Homemade refried beans are full of flavor and deliciously creamy. They are easy to make and pair wonderfully with a variety of dishes.
Refried beans have become a staple side dish in our house. They are so tasty, and make a perfect companion to homemade beef enchiladas or crockpot chicken tacos. Use them as a dip with tortilla chips, too. We like to get creative and add them to a burrito bowl drizzled with Mexican ranch dressing.
Whether you pair them with your favorite Mexican dish or simply eat them by the spoonful, you are sure to keep this recipe in your collection of favorites!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Inexpensive – Dry beans are inexpensive and great to keep on hand for food storage. This makes these homemade refried beans a great budget friendly food to prepare for your family.
Wholesome Ingredients – These flavorful refried beans are made from whole-food, basic ingredients that you can feel good about.
Flavorful – You will never want to have canned refried beans again after you taste this homemade version. It’s bursting with flavor!
Ingredients
Pinto beans – You can use drained and rinsed canned pinto beans in place of soaking dry beans if you are short on time.
Lime juice – Fresh lime juice is delicious and adds the best flavor to these beans, but feel free to used bottled lime juice in a pinch.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Homemade Refried Beans
Step 1: Rinse the pinto beans in a colander and place them in a medium mixing bowl or pot. Cover with about 3 inches of water and soak overnight.
Step 2: Drain and rinse the beans again, then add them to a saucepan and cover with fresh water by about 2 inches.
Step 3: Add 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 60 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining the beans.
Step 4: Return the cooked beans to the pot and mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth.
Step 5: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until softened, about 5–7 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
Step 6: Add the mashed beans to the skillet and stir in about half a cup of the reserved bean liquid, and add little more at a time, until the beans reach your desired consistency. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and stir again.
Step 7: Cook for another 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until heated through and creamy. Serve!
Tips
- If you want a little heat, add diced jalapeño with the onion.
- Pinto beans can vary in cooking time depending on age, so continue simmering if they are not tender after 60 minutes.
- If the beans start looking dry while cooking, add a splash more of reserved bean liquid until they’re creamy again.
- These beans thicken as they cool, so you may want to loosen them with a bit of warm water or chicken broth when reheating.
- Homemade refried beans freeze very well for quick meals later on.
Recipe FAQs
Making refried beans from scratch involves soaking dry pinto beans and cooking them until they are nice and tender. Aromatics and spices are added, as well as some leftover bean cooking liquid, and the mixture is mashed until it is nice and creamy.
Some key tips to great refried beans are making sure to use leftover cooking liquid for a creamy consistency, and using a blend of delicious flavor and spices to add interest and balance to the dish.
Traditional refried beans are usually made with pinto beans. However, black beans are also a popular choice, and result in a slightly more chunky texture than pinto.
More Delicious Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Easy Mini Quiche Recipe
- 10+ Strawberry Recipes for Summer
- Easy Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad
- Sourdough Strawberry Quick Bread Recipe
- The Best Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Soup Recipe
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Easy Homemade Refried Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups pinto beans, soaked overnight
- 1 teaspoon salt, for cooking the beans
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- More salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 cup reserved bean water from cooking the pinto beans
- Optional toppings: crumbly Mexican cheese, cotija, cilantro, and fresh lime.
Instructions
- Rinse the pinto beans in a colander and place them in a medium mixing bowl or pot. Cover with about 3 inches of water and soak overnight.
- Drain and rinse the beans again, then add them to a saucepan and cover with fresh water by about 2 inches.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 60 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining the beans.
- Return the cooked beans to the pot and mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until softened, about 5–7 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the mashed beans to the skillet and stir in about half a cup of the reserved bean liquid, and add little more at a time, until the beans reach your desired consistency.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and stir again.
- Cook for another 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until heated through and creamy. Serve!
Notes
These beans thicken as they cool, so you may want to loosen them with a bit of warm water or chicken broth when reheating.
Homemade refried beans freeze very well for quick meals later on.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
