This creamy and flavorful refried beans recipe is so easy to make from dry or canned pinto beans. Chipotle peppers are added for a spicy kick and vibrant colour! Perfect as a party dip for tortilla chips or a delicious side dish for tacos and burritos, these beans are packed with real flavor and colour.
About Refried Beans
Refried beans are a staple in Mexican cuisine and work great as a warm party dip, side dish for potlucks, and even as an ingredient in recipes like ground beef nachos and this 7 layer dip.
What's up with the "refried" in the name?
For those who are not familiar with this classic Mexican recipe, the English name can be a bit misleading. No, the beans are not refried twice! The word comes from its Spanish name - frijoles refritos, where "refritos" means "well fried".
A classic recipe, reimagined (The change I made to it)
I tweaked the recipe for refried beans a bit and added two chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a can) along with some of the sauce. This is what gives the refried beans their bright orange colour in case you were wondering! Of course, this addition also makes the refried beans a little spicy, so leave the chipotles out if you so wish or add just one of them instead of two. I personally find that the chipotles add a whole new flavour dimension to a classic recipe, and a very welcome one.
Dried or canned pinto beans?
That really depends on the time you have. The authentic recipe for refried beans uses dried beans, so if you want to make refried beans from scratch, go for it. It's a little time-consuming. obviously, but not difficult at all. They take about 3-4 hours on the stovetop and 45 minutes if pressure-cooked. In fact, if you have a pressure cooker like an instant pot, it's also hands-free!
As for the taste, I honestly do not find any significant difference between the two. Make use of dried beans if you have them, but feel free to pop open a can if time-saving is a priority.
Note: I prefer not to use canned refried beans if I can help it. They don't taste the same as homemade refried beans, so unless you are really strapped for time, don't go down that route. Follow this recipe instead!
Ingredients
Note: In the picture below, I put canned pinto beans, but you can use dried beans too. The instructions for cooking the dry beans are given further down.
How to cook dried pinto beans (instant pot and stovetop)
Start by washing the beans under tap water. Put the beans in a colander and rinse them in cold water. Discard any stones or debris that float to the top.
If you want, you can soak the beans in water overnight. This will improve their flavour and texture. However, we are proceeding here without soaking the beans.
INSTANT POT
- Put the beans in the steel insert of your instant pot and add 2 cups water. Pressure cook for 45 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Open the pot and if there is excess liquid, dry it first. The beans should be plump and soft with minimum liquid.
STOVETOP
- Put the beans in a large pot like a dutch oven and cover with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam from the top.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. Check to see the tenderness every half hour after the 2 hours are up and top with hot water if the liquid seems to be drying up. When the beans are fully plump and tender, dry the excess liquid if any. The beans are ready to be used in the recipe for refried beans. Follow the steps below.
Tip: Reserve some of the cooking liquid or broth and keep it aside. Use this broth instead of water when you are making the refried beans.
Instructions
1. Fry the onions and garlic in oil until the onions turn golden brown.
2. Add the pinto beans, a couple tablespoons broth from the cooked beans (if using beans made from scratch), chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, cumin, black pepper and salt to the pan.
Note: If using a can of pinto beans, drain the can and rinse the beans lightly under tap water before adding them to the pan.
3. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat until well mixed and quite soft. Break up the chipotle with your spoon as you are sauteing the ingredients.
4. With the help of a hand blender or immersion blender, pulse the beans until mashed. Drizzle some extra oil on the top if you want and serve warm.
Note: you can also use a simple potato masher to mash the beans if you don't have a hand-held device. I typically don't like to use my stand blender because it is cumbersome and over-blends the beans sometimes, even at the lowest setting. And I have to wait for the mixture to cool down a bit.
Substitutions
There are two substitutions you can make in this recipe.
1. A lot of recipes make use of black beans instead of pinto beans for making refried beans. If you don't have pinto beans, go for black beans by all means (dried or canned) They are more readily available.
2. This one's a flavor bomb! Use lard instead of oil for frying your beans. It will make a lot of difference to your final dish as it is no secret that animal fat makes any dish taste better. These refried beans will also taste richer with a more velvety texture when you add lard rather than oil.
Storing and Reheating
Leftover refried beans can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Cover them with cling wrap or a tight-fitting lid and they should be fine. Don't keep them beyond 3-4 days, however, as they may not taste the same even if they don't go bad.
Reheating is simple. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop. You can add a little water or broth if they have become dry.
More Easy Mexican Dips
- Guacamole
- Mango Salsa
- Pico De Gallo
- Tomato Salsa (Salsa Roja)
Easy Homemade Refried Beans
Equipment
- colander
- skillet or pan
- immersion blender or potato masher
- instant pot OR deep cooking pot/dutch oven for dried beans
Ingredients
- 1 can pinto beans 528.3 ml or 19 fl. oz can. If using dried beans, measure 1 cup
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 red onion small, chopped fine
- 2 cloves garlic chopped fine
- 2 chipotle peppers canned chipotle in adobo
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce from the can
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly cracked
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
Preparation
- Drain the can of Pinto beans and rinse the beans in a colander under cold tap water. If using dried beans, put them in the colander and wash, removing the debris that float to the top. See the section on 'cooking dried pinto beans' below before proceeding further.
- Chop the onion and garlic fine.
Cooking
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions and garlic. Fry on medium heat until the onions start to turn brown.
- Tip in the rest of the ingredients - pinto beans, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin, black pepper and sea salt.
- Saute for about 3-4 minutes on medium heat, chopping up the chipotle with your spoon as you go along. Add a couple tablespoons water if the ingredients are too thick or sticking to the pan.
- With the help of an immersion blender or potato masher, mash the beans to a thick chunky paste. Drizzle some extra oil on the top if you want and serve warm.
Cooking dried pinto beans
- Instant Pot: Put the beans in the steel insert of your instant pot and add 2 cups water. Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the pot and if there is excess liquid, dry it first. The beans should be plump and very soft with minimum liquid.
- Stovetop: Put the beans in a large pot like a dutch oven and cover with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam from the top. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. Check for tenderness every half hour after the 2 hours are up and top with hot water if the liquid seems to be drying up. When the beans are fully plump and tender, dry the excess liquid if any.
- Tip: Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid or broth and use a little of this instead of water while making the refried beans for a richer taste.
Notes
- You can substitute pinto beans with black beans if you wish to.
- Use lard instead of oil for a richer taste.
- Omit the chipotles altogether or use just one for a milder flavour.
- Optional: If using dried beans, soak them in water overnight for softer beans.
Leave a Reply