Homemade Refried Beans
I cooked my pinto beans in the slow cooker using a salt soak method (see recipe note #2 for method). You can also use canned pinto beans or my Slow Cooker Pinto Beans.
Servings: 6 servings
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.
Video
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
Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg
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