How to Make Homemade Refried Beans
These instructions give you step-by-step instructions on how to make refried beans perfectly, every time. It may seem like a lot of steps, but it’s worth it!
Dried Beans – Pinto beans are the most common for making refried beans but you can also use black beans or cranberry beans. The pinto beans have a soft, buttery texture when cooked. As far as brands of beans go, we HIGHLY recommend Rancho Gordo beans. Fat – The most authentic “fat” to use is lard, but sometimes lard can be hard to find or it may not be the preferred choice of those trying to eat healthy. Bacon grease/fat can also be used but it can give the beans a bacony flavor (which may not be a bad thing). Corn oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, and olive oil are also suitable substitutes. Onion – White or yellow onion will work great. Slice it thin or chop it up. Garlic – An optional ingredient that gives the beans a nice flavor. Water or Broth – Either one works. If you use broth, you may not need to salt as much later in the process. Vegetable broth and chicken broth are popular options. Water is obviously the cheapest option. Use whatever works best for you. Salt – Refried beans really only need to be seasoned with salt. You can great creative and add more fancy seasonings (see options below) but they aren’t necessary and can easily overpower the beans if you aren’t careful.
Instant Pot Refried Beans
If you want to speed up the process, you can cook your beans in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. To do this, cover your beans with 2 to 3 inches of water, add sautéed aromatics, and cook on high pressure for 20 to 40 minutes depending on the size of your beans. Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release by moving the valve over. Keep in mind that by cooking them in the Instant Pot, you won’t get as rich of a bean broth so you may want to simmer for an additional 20 to 30 minutes on the stovetop to develop a nice broth to mash your beans with.
CrockPot Refried Beans
To cook your beans in a crockpot or slow cooker, simply place the beans and sautéed aromatics in the slow cooker and cover using the ratio of 1 part beans to 3 to 4 parts water (so 1 cup of beans to 3 to 4 cups of water). Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours. I throw it all in the crockpot with the lid on in the morning and forget about it until the afternoon – so easy! Use additional seasonings – Optional spices and seasonings may include cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, smoked paprika, or bay leaves. I save the lime juice and fresh cilantro to use as garnishes over the top right before serving. Add aromatics – The most common aromatic to use is onion, and really, that’s all you need. Other common aromatics are celery, carrots, ham bones, jalapeño peppers, and/or chiles. How to serve refried beans – I serve refried beans (frijoles refritos) plain, as a side dish, or as a bean dip. I like to squeeze fresh lime over our cooked beans and then top with queso fresco or Cotija cheese, then sprinkle with a little cilantro and some jalapeños. Make it Tex-Mex style – My family enjoys topping our beans with shredded cheddar cheese and hot sauce for a more Tex-Mex style. Pair your beans with some Mexican rice or simply serve with tortilla chips. There are so many possibilities here, you can’t go wrong!
Mexican-Style Black Beans
Restaurant Style Refried Beans
Black Bean Soup
Crockpot Baked Beans
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