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Refried beans recipe from scratch made in just 5 minutes! All you need is a handful of ingredients to make this delicious mexican favorite.
Today I’m sharing with you my favorite 5 minute homemade refried beans recipe.
I have loved refried beans since I was a little girl.
I remember on several occasions eating them straight out of the can with chips…cold even!
I have found since I began to eat healthy that refried beans can be either 1) hard to find with clean ingredients or 2) expensive.
That’s when I decided to make them myself.
How do you make refried beans?
Partially drain a can of black beans or pinto beans.
The more liquid you leave, the runnier the beans will be. For super thick refried beans, drain most of the liquid.
If you want more runny beans, say for pouring over nachos, leave a little more liquid than normal
Use an immersion blender to puree the beans until smooth.
Do this step first while the beans are still room temperature. If the beans splatter, at least they will not be hot.
I have learned this the hard way! If you do not have an immersion blender, use a potato masher and mash them as much as possible
Once your beans are smooth, place them in a saucepan over medium heat and add the lime juice and spices.
Heat until warm (less than five minutes) and they are ready to serve!
refried black beans
Refried beans are classically made with pinto beans, but you can also make them with black beans.
I personally love to make refried black beans!
I’m a fan of all things mexican food wise, especially as a vegetarian/mostly vegan.
We eat mexican at least once a week, if not more.
It’s an easy and delicious way to get lots of protein and lots of flavor!
Uses For Refried Beans
- A healthy bean dip – I love eating them dipped with tortilla chips!
- Use as filling in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, you can’t go wrong!
- Drizzle these vegan refried beans over nachos for an extra protein and flavor punch
These are so simple but really flavorful!
Like I said above, I use black beans and pinto beans interchangeably in this recipe.
Whichever you have on hand will work!
Ever since I got my immersion blender, it has been my best friend and this recipe is one of the main reasons why!
I love these beans alone, or in pretty much anything.
I had a hard time photographing them because I kept dipping chips in to eat. The flavor is so addictive!
Refried beans recipe from scratch:
Ever since I discovered the immersion blender hack, I’ve been making my own homemade refried beans instead of buying them.
I’m not one of those people that likes to make everything from scratch, but with as easy as this recipe is it takes no work at all!
These refried beans are perfect in my Simple Refried Bean Enchiladas!
If you love nachos, I also use them in my 30 Minute Sweet Potato Refried Bean Nachos!
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Ingredients
- 1 can of black beans or pinto beans, partially drained (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- squeeze of lime juice (I used around ½ small lime)
Instructions
- Partially drain beans and pour into a pan
- Using an immersion blender, blend beans in pan until they are a puree texture
- Add spices and lime juice and heat over medium heat until hot (around 3-5 minutes)
- Serve on burritos, nachos, tacos, or as a dip
- Enjoy!
Notes
Drain beans according to how thick you want the refried beans to be. I drained about half of the liquid from mine and it was spreadable but not extremely thick. It will thicken if stored in the fridge also.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 44Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 103mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to tag me on instagram @buildyourbite and hashtag #buildyourbite with your recipe creations!
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a star rating below!
FAQs
While canned refried beans are convenient, they're no match for the creamy and flavorful refried beans served at your local Mexican restaurant. If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat.
Why is refried beans unhealthy? ›
Yet, since refried beans often contain added fat and salt, they may be higher in calories, saturated fat, and sodium than other beans. These factors may impair your weight loss goals, raise your risk of heart disease, and increase your blood pressure levels.
What to add to canned refried beans to make them better? ›
I like to sprinkle in some taco seasoning, but you could add whatever spices you like — garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder are all good calls. Then, you mash the beans up directly in the pan and add just a little bit of vinegar at the end to really make the beans sing.
Are refried beans good for muscle gain? ›
Even prepared beans, such as baked and refried, can be bodybuilding friendly. Check labels on canned and prepared beans–some types can be loaded with unhealthy fats and salt, and you generally want to avoid canned beans that include bacon.
What is the secret ingredient in refried beans? ›
Lard – Here's where the secret ingredient comes in. Use lard to add a rich, savory thickness to the beans, or, use bacon fat like I do. Leftover bacon fat is extremely rich in salty, savory goodness, and it adds an entirely new depth of flavor to these Mexican refried beans — I can't recommend it enough!
Do most Mexican restaurants use lard in refried beans? ›
Most Mexican restaurants buy their refried beans already canned, so it's likely they contain lard. It's very easy to buy canned refried beans without lard, but you have to do it on purpose. If you are concerned about lard or no lard, you will have to ask the server at the restaurant.
Are refried beans bad for losing weight? ›
Are refried beans good for weight loss? Refried beans can be a good option for weight loss in some circ*mstances. A 1-cup serving of refried beans has 231 calories, so you could include this food in a low-calorie diet as a main meal. This food is also an excellent source of dietary fiber.
Which is healthier refried beans or rice? ›
Authentic refried beans have plentiful amounts of lard in them, making Mexican rice a healthier alternative.
Why do refried beans make me sick? ›
perfringens is an entertoxin-secreting bacteria most often found in inadequately heated or reheated meats, meat pies, stews, gravy, sauces, and refried beans. The incubation period averages 8-12 hours, after which diarrhea and abdominal cramps begin.
How to dr up refried beans? ›
If you don't like bacon flavor in your refried beans (which I don't, but some do), you can simply add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and some oregano to those beans. An alternate addition is adding a bit of your favorite salsa to them.
If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat. Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.
Why do people add milk to refried beans? ›
Milk makes refried beans creamy
This liquid can help make your beans smoother and taste richer. Once the beans are tender, it's time to fry them. Garlic is cooked in the oil and then the beans are added. The beans are mashed, and this is where the milk comes in.
Is it OK to eat refried beans everyday? ›
Refried beans are a nutrient rich food! They provide plenty of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. People who are at higher risk for heart disease may want to watch for the saturated fat content, but the average person can fit them into an overall healthy diet with minimal problem.
Which bean is best for building muscle? ›
Beans. Many different types of beans can be part of a diet for lean muscle gain. Popular varieties like black , pinto , and kidney beans contain around 15 g of protein per cup (about 172 g) of cooked beans.
What kind of beans build muscle? ›
Whether you like black, navy, pinto, or white beans or green, red, or Beluga lentils, rest assured—they're all worthy sources of plant-based protein for growing muscle. In addition to protein, these muscle-building legumes also contain carbohydrates, which are the body's main fuel source, Barth notes.
Why do refried beans taste better in a restaurant? ›
If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat. Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.
Why are restaurant refried beans better? ›
While lard has been replaced with vegetable oil or shortening in many households, the distinct richness and velvety texture it imparts to a skillet of refried beans is hard to beat. The closest substitute for lard is bacon grease, which is another form of rendered pork fat that's arguably even more flavorful.
Do Mexican restaurants use canned refried beans? ›
Spoiler: most Mexican restaurants use canned refried beans and reheat them in the back of the house, but Cancun did not.
Why do refried beans taste so good? ›
The paste is then baked or fried, usually with onion and garlic in a small amount of lard, vegetable oil, bacon drippings or butter, and seasoned to taste with salt and spices. In Mexico lard is most often used, and this has a large effect on flavor. Epazote is a common herb used to add flavor to the dish.
