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Splash of Taste – Vegetarian Recipes

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Easy veggie recipes

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Home / Vegetarian

Homemade Refried Beans Recipe

Published May 18, 2023 | Updated May 18, 2023 | By Mandy & Jane

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Refried beans image for Pinterest.
Refried beans image for Pinterest.

If you are a fan of Mexican food, then you will love learning to make Refried Beans from the comfort of your own home! Made with simple ingredients that you’ll already have in your pantry, this vegan frijoles refritos recipe is so much better than store-bought. It even tastes better than your favorite Mexican restaurant!

A delicious bowl of vegetarian refried beans with lime slices and cilantro.

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Why you’ll love making refried beans

  • It’s such an easy recipe! All you have to do is fry the onions, garlic, and spices, then add the beans and cook them for a few minutes before mashing them up. It couldn’t be more simple to make your own at home!
  • This simple side dish is on the table in less than 20 minutes. It’s really quick!
  • Canned refried beans or fast food often have extra salt, preservatives, and even animal ingredients like bacon fat or chicken stock. Making it at home yourself is much healthier than the canned stuff.
  • We love to make refried beans for nachos, burritos or tacos, as a dip for tortilla chips. The possibilities are endless!
  • Who doesn’t love refried beans? Not only is this recipe absolutely delicious, it’s also one of the most satisfying and comforting Mexican recipes out there!
  • We made these beans 100% vegan so that they could suit a plant-based diet too.

Ingredients you’ll need

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

Ingredients needed, fresh cilantro, pinto beans, onion, chili powder, olive oil, fresh lime, ground cumin, minced garlic, and sea salt.

How to make the best refried beans with step-by-step instructions

A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

Begin by adding olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. We prefer olive oil as it’s a healthy option, but vegetable oil would be fine in a pinch.

Add the chopped onion and salt, and cook until translucent, occasionally stirring for approximately 6-7 minutes.

Next, add in the spices: cumin, chili powder, and minced garlic. Stir constantly and cook for 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant.

Add the canned beans and water. Stir them to combine, cover and cook the beans for 5 minutes.

Refried beans in a bowl, lime wedges, tortilla chips, and a vase with flowers are next to it.

Remove the lid, reduce the heat to low, and use the back of a fork to mash up approximately ¾ of the cooked beans gently.

You can also mash the beans with a potato masher; just don’t overdo it or it will become a dip. Stir the beans and cook for a further 3 – 4 minutes, making sure they cook evenly.

Remove the pan from the heat, add lime juice, taste, and adjust the seasoning to suit your preference.

Let the beans cool for a couple of minutes, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve.

Refried beans in a bowl, with lime, tortillas, and cilantro.

Recipe notes and expert tips

  • Onion: Traditionally, white or yellow onion is used in this recipe. However, red onion is also a great option for a slightly sweeter taste.
  • Stock: For a little more flavor, switch the water out for vegetable broth.
  • Too soupy: If the beans are a little too runny, you can drain some of the bean cooking liquid out of the pot before mashing to thicken it up. Another option would be to cook the beans until the bean broth reduces.
  • Change the texture: If you like Mexican refried beans a little chunkier, mash just half of the beans. If you’d prefer it to be like a dip, mash them all! You can even pop everything in a food processor, use an immersion blender, and blend it until smooth. You may need a little more cooking liquid to thin it out to your desired consistency.
  • Make it spicier: If you fancy a kick of heat, double the chili, add cayenne pepper, or add a dash of hot sauce at the end.
  • Make it smoky: Adding a little chipotle powder instead of chili gives a delicious smoky flavor, with a hint of spice as well. Smoked paprika would also do the trick but without the heat.
  • Add cheese: If you like cheesy beans, sprinkle a little cotija cheese, shredded cheese, grated parmesan cheese, or your favorite vegan substitute right after removing the pan from the heat.

How to store leftover Refried Beans

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in a pot on the stove or the microwave until piping hot.

You can also freeze homemade refried beans for later! Store them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating.

What to serve with this refried beans recipe

We love these authentic refried beans as a side dish with vegetarian birria tacos, along with some air fryer Mexican corn.

Blend it nice and smooth to make a delicious dip. Add a little sour cream to make it creamy!

They taste absolutely fantastic in a veggie burrito, along with bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and cilantro lime rice.

Try making the ultimate air fryer quesadilla by spreading a layer of beans on the tortilla along with the cheese (SO good!).

Cheese quesadilla sliced on a wooden board, with tomato salsa, guacamole, and cilantro around it.

Can I use something other than canned pinto beans?

You can easily switch them for other canned beans like black beans or white navy beans if you have those on hand. Refried black beans are really tasty!

What about dry beans?

You can also cook dried beans rather than canned beans if you prefer to make dried beans from scratch.

To cook dry pinto beans, check out this pinto beans recipe.

Once your beans are ready, drain the bean broth and follow the rest of this recipe using the cooked pinto beans instead of canned. A friend tried instant pot refried beans; you can also try making this instant pot refried beans recipe.

Homemade refried beans in a serving bowl with slices of lime and tortilla chips.

More easy Mexican recipes for you to try

If you enjoy Mexican food, why not try these easy recipes?

  • Vegan Birria Tacos
  • Flour Tortilla Recipe
  • Homemade Taco Seasoning
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Spicy Salsa Taquera
  • Salsa Roja Recipe
Homemade vegan birria tacos, ready to eat, with one being dipped into birria broth.

Vegan birria tacos (quesabirria tacos)

Someone placing a freshly cooked flour tortilla on a tortilla stack.

Flour Tortilla Recipe

Homemade taco seasoning in a glass dish.

Taco Seasoning Recipe

Close up of half a bowl of pico de gallo with lime wedges and tortilla chips by the side.

Pico de gallo recipe

A bowl of homemade salsa taquera with an Arbol chili on top.

Spicy salsa taquera

Homemade salsa Roja in a bowl.

Easy salsa Roja recipe

Delicious homemade refried beans in a bowl.
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47

Refried Beans Recipe

Made with simple ingredients that you'll already have in your pantry, this vegan Refried Beans recipe is so much better than store-bought. It tastes better than your favorite Mexican restaurant!
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Servings4
Calories349
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Mandy Applegate | Splash of Taste
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • ½ cup Onion finely sliced
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Cumin
  • ½ tsp Chili powder
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 30 oz Pinto beans drained
  • ½ Lime juiced
  • Cilantro to garnish
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Add olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and salt, and cook until translucent, occasionally stirring approximately 6-7 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, and garlic, stir constantly and cook for 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant.
    1 tbsp Olive oil, ½ cup Onion, ¼ tsp Salt, ¼ tsp Cumin, ½ tsp Chili powder, 2 cloves Garlic
  • Add drained beans and water, stir to combine, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to low, and use the back of a fork to gently mash up approximately ¾ of the beans (choose your preferred consistency and mash accordingly). Stir the beans and cook for a further 3 – 4 minutes.
    30 oz Pinto beans
  • Remove the pan from the heat, add lime juice, taste, and adjust to suit your preference, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
    ½ Lime, Cilantro

Notes

  1. Onion: Traditionally white or yellow onion is used in this recipe, however, red onion is also a great option for a slightly sweeter taste.
  2. Stock: For a little more flavor switch the water out for vegetable broth.
  3. Too soupy: If the beans are a little too liquidy, you can drain some of the bean cooking liquid out of the pot to thicken it up. Another option would be to cook the beans until the bean broth reduces down.
  4. Change the texture: If you like Mexican refried beans a little chunkier, mash just half of the beans. If you’d prefer it to be like a dip, mash them all! You can even pop everything in a food processor is use an immersion blender and blend it until smooth. You may need a little more cooking liquid to thin it out to your desired consistency.
  5. Make it spicier: If you fancy a kick of heat, double the chili, add cayenne pepper, or add a dash of hot sauce at the end.
  6. Make it smoky: Adding a little chipotle powder instead of chili gives a delicious smoky flavor, with a hint of spice as well. Smoked paprika would also do the trick, but without the heat.
  7. Add cheese: If you like cheesy beans, sprinkle a little cotija cheese, shredded cheese, grated parmesan cheese, or your favorite vegan substitute right after removing the pan from the heat.

Storage Instructions

  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Reheat them in a pot on the stove or the microwave until piping hot.
  • You can also freeze homemade refried beans for later! Store them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 978mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 5mg

Disclaimer

Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.

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About Mandy

A vegetarian for over 35 years, Mandy has taught herself to be creative in the kitchen. Traveling extensively, Mandy loves learning and adapting vegetarian recipes from across the world. Read more...

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