Discover ways to make refried beans utilizing both dried or canned merchandise. I’ll present you the approach for sauteing these tender legumes with savory aromatics then mashing them right into a creamy puree. It’s the right aspect to serve along with your favourite Mexican dishes!

Desk of Contents

1. Bean choice
2. Soak dried beans
3. Prepare dinner the dried beans
4. Save the starchy liquid
5. Saute the aromatics and spices
6. Mash it down
7. Further seasoning and garnishes
8. What to serve this with
9. Refried Beans (2-Methods!) Recipe

Do-it-yourself refried beans are easy and straightforward to organize. This recipe has two handy and inexpensive strategies the place you may select between utilizing dried or canned beans. Every serving is filled with protein and fiber so as to add some surprising vitamin to your meal.

To maximise the flavour, I exploit recent aromatics, spicy peppers, and savory seasonings. Plus, a squeeze of acidic lime juice. One of many vital parts on this recipe is utilizing the beans’ starchy liquid to boost the feel. Simply regulate the consistency to be as rustic or clean as you want with out utilizing cream.

Bean choice

Dried: Pinto beans are historically utilized in refried bean recipes as a result of they yield a young and creamy consistency. Dried beans have a beige floor with mottled or “painted” brownish-red spots. As soon as cooked, they mysteriously rework into strong deep pink legumes. Be sure to pick any cracked items or rocks and rinse them properly.

Canned: For a faster possibility, seize two 15-ounce cans however don’t drain the starchy liquid. You should utilize it later to regulate the dish’s consistency.

Soak dried beans

Dried beans are very onerous, so you want to hydrate them with water to melt the inflexible inside core. Salting the water helps to season the legumes all through whereas making the pores and skin softer, permitting extra water to permeate via the floor. 

You may soak them for a minimum of 8 hours or in a single day on the counter. In any other case, I like to recommend utilizing the fast soak methodology, as proven above, to chop down on wait time drastically. This course of entails boiling the beans for a couple of minutes in seasoned water, then turning off the warmth and overlaying the pot for an hour.

Prepare dinner the dried beans

After soaking, drain and add them to a freshwater answer consisting of salt, onion wedges, and bay leaf to infuse briny and herbaceous flavors. Simmer the pot gently for simply over an hour till the beans simply burst when pinched. Don’t throw out that flavorful starchy cooking liquid!

For a fair sooner methodology that doesn’t require soaking, you may put together the pinto beans in a strain cooker, just like my black bean On the spot-Pot recipe. 

Save the starchy liquid

Irrespective of in case you’re cooking pinto beans from scratch or popping open a can, be sure to reserve the liquid. Drain the beans in a strainer set over a bowl to make it straightforward to separate, and let gravity do its work. This answer accommodates starches which have been launched from the legumes in the course of the cooking course of.

This barely opaque liquid flavors the dish and creates a extra velvety and creamy texture when added after mashing. I exploit ¾ cup of liquid for 3 ½ cups of cooked beans.

Saute the aromatics and spices

To construct layers of taste within the dish, saute chopped onions, minced garlic, and jalapenos in melted butter. This step mellows out the sulfurous notes of the alliums into savory aromatics with a touch of sweetness. 

The peppers add a contact of warmth, cooking it in fats permits the fat-soluble capsaicin launch to be higher distributed. Dried oregano and cumin cook dinner within the butter to awaken their concentrated flavors and bloom the spices to accentuate the style.

Mash it down

Saute the cooked beans within the sizzling fats for a couple of minutes to dry the floor and coat it with flavorful aromatics. I discover it most snug to make use of a potato masher to puree the beans right into a tough combination. When you stir within the starchy liquid, it should loosen the consistency. Crush it additional with the masher for a smoother texture. 

In the event you don’t need small chunks of beans remaining, use a handheld immersion blender, meals processor, or countertop blender to puree the combination right into a positive consistency. Stir within the lime zest and juice on the finish of cooking to protect their delicate flavors.

Further seasoning and garnishes

For a spicier style, attempt including dried chile powder, cayenne pepper, or chipotle pepper. Observe that somewhat goes a good distance, so add about ¼ teaspoon at a time. For a smokier taste, attempt including chopped fire-roasted inexperienced chiles or smoked paprika. 

To serve, I wish to sprinkle grated Monterey Jack, Asadero, sharp cheddar, cotija, and even queso fresco cheese on high. Chopped cilantro or inexperienced onions additionally add a pop of coloration and freshness to the dish.

What to serve this with