Refried Beans From Canned Beans

We’re huge fans of refried beans in our house but did you know that you can actually make your own refried beans from scratch. An easy refried beans recipe that you can serve next to your tacos.

Refried beans are one of those foods that we love to love. But growing up, we used to buy them from the store in the can and we never “took” to the taste and flavor.

Not only that but as we've grown up and started cooking now for our own family, we don’t like not knowing what is in certain canned foods from the store.

Call us picky…but if we can make something at home instead of buying it, we're 100% down to make that happen.

Why Make Refried Beans…

• This recipe uses canned pinto beans for a quick cook
• No soaking beans required
• Flavorful
• Creamy
• Easy to Make

Ingredients Needed

• Canned Pinto Beans
• Onion
• Oil
• Garlic
• Ground Cumin
• Vegetable Stock
• Lime Juice

This is a vegetarian refried beans recipe, that is loaded with flavor and creamy and savory. Grab your masher and create the consistency for your beans.

How to Make

Step 1: First, in a medium saucepan add your oil, onions and salt. Saute the onions to allow them to become translucent and soft.

Step 2: Next add in the garlic and other spices and cook another 30 seconds or until it becomes fragrant.

Step 3: Lastly, Pour in your beans and stock. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Mash up the beans, and then cook an additional few minutes, to help thicken up the refried beans.

How to Season Refried Beans

You will saute the onions and then add in the garlic and such before adding beans. This creates a richness to flavor your beans.

Ways To Dress Up These Beans

One of our favorite ways to eat them is to cook them up, add on some shredded cheese, sour cream, chives, cilantro, and a little bit of spicy seasoning or salsa and enjoy.

It tastes so good. And it’s basically the equivalent of eating up a meatless Mexican dish or having a meal that’s loaded with protein.

Variations to Recipe

Even though this recipe is pretty straight forward. There are a few things that you can do to change it up a bit.

One of the biggest things is that you can add even more chili pepper to bring out the heat.

Another great variation option for this recipe is to cook up the beans using coconut oil instead of olive oil.

It’s a small and subtle change that will have such a fun taste difference on the end product!

Practical notes

What kind of beans are refried beans?

For this refried beans recipe we used pinto beans. We drained the liquid out of the canned beans. You are welcome to use dry beans and cook them beforehand if you will.

Why are refried beans called refried beans?

The name can be a little bit misleading…The term u0022refriedu0022 often makes people think that they’ve been cooked twice, but it’s actually not the case. They are cooked up once on the stove but for this recipe, that’s it.u003cbru003eThe term refried comes from the Spanish language and means u0022well-friedu0022.

What can we use refried beans for?

So many things! This is why this is one of our favorite side dish recipes to make! Refried beans are awesome for Taco Tuesday! Or burrito nights at home but they’re also great on their own, too.

How long do refried beans last in the fridge?

When you’re making these refried beans from scratch. The longest that you’re going to want to keep them in the fridge is 3 days.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eAfter that, they’ll start to lose flavor and the texture will be different, too.u003cbru003eThese beans can be frozen if you want to meal prep for later on. They will freeze for up to 2 months. Just thaw in the fridge overnight.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eThis can extend the life of these beans so that you can thaw them out later to enjoy.

Can we use Dried Pinto Beans in this recipe?

You sure can! But you’re going to have to follow the process for soaking them and getting them ready to cook.u003cbru003eThis is just one of the reasons that we buy the canned Pinto beans. It cuts down on the time! Plus no added ingredients you don’t need to worry about.u003cbru003eJust keep in mind that if you do use dried pinto beans for this recipe, adjust your cooking time accordingly. The recipe will still have a great taste but it will be a long process due to that.

Recipes To Pair With These Beans

• Loaded Beef Nachos
• Instant Pot Tamales
• Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
• Steak Fajitas
• Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

Makes 0 serves 5

• 2 cans, 15 oz each pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons oil, canola, olive oil
• 1 tablesoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ½ cup vegetable stock or broth

Method

1. In a medium saucepan you will want to turn on medium heat. Then add your oil and let it get warm. Toss in your onions and salt.
2. Cook your onions until they are softened and become translucent, this takes around 5 minutes.
3. Add in your garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds, you want it to begin to smell fragrant.
4. Now pour your drained beans in along with vegetable stock. Stir and cook covered for 5 minutes on medium-low heat.
5. Reduce your heat to low and remove your lid. Grab a potato masher or blender and mix up the beans. We generally mix only half the bans up as we like a thicker texture. But mix to your desired texture.
6. You will want to cook the beans for 2-3 more minutes stirring often.
7. Once done remove beans from the heat, and stir in the lime juice. Add salt to taste if ou would prefer.
8. If your refried beans seem dry you can add a splash of broth or even water. Cover and stir occassionally until you are ready to serve.