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This refried beans recipe is made from scratch with just about ten minutes of hands on time! These beans are so much better than anything you’d find in a can!
So, y’all know that I eat tacos all the live long day, right? (I mean, have you seen my Instagram? I just shared some stir-fry tacos there. True story.)
Anyway, what’s a girl to serve with tacos?
My refried beans from scratch, of course!
I mean, I don’t know about you, but I find the beans in those cans a little suspicious. They’re pasty and weird. They have no flavor. They just don’t look right and they sure don’t taste right.
If you’ve never tried a homemade refried bean recipe, I hope you’ll give this one a shot. It’s packed with smoky flavors from chipotle peppers and has just enough of a kick to make you take notice.
I made these with a ham flavored pinto bean. You can use regular pinto beans instead, but you will need to add a little extra seasoning to the mix. There is a note about that on the recipe card.
How to:
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These beans skip the soak, because we don’t find it necessary. You can soak if you prefer. Rinse and sort through the dried beans. If you have any debris, get rid of it.
You’ll then just dump the beans and 10 cups of water right into a large pot and get them over some heat. I use my dutch oven to make these. It’s 5 1/2 quarts and the perfect size!
While the water is heating up it is safe to start adding your diced onion and garlic to the pot.
Bring this mixture to a full boil, then cover, then reduce the heat to a slow boil. You will need to cook it for one hour and forty five minutes or until the beans are very tender. Cook an additional 15 minutes if they aren’t, then check every 5 minutes after that.
Drain the liquid from the pot, but keep a cup or so of what you drained out, and set it aside for now.
Stir in the ham seasoning mix from the package of beans along with your diced chipotle peppers.
Now you can mash the beans by hand, just like mashed potatoes, or use an immersion blender. You can add some of the water you set aside earlier now if you wish to thin it up to your preferred consistency.
Stir in your cup of cheddar cheese and cover for five minutes to give the cheese time to melt.
Add salt to taste and top with cilantro and fresh jalapeno when you serve.
More Mexican inspired dishes:
- Fried tacos
- Taco tater tot casserole recipe
- Taco stuffed shells
- Crockpot chicken tacos
- Chicken tamale casserole
Refried Beans from Scratch
Ingredients
- 20 ounces dried pinto beans 1 package
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo minced
- 1 cup grated cheddar
- Salt to taste
- Cilantro, fresh jalapeno for serving
Instructions
- Rinse and sort through the dried beans, discarding any debris. Add to a large, heavy pot.
- Cover beans with 10 cups of water.
- Dice the onion and garlic and add to the pot of beans.
- Bring to a full boil, cover, and reduce heat to a slow boil.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until beans are very tender.
- Drain the liquid from the pot, reserving 1 cup.
- Stir in the minced chipotle peppers, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.
- Mash the beans by hand or use an immersion blender. Add the reserved liquid as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Stir in the cheese and cover for 5 minute to melt.
- Taste and add salt as needed.
- Serve topped with cilantro and fresh jalapeno slices, if desired.
Mary Anne says
I’ve made a few of your recipes. Yum.
I will use leaf lard. Your body knows what to do with lard; it needs good fat.
Karly says
Sounds great!
Sally ONeil says
I use a tablespoon or so of bacon fat.
Bonny Lee Persons says
We call these Frijoles.
Joyce Phillips says
Canโt wait to try this recipe ย sounds great but in our area we cannot buy the brand of beans you recommended with the ham seasoning packet what would we use as a substitute for the seasoning packet ,have always used the Rosarita brand of retried beans but seems they have changed their recipe and my family doesnโt care for them at all now
Karly says
The ham seasoning just adds a little salt/smoke flavor. I think you’ll be fine to make these without it. ๐
Maggie Martin says
Been looking for a refried recipe that was simple and good, THIS is it! Thank you Karly. I grew up in Southern California and I too am addicted to Mexican food.
If you just have to use a canned version then go for Rosarita, it can be “fixed” to actually have some taste. Emergency refries…
Have a great day
Maggie
Karly says
Hope you enjoy, Maggie! ๐ I like the Rosarita brand too!
Maggie Martin says
Made a double batch of these for New Years, Refried in lard (I know, I know) but it was new years. Anyway, I had leftovers which is why I made a double..Frozen in single servings, eat as needed and enjoy
Thanks again Karly
Maggie
Karly says
Yum!!
Annamaria @ Bakewell Junction says
Karly,
I love refried beans but I’ve never made them myself. I can’t wait to try these. Pinned.
Annamaria
Liz says
Sounds so good. Thanks Karly
Debra says
Can these cooked beans be frozen?
Karly says
Absolutely! I would freeze in small portions and just thaw them out as needed and reheat!
Anne says
I make my refried beans in the slow cooker and just use regular pinto beans but these beans with ham seasoning sound YUMMY! I will try that next time!
Karly says
Oh, the slow cooker is a great idea!
b says
sounds good, but are NOT refrito!
Liz says
You are correct, authentic refried beans are fried in bacon grease or fat and smashed until the reserved liquid is reduced and you have the consistency you want. But for anyone health conscious this may be the better way to go.
Connie says
Yum! I just made some beans this past weekend. I cook mine in a similar fashion. I didn’t know how to cook them until recently, and I didn’t really appreciate beans until recent years as they were not a staple growing up. Nowadays I love beans because they’re affordable, tasty and filling, and not to mention the fiber. (For some reason fiber has gotten increasingly more important as I get older! lol) Funny thing you mentioned the immersion blender. I received one last Christmas but somehow prefer the manual mashing tool.
Karly says
Same here! I used to be very anti-bean, but now I’m regretting all the time I missed with them. Haha! ๐
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
Mmmm I never knew they were so easy to make!