Easy Refried Beans

Learn how to make the best Refried Beans from home cooked or canned with this recipe. It’s easy to add too much bean water, so we help with how much is enough. We’ll also share the details for spicing them up with different chiles. Get your bean masher ready, we’re doin this!

Want to cook your olla of beans from scratch? Check out my How to Cook Pinto Beans [Frijoles De La Olla] post.

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Ingredients

Grocery Quick List: whole cooked beans, bean water reserve, oil, salt (if cooked beans are unsalted).

• 2 cups whole cooked beans
• 1 and 1/2 cup bean reserve water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil / or manteca for indulgent
• salt to taste 
• optional spice – dried chile pepper

Ingredient Notes / Variations

• Beans – This method can be used for the most frequented bean types such as: pinto beans, peruano beans, black beans, and flor de mayo beans [also known for me, as rosita beans].
• Oil – I use olive oil for refrying beans. Other oils, like vegetable and canola oil can be used as a substitute. However, olive oil is my preferred choice when refrying delicious and creamy beans.
• For more research on olive oil pertaining to health, please visit: Virgin Olive Oil and Health.
• Salt or bouillon – Use the salt to taste. For this small batch I’d only say to use 1/2 to 3/4 tsp sea salt. If using a bit of your favorite bouillon, please reduce the amount of salt used. Bouillon often has sodium in it unless it’s your DIY spice blend. Please keep this in mind when salting.

How To Spice Up Refried Beans

Listed in order ranging from heat scale level of mild to spicy.

• Jalapeño,
• Serrano,
• Chile de arbol, or
• Chile Japones

Our go to pick is chile de arbol or serrano, but any of the above work well when you want to spice ’em up! If you’re in-between on deciding how much spice you want, then just add it as you go.

Try our go-to salsa verde recipe to complement your beans. Or a tasty pot of my traditional rice with dinner, it’s the best combo.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Separate beans from liquid, keep the liquid in a bowl nearby.
2. Heat sauté/sauce pan over medium/low heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Let oil heat up for about 2-3 minutes.
3. After the oil has heated do the following: If you’re spicing up the beans, carefully add, a washed and towel dried, fresh jalapeño or serrano into pan with oil before the beans.
   • You may add it whole or chop it up, I do whole (de-seed for less spice). Let the fresh chili pepper sauté in the oil for about 1-2 minute(s).

4. Add 2 cups of drained beans to the pan followed by 1 cup of bean liquid (add additional 1/2 cup if you like creamy beans). Cover with lid. Let beans heat on medium for about 5-7 minutes.
   • [You will first hear the sound of the beans hit the pan and refry in the oil. Their aroma will give off as they simmer too]
5. Now that beans have heated they will be soft enough for easy bean mashing. Set heat on low and mash beans for approximately 60 seconds until desired consistency.
   • The longer you mash, the creamier.
6. Stir beans gently after mashing, and turn stove off. Be sure to sample your beans to make sure they have enough salt and enjoy!

Foods to Eat with Creamy Frijolitos

Wondering what to serve with your plated beans? A bean taco is a simple start to the possibilities. Here’s a couple more:

• Nopales and Eggs
• Chorizo and Eggs
• Smeared onto sopes, gorditas, and bolillo toast
• Chile Relleno Recipe 
• Mexican Shredded Beef

Ways to Flip Leftover [Refried Beans]

Leftover beans always gotta get used up. Here’s a few uses for refritos I can think of, specific to easy dinner ideas:

• Easy Red Enchiladas (bean filling)
• Bean and Veggie Tostadas or Sopes
• Fried Tacos de Frijoles
• Nachos
• Bean, Cheese and Green Chile Burritos
• Chimichangas

Storing

Refrigeration: Best enjoyed creamy fresh! Properly stored and covered beans will last 5-7 days in the refrigerator if fried from freshly opened/cooked beans. But honestly, they make it to day 2 or 3 before they’re all gone cause they’re hard to resist in this perfect small batch weekly staple.

Pro Tips / Receta Notes

Recipe yield: 2 cups refried beans

When freshly cooked beans are still in their warm soft state, you wont need the wait time of STEP #4. Instead, after a couple minutes you can mash the beans until bean consistency of your preference is reached.

Are homemade refried beans better than canned? Homemade refried beans beat canned beans but even when I’m limited on cook time from a long day, canned whole beans come in for the save!

Canned beans to refried reminder – Remember to save bean liquid and wait until mashing is completed before adding any salt to avoid over salting.

What if I added too much bean water? It’s OK! Just leave the beans on low heat, the liquid will reduce by 8-10 minutes. Be sure to give the beans a stir to prevent any burning of beans.

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Equipment

• Bowl
• Sauté pan
• Spatula
• Bean masher / potato masher