Easy Refried Beans (One Pot)
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Quick and easy refried beans recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in one pot over stovetop in 30 minutes. Super smooth and creamy. Loaded with pinto beans and Mexican spices.
A Mexican feast just won’t be complete without a big batch of these beans and obviously my Salsa Verde (One Bowl).
Today’s recipe is so much more delicious than canned refried beans you buy at stores! They are so good and flavorful that you won’t bother buying them pre-made ever again. Best of all, they are free from all the add-ins and preservatives that they put into the canned version.
What are refried beans? Are they fried twice?
They are a traditional Mexican and/or Latin side dish of cooked and mashed beans. They are not fried twice. They are only cooked once and mashed to get the smooth consistency.
How to make refried beans from scratch?
- Heat butter– Do this over medium- high heat.
- Add onions, garlic, jalapeno– Saute until garlic is fragrant and onion is partially softened.
- Add salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin powder, pinto beans, broth, lime juice– Mix until combined.
- Lower heat- Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Mash beans– Use a hand-held immersion blender or a potato masher.
- Add more broth– If needed, to achieve your desired consistency.
- Enjoy! Garish with cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese and dig in.
What to serve with best homemade refried beans recipe?
This makes a great side dish for many Mexican meals such as Tacos like Shredded Chicken Tacos (One Pot) or Ground Beef Tacos (One Pot), Tostadas, Burritos, Enchiladas, Quesadilla, such as this Best Cheese Quesadilla (One Pan) or Ground Beef Quesadilla (One Pan) or Chicken Quesadilla (One Pan). I love them alongside Jalapeno Popper Chicken (One Pot).
You can also use them as a filling in sandwiches and wraps. You can also use it as a topping in burrito bowls.
Serve it alongside pasta. Try these Mexican-inspired pasta dishes: One Pot Chicken Pasta (Chicken Fajita Pasta) or this Cheesy Taco Pasta (One Pot) or even this Creamy Avocado Pasta (One Pot).
You can also enjoy this as a dip plus it makes a fantastic addition to 7 layer dip. Serve it with tortilla chips or nachos.
Storage
Refrigerate– Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze- Store in a sealed container for up to 1 month.
Reheat– In the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
Variations
Refried black beans– Use black beans in place of pinto beans.
Bean dip– Layer the beans, with a thin layer of taco cream cheese, an a layer of Mexican Ground Beef Taco Meat (One Pot) and then a layer of shredded cheddar cheese on top. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and bubbly on top. Top it off with finely chopped cilantro or even Pico De Gallo Salsa (One Bowl) and serve immediately.
Make it vegan/ vegetarian– Use oil in place of butter, and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Add cheese– Such as cheddar or chihuahua cheese. Sprinkle it on top, prior to serving and allow the warmth of the beans to melt the cheese.
Make it spicier– Use a stronger pepper such as serrano or poblano. You can also add more jalapenos.
Adjust ingredients– This is a very versatile recipe. Add more or less of whatever ingredients you like or dislike.
Tips and Techniques
Do you need to soak beans? No, you do not need to soak them.
Make sure to wash and drain the canned beans– This removes the preservatives and also removes excess liquid from the beans.
How to cook fresh beans? Boil the pinto beans until they are soft and cooked through and then, drain them.
How do I mash the beans? You can either use a hand-held immersion blender, or a potato masher will work fine too. You can make them as smooth or as chunky as you like!
What can I substitute for broth? You can also use stock instead of broth. If you don’t have either on hand, just use water.
Use unsalted butter and low-sodium broth– Because this prevents the dip from becoming too salty.
Use a non-stick pot– Because this prevents beans from sticking and burning.
Use fresh herbs and lemon juice– Fresh herbs and lemon juice always produce the best and freshest overall flavor.
Deseed jalapeno- Because this prevents the beans from becoming unbearably spicy.
Serve a crowd– Double the quantity of all the ingredients to serve more people.
How to make mixture thinner? How to make it thicker? To make it thinner, simply mix in more broth or water. To make it thicker, add less broth and cook uncovered for longer on low heat until mixture is thickened to your desired consistency.
More One Pot Mexican Side Dishes
- Cilantro Lime Rice (One Pot)
- Mexican Corn Salad Recipe (One Bowl)
- Tomato Avocado Salad (One Bowl)
- Mexican Corn on The Cob (One Pan)
One Pot Refried Beans
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Butter, Unsalted
- 1/2 cup Onion, Finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic , Finely minced
- 1 small Jalapeno, Deseeded, Diced
- Salt , To taste
- Pepper, To taste
- 3/4 tsp Chili powder
- 1/4 tsp Cumin powder
- 4 cups Cooked pinto beans, Can be canned/drained/rinsed or boiled fresh and drained
- 1/4- 1/3 cup Chicken broth , Can use vegetable broth instead too, Low sodium
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice, Preferably fresh
- 1 tbsp Cilantro, Fresh, Finely chopped, For garnish
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large nonstick pot, over medium- high heat.
- Add onions, garlic, jalapeno and saute until garlic is fragrant and onion is partially softened.
- Add salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin powder, pinto beans, broth, lime juice and mix until combined.
- Lower heat to Medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Use a hand-held immersion blender or a a potato masher to mash the beans.
- Add more broth, if necessary, to achieve your desired consistency.
- Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and garish with cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.Â
