Until recently, I’d never considered making Homemade Refried Beans. Now I doubt I’ll ever do otherwise.
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Have you ever wondered how to make refried beans? They’re so easy, and the flavor and texture are far superior to what you’ll eat from a can. The real difference comes from two things: cooking the beans in real fat (bacon fat or lard for the most authentic flavor, or avocado oil if you prefer), and choosing your texture. Use a potato masher for chunky, country-style beans, or pulse them in the food processor for the smooth, creamy refried beans you’d expect from a great taqueria.
“Made this today using the overnight soaking method (wanted to try making from scratch), and man oh man, are they good!!! Way better than canned–so much more flavor!”
Joanie
Table of Contents
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients for Homemade Refried Beans
- Bacon Fat or Lard: Either gives these refried beans their authentic Mexican flavor and richness. Avocado oil is the best alternative if you’d rather skip animal fats. Olive oil works too, though its flavor is more present in the finished beans.
- Onion: Yellow or white. Finely chop, ideally in a food processor, so the pieces meld into the beans rather than staying crunchy.
- Garlic: Fresh cloves, finely minced.
- Ground Cumin: Look for a jar that smells distinctly fragrant when you open it. Ground spices fade over time.
- Smoked Paprika: Adds a subtle smoky depth that complements the cumin.
- Crushed Red Pepper: Just a pinch for a gentle background heat. Skip if you’re sensitive to spice.
- Cooked Pinto Beans: Use freshly cooked beans (see Slow Cooker Pinto Beans for my preferred method) or two 15.5-ounce cans, drained with the liquid reserved.
- Bean Cooking Liquid or Broth: This is what gives the beans their creamy texture. If you’re using canned beans, save the liquid from the cans, or use chicken or vegetable broth.
How to Make Homemade Refried Beans
Step 1: Finely chop onion and garlic cloves (ideally in a food processor). Soften in bacon grease; season with cumin and crushed red pepper.
Step 2: Add cooked pinto beans to onion mixture; cook and stir until softened and heated through. Transfer bean mixture to food processor and process to desired texture (or use potato masher), adding liquid as necessary. Serve.
Pro Tips
- Bacon fat or lard makes a big difference in flavor: There is a good reason why lard is the fat used in authentic Mexican refried beans. You can’t quite match the flavor and richness with other oils, though your beans can still be delicious.
- Choose your texture and method: I love to use a food processor no matter what texture I’m going for. Several pulses for rustic, chunky beans or longer processing for creamy, smooth refried beans. For the rustic version, a potato masher also works well, right in the pan.
- Don’t toss the bean cooking liquid: The beans will thicken as they cool, so it’s worth saving the extra cooking liquid (or can liquid if you’re using canned beans). I often add as much as a cup of liquid to keep them creamy.
Storage and Reheating
Homemade Refried Beans keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat on the stovetop, stirring often and adding cooking liquid, broth or water to loosen them as needed.
You can also freeze leftover refried beans for up to 3 months. Once they’ve cooled, divide them into portions that match how you plan to use them and freeze in airtight freezer bags or containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop as described above.
FAQ
I recommend cooking dried beans for this refried bean recipe. It’s really easy to do in your slow cooker (see instructions below or use my Slow Cooker Pinto Beans recipe). And you’ll want some fat in these to give them that creamy, smooth texture. I had some leftover bacon fat which infused these cooked beans with fabulous flavor. But stock or bean cooking liquid and non-hydrogenated lard or avocado oil (for a vegan version) will also work well.
Absolutely. Use two 15.5-ounce cans of pinto beans, drained with the liquid reserved. The recipe works the same way.
Refried beans freeze well. Once the beans have cooled, divide them into portions that suit how you plan to use them and freeze in freezer bags or freezer safe containers. Use within a few months.
Not strictly, but it’s what gives these refried beans their authentic Mexican flavor. Avocado oil is the best alternative if you’d rather skip animal fats. Olive oil works too, though it has a stronger flavor.
Serve With:
- Carne Asada (Authentic and delicious – it’s a house favorite!)
- Carne Asada Tacos (Layer the beans on the tortillas or serve them on the side!)
- Carne Asada Nachos (A perfect addition to all the other delicious toppings!)
- Shrimp Tacos (Easy to make and I bet they’ll be the best you’ve ever tasted!)
- Mexican Corn on the Cob (Traditional Mexican street corn!)
- Calabacitas (Buttery, flavorful side dish of zucchini, summer squash and aromatics.)
- Chicken Tostadas (Make them full size with these Tostada Shells that are crisp and baked not fried or make them bite-size, see post for directions.)
- Lamb Barbacoa (The juiciest, most flavorful shredded lamb with a simple slow cooker recipe!)
More Must-Try Bean REcipes
Video
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup lard or bacon fat or avocado oil, see recipe note #3
- 1/2 onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- pinch crushed red pepper
- 3 cups cooked pinto beans (freshly cooked or 2 15.5 ounce cans drained, reserving liquid)
- 1/2 cup bean cooking liquid or broth or more, see recipe note #1
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat lard or oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until softened and onion is nearly translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika and crushed red pepper. Add beans and bean cooking liquid or stock. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook and stir until beans are heated through and begin to break down, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer bean mixture to food processor and pulse until beans reach desired consistency and return to pan. Or mash beans in the pan with potato masher or back of a spoon to your desired consistency. Serve.
Notes
- To reach your desired consistency, feel free to add more broth or bean cooking liquid. I add as much as 1 cup as I like my refried beans very creamy. Also note that the beans will thicken as they cool. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- To cook beans with the salt soak method: soak dry beans overnight in a ratio of 1 pound of dry beans to 6 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of fine sea salt. The next day, give them a quick rinse and cover them by 1-inch in a slow cooker. Then cook on low until tender, creamy and flavorful.
- For the most authentic Mexican flavor, use lard or leftover bacon fat. If you’d like to use lard, look for good-quality, non-hydrogenated lard at the butcher counter, a Mexican market or online. Avocado oil is the best vegetarian or vegan alternative.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Good 👍 !!!
I added 2 bay leaves, 2 t. Maldon salt and 1T. olive oil to the soaking water for 24 hrs. (Got distracted).Then I simply cooked it all in a pressure cooker with a peeled onion cut in half.
After it was completely cool I removed the bay leaves and pureed everything in a food processor. Then added minced raw garlic and the other spices.
Then reheated it in a cast iron skillet. Smooth and flavorful.
So glad you enjoyed the beans, Kathryn! Thank you for sharing your cooking notes.
Made this using my InstaPot today and then using the food processor makes it even easier. Will never buy again. I feel much better knowing exactly what is in my food. Is there any reason to then put the beans in the frying pan to get the “refried” step? I’ve looked at several recipes and don’t get that part. Thank you for your recipe!
So glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Brigid! The ‘refrying’ is really just the step of the recipe where you add seasonings and make sure that the beans reach the texture you’re after.
Made this today using the overnight soaking method (wanted to try making from scratch), and man oh man, are they good!!! Way better than canned–so much more flavor!
This is wonderful to hear, Joanie! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
This is a great recipe! I make it all the time now and I had never before made refried beans (or much less thought about making them myself). Thanks for making the recipe available!
Thanks so much, Adam! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!