tips and Tricks

    • Adjust the consistency. If you like your beans a little on the thinner side, you can add more little water (a few tablespoons should be enough) to make them easier to spread. If you like your refried beans thicker, you can cook them a little longer to reduce the moisture content.
    • Make them creamy or chunky. The right tool can dramatically impact the texture of your refried beans as well as reduce the amount of effort you have to put into mashing them. A fork or potato masher will make the dish chunky, but an immersion blender or a food processor will quickly create silky smooth beans.
    • Make ahead for meal prep. If you’re hosting Taco Night and want to serve refried beans, you can make day-of preparations a little easier by making these ahead of time! Then serve cold or quickly reheat when you’re ready to serve. Keep scrolling for storing and reheating instructions.
    • Use leftovers wisely. You can use leftovers in a 7 Layer Dip or Refried Bean Tacos.

    Storing and Freezing Instructions

    How to Store

    Once the refried beans cool completely, you can transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.

    How to Reheat

    Reheat them over medium-low heat on the stovetop until warmed through or cover them and microwave on high in 30-second intervals.

    How to Freeze

    Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag, separating into serving sizes as needed, and remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from frozen as directed above or allow the beans to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before use.

    More Dip Recipes

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    • Queso Mexican Cheese Dip

    Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com

    Refried Beans


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    • Author: Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: 4-6 servings
    • Diet: Vegan
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    Description

    These homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. Creamy, chunky pinto beans with a hint of onion, garlic, and a handful of spices make these refried beans so delicious. Finished with fresh cilantro and lime juice, you’ll never go back to settling for canned refried beans ever again. 


    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
    • ½ cup water (or more as needed)
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon paprika (or chili powder)
    • ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ½ tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
    • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped

    Instructions

    1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
    2. Add pinto beans, water, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook until beans are heated through and softened, about 5 minutes.
    3. Turn heat to low and mash up the beans using a potato masher or a fork. Stir constantly and adjust the consistency by adding water, ¼ cup at a time, if needed. For a smoother consistency, transfer the beans to a food process and puree until smooth.

    4. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.

    Notes

    How to store: Once the refried beans cool completely, you can transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.

    How to reheat: Reheat them over medium-low heat on the stovetop until warmed through or cover them and microwave on high in 30-second intervals.

    How to freeze: Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag, separating into serving sizes as needed, and remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from frozen as directed above or allow the beans to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before use.

    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Category: Side
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Mexican

    Did you make this recipe?

    I'd love to see! Tag me @aheadofthyme on Instagram.

    Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious! | aheadofthyme.com
    Refried Beans
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    Quick and easy recipes for the everyday home cook, using fresh, seasonal and wholesome ingredients -- from healthy meals to take-out to comfort foods. | aheadofthyme.com

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