This refried beans recipe is for you when you don't have all day to make them and you can't stand the canned ones. They're easy and delicious.
3 out of 4 of my kid's liked these. We used them to make bean burrito's. By themselves they need something more to flavor but when paired with something (like in the burritos) they were ok. They were a little on the dry side also but I drained and rinsed my beans since the recipe did not specify if they needed to be drained or not.
Read MoreI tried this recipe, minus the lime juice, no one in my family liked them. (they're spoiled, because I cook my own beans), but I was out of homemade beans, so I decided to try canned beans, big mistake.Oh well, live n learn!....P.S.when I make refried beans, I also use a little bacon grease, delicious!
Read More 3 out of 4 of my kid's liked these. We used them to make bean burrito's. By themselves they need something more to flavor but when paired with something (like in the burritos) they were ok. They were a little on the dry side also but I drained and rinsed my beans since the recipe did not specify if they needed to be drained or not.
I prefer the taste of refried beans that use bacon grease or lard, but these aren't bad and are certainly healthier. I also added a couple of tablespoons of chopped onion with the garlic to give a bit more flavour.
As I prepared this tonight I was thinking our enchiladas would end up served with just rice. I wasn't hopeful about them at all. First, I meant to add some bacon - and forgot. I figured this was now going to be hopelessly non-flavorful without it. I did add half a tomato (peeled, seeded and chopped) I needed to put to good use and that proved to be a nice addition. After I mixed this up I gave it a taste and thought it had too predominant a taste of cumin. To top that off, the beans were soupy. But I kept simmering and stirring, reminding myself that the beans I get in Mexican restaurants are sometimes kind of soupy! They did thicken up after 10-15 minutes of simmering, and Hubs remarked that they were pretty "D" good. And I didn't even miss the bacon!
I followed the recipe exactly. I included the liquid from both cans of beans. The flavor was great. Only problem was that I did not mash up the beans all the way and my family thought they were a bit chunky. This recipe fed my family of 5 with one scoop for leftovers. Thanks for the recipe, definately a make again.
I tried this recipe, minus the lime juice, no one in my family liked them. (they're spoiled, because I cook my own beans), but I was out of homemade beans, so I decided to try canned beans, big mistake.Oh well, live n learn!....P.S.when I make refried beans, I also use a little bacon grease, delicious!
I don't eat the ones in the can...they are nasty sooooooooo wasn't sure if I wanted to try this or not, but needed some type of veggie. My hubby and I thought they were delicious. I didn't drain them and didn't put any lime juice on them because we don't like the flavor of lime. We like them a bit on the soupy side and that is how they turned out. For the amount of work they took, I should have given them a 5. Next time I just might put cheese or sour cream on them.
First time I made this I drained the beans. Second time, did not drain, liked them much better.
Just whipped this up and added paprika, red pepper flakes, taco sauce, garlic powder, pepper, and 2 tsp of ranch seasoning (gives it a sour cream tang) and it became an awesome dip for corn chips!! I had prepped black beans in my crock pot, and was afraid they wouldn't be soft enough- but came out just right.
Very good! Was searching for a quick recipe after I found I was out of canned refried beans. I halved the recipe, and DID use the liquid from the can (I used black beans, which were great). There wouldn't have been enough liquid otherwise. I guessed on the other measurements, and mashed them a bit, and they tasted great! Didn't seem to take the full time, and the black beans were a good change. Will definitely make this again!
I used this a base recipe but I don't think it was too far from the original so I thought it would be okay to review it. I used all organic ingredients and it's much cheaper to make these than to buy canned organic refried beans. I used one can of pinto beans and one can of black beans (both undrained) because I like the combination. I used lard instead of oil and sauteed a quarter cup diced onion and 1/2 of a 4 oz jar of homemade diced chilis in it (along with the garlic). If I used oil, I would use olive oil instead of canola because of the issues with conventional canola (GMOs and pesticides). I thought 1 tsp cumin would have been too much so I used 1/2 tsp. I also cut the chili powder to 1/2 tsp because I was using diced hot peppers. I added 1/2 tsp Mexican seasoning (from Mountain Rose Herbs) and a few shakes of onion powder and garlic powder. I didn't use lime b/c I don't keep it on hand. I would use it if I had it. I added some fresh-ground black pepper, but that was totally unnecessary as these beans turned out pretty spicy. It bites in the back of the throat. Lol. I pulsed it with my stick blender after the beans had simmered for 5 minutes (with the lid on), and kept it a little chunky. I then simmered for about 10-15 minutes (stirring often) and turned the heat off when they still looked a bit soupy because I know that hot refried beans thicken up when cooled. I would definitely recommend this recipe over canned refried beans for the cost factor.
These were awesome, everyone thought they were delicious and wanted to bring some home from the Mexican themed party we had. One friend said I would put the Mexican restaurants out of business lol. I made mine a day before the party so I just had to heat them up. Maybe that helped the flavors meld together more too. I would definitely recommend making these, and they were super easy too. I'm going to be making these often. Although, I didn't really add all the lime it called for, now that think about it. I will next time and see how the taste differs.
These are super easy and full of flavor.I usually use canned refried beans with no fat. However, they are terribly bland and taste nothing like restaurant quality. Regarding the draining of the canned pintos, I drained one can and used the liquid from the other can. The beans seemed a little soupy at first, but the liquid got cooked out after simmering 5-7 minutes and the beans were perfect. You can always reserve some of the bean liquid and add it back if they become too dry. The lime juice helps with this as well. I might cut back on the garlic next time, but other than that, these are very good. The oil brings out the flavor of the pintos. I used them on tostadas.
first off, OH MY I won't be using canned anymore! I tweaked just a little, but stuck to this basic recipe. With oil & garlic I added onion bullion and some onion flakes ( also used pre-minced garlic instead of clove)I didn't have time to soak beans so I used a can of pintos and a can of small red beans. Also added a little powdered red pepper, about 1/2 tsp to this recipe. Even got the thumbs up from my husband!! YUM!!!!!
Perfect when you don't have all day...I added a healthy squirt of Sriracha to some ketchup, mixed it with some chicken stock and let it cook down an extra five minutes....best we've had in awhile on tortillas with steak. Yum!
I thought this was great. It was quick and easy, as advertized, and everyone loved it. Couple things: I did pour in the liquid from the beans liked others recommended and that is the right thing to do. Also, chopped a small onion and sauted it in the oil before adding the garlic. And, finally, I used a national brand of pinto beans that included jalapeno. Muy bueno!
Delicious and simple! I drained one can of beans and left the liquid in the other. I boiled down some of the liquid. Perfect consistency and moistness. The lime juice enhanced all the flavors! This will be my go-to refried bean recipe!
I made these last night. Since I am the type that will not "soak beans overnight" kind-of-process - this was ten times better than buying canned refried beans. As others have stated, I will never buy a canned refried bean product again. This is the perfect answer to being easy, quick and flavorful-with a homemade taste versus a canned taste!
I made these beans last night and they were perfect! I made the recipe as written with one exception - I simmered the beans for about 10 minutes after they were mashed to cook off some of the liquid just a little bit. I wasn't entirely sure about using both cans, undrained, but glad I did. They were delicious and the perfect addition to our chicken tacos. If you prefer your beans on the thicker side, reserve a can of liquid and add it in to your desired thickness once mashed. Definitely making this again.
I make homemade beans but I also use canned beans. Here's a simple ingredient: Bacon fat. I don't use lime or chili powder. I make my own adobo spice mix: Cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and Ground Mexican oregano.. For one can and I use a tablespoon and a half of bacon fat. You can Add a small wedge of diced onion and adobo spice mix. Drain some of the liquid and reserve it just in case you need more. Heat bacon fat then pour in beans. Now fry those beans. The liquid will turn a milky color. You can add some tomato sauce Or green chili if you like. ENjoy your beans. If you add to much liquicd just simmer a little longer. Now you can add salt if needed. Remember the beans will thicken as they cool. Buen Provecho!
I've made this recipe endless times now. I've used canned black beans and canned pinto beans. I've also tried with my own beans I soaked and cooked myself (both black and pinto) and turned out the same. Definitely use the water with the can or add water if you're using your own beans. So good and vegan! Our 2 year old and 9 month old eat it up too. Great in a burrito or as a side.
Oh so yummy and oh so easy and such simple ingredients. Made it exactly as recipe reads. Dumped just the top portion of liquid from cans of beans and then used the remainder in cooking. Lime juice makes it so delicious. Better than restaurant refried beans. This will definitely be a repeat dish. MMMMM
This is a good basic recipe for refried beans. It can easily be modified to suit your own taste buds. I added a little vegetable broth, smoked paprika, and onion powder, threw everything into my Vitamix and blended until creamy. It went well with my "Chipotle"-inspired Southwest salad and was way better than the store bought stuff. I will definitely keep this recipe on hand and try different variations.
I made this but drained the beans, measured out 4 cups of cooked beans & filled the cup to the brim with water (filling the gaps between the beans). I boiled it for a bit to let the water evaporate which added an extra 10 min to the cooking time. I also used 2 t pre-minced garlic instead of fresh. I mixed it all up with my immersion blender. It came out great- until I added the lime. This tasted much better without it. Otherwise this would be a 5 star recipe.
I didn't have pinto beans so I used black beans. Better than canned re fried beans and takes the same amount of time to cook! I also used coconut oil. Might try them with bacon grease for extra flavor.
This is a good recipe. I used four garlic cloves and one half of the cumin. Next time I will add a little paprika, as one reviewer did. I added a couple of tablespoons of milk to handle the dryness of the lightly drained beans. Finally, I added a handful of grated Mexican (or cheddar) cheese. My house loves them. We eat them with many of out meals
It came out great and I don't like beans! I thought bacon drippings would add a nice smoky flavor so I substituted the bacon drippings for the oil and the flavor it imparted was culinary excellence! Thanks for a great recipe!
I love this recipe. I often times add more spice because I like spicy food, but it is super easy to make and very delicious! I do however, leave out the cumin because I really hate the taste of cumin in general.
Great especially if you are in a pinch need refried beans but don’t have the time and grocery stores are sold out! Super easy too!1 I would add some chicken bullion/chicken stock next time. I did add both chili powder and cumin, dried minced onion, a little taco seasoning and parsley flakes. Some of it went to taco salad and some for chips and dipping. The dipping ones I added shredded cheese. Yummmy!! Definitely worth making again. Reminded me if restaurant style refried
Who knew making refried beans could be so easy? In Canada we have weird can sizes, so I used one 540ml can of Pinto Beans. I sauteed 3 cloves of chopped garlic in a pan with olive oil and added about 1/4 chopped onion. I added the beans and their liquid, sprinkled in some salt, cumin, and chili powder- and put a lid on it for about 5 mins. I'm picky with texture so I dumped all the contents in my food processor to make sure they were smooth and combined with the liquid. These were delicious, great texture and flavor- and my kids liked them. At 88 cents for a big can of pintos (compared to $3 for a small can of refried beans) you can't beat the price either
Great basic recipe for refried beans. After simmering the beans, I used an immersion blender to get it all smooth.
I didn't have any limes but it was still delicious. Do NOT drain the beans. :-)
These are pretty darn good and certainly better than the canned ones. I use a little leftover bacon grease to saute the garlic, then simmered the beans about 15 minutes to soften the skin of the beans before blending. I used a stick blender to blend them. Topped with a little cheddar and homemade pico de gallo. I make these often with tacos.
This was not good, very bland. It's really annoying when people rate a recipe as positive, and I waste my time and money. I decided to have a Mexican feast for Christmas this year and tried this recipe in advance to be sure it was decent. It was not.
Easy. I cut the recipe in half, used bacon grease, and added chopped onions. Kept most of the "juice" from the can of beans (used kidney as it was all I had). Also added a little coriander to compliment the cumin and a hefty teaspoon of butter after the bean were mashed.
I didn't have limes or lime juice so I omitted it. I only had 1 can of beans so I cut the recipe in half, except for the garlic (we love garlic!) This is definitely a keeper.
Quick and easy, absolutely. A bit on the bland side, though. I used them as a filling for enchiladas and they were good, but on their own we thought they needed something more. At first, they were soupy even though I had drained them before cooking. As they sat and cooled, they thickened. Thank you for the recipe
i love this recipe! its simple and the lime addition is perfect. I didn't have pinto beans but i did have navy beans and it tastes just as good.
CAME OUT EXCELLENT AND ADDED A LITTLE SMOKE FLAVOR TO IT. NICE AND CREAMY. MAKE AGAIN.
First time making a dish like this, only because we wanted a side to go with our tacos. Never really liked eating this before when eaten at a restaurant. However, this recipe changed that, very tasty the only thing I amended was adding lime. I didn't have any lime so instead I substituted with a splash of apple cider vinegar. DELICIOUS!
Delicious, i used 4 cloves of garlic, added paprika and 1/2 can of rotel (tomatoes & green chilies) super delicious, will make again!
Easy and delicious. I made the recipe exactly as written except I did not rinse the beans and I used some of the liquid in the canned beans to get the consistency I wanted. I will not buy canned refried beans again.
I found this recipe when I went in search of a quick replacement since I had no canned refried beans on hand. I only had canned black beans so I used 2 cans of those but only about 1/2 the liquid. I substituted the bacon grease for the oil and added about 1/2 onion, chopped to the pan with the garlic. In addition to the spices in the recipe, I added 1/4 tsp. cayenne. I didn't have any limes, so i used about 1/2 tsp of lemon juice. Used the immersion blender and left them chunky. Delicious! thanks for making me a convert.
Very good! Although I did change things a bit! Didn't have pinto beans, used great northern. Drained some of the liquid off, but not all! Only other thing I did was eliminate the salt, added 1/2 chopped onion, add 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper because we really like more heat! Great recipe though...so much better than the gross ones in the stores!!
Everything went great. No problems. Directions were easy for this newby! Thank you very much.
Thisis an easy and great tasting recipe. I only had black beans on hand so I used them and they were great. I did add some minced onions and cumin. These refried beans are so much better than canned. I will definitely be making these again.
Good recipe for in a pinch when you need to make refried beans, but it was on the bland side. Definitely needs more seasoning if you will be serving as a side dish instead of on tostada or inside tacos or burritos, where one won't notice lack of flavor. I used black beans instead of pinto. I drained the beans as recipe doesn't indicate to drain or not drain. Added drained beans after cooking/smashing the garlic and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Continued to follow recipe as written. If after mashing it seems to get to dry, just add a little more broth and stir to combine. Next time I would add some diced green chilis or salsa, and maybe an extra 1/2-1 tsp of cumin or chili powder. Will make this recipe again in a pinch, but with some alterations. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
It was good but, the incorporation of seasoning and lime just reminded me how American white wash dishes that are typically simple. Over all I enjoyed it but I think I’m just gonna stick to what I know
I have made it several times with the pinto beans and the nothern beans. I prefer the pinto beans and instead of using canned I used the fresh pinto beans. It turned delicious and creamy. I' m going to make it my favorite with all my taco and burrito cooking.
What an easy way to make Refried Beans.. I will keep this recipe for sure and make it just like it says in the Recipe.. It was fabulous...
As is, the recipe is OK, but is much better than canned, undoctored refried beans. I have tried this with a substitution of pork lard or bacon grease and find both to be significantly better in flavor and texture, but also find that I have to limit the additional spices with better canned beans. I really like a version based on Goya black beans with a little lard, lime juice, adobo and cilantro.
Made it with cooked dry beans it was ok, not amazing. I added additional seasoning, otherwise it's too bland.
Wow - this was easy and delicious too, I might add. I am out of canned refried beans and wanted some for a recipe that I'm going to make in a day or so. But I did have a package of dry pinto beans so I decided to make my own refried beans. I used this recipe as a base, since I started with dry beans and as I had some lard, I wanted to try it the "authentic" way, so used lard to fry them. What I basically used this recipe for was the spices (including a bit of lime juice) and the proportions. These refried beans are delicious -- and my 1 pound bag of dried pinto beans made the generous equivalent of 3 cans of refried beans and tasted very good. And the price is so much less. Granted, it may not always be possible to take the time to cook dried beans first, but I expect using canned pinto beans (or black beans, kidney beans or whatever beans you prefer) to make these will still save a lot of money and yield enough to freeze for another time. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
What an easy and flavorful recipe. No refried beans for a recipe, and no desire to get into the car and get some, but had beans. I was amazed at the small amount of time it took, one recipe that truly met the “time it takes”! Flavor was almost intense! And it enhanced the recipe I was making so well.
I found this recipe at firs to be a little lackluster. 3.5/5 stars. So I made some changes that really made it perfect. First double the recipe. Instead of using 4 cans of pinto beans you can add some flavor by using 2 cans pinto 2 cans black beans. This helps out the flavor a lot. Go along with the cooking process until you get to the point where you have to add the lime. Instead of adding an entire lime (doubled recipe), as I found it quite the overpowering flavor, I added 1/8th of a large lemon. And there you go. How to make a already good recipe into a great one.
I added in some jalapeno sauce to give it a bit more spice but otherwise, it was delicious!!
I made these tonight, because I too did not have a can of refried beans. These were fabulous. I only had black beans, so I used those. Also did not drain the beans. The lime juice adds just the right flavor.
I loved these refried beans. I used 2tblsp butter, 1/2 tsp cumin, 2 tblsp sweet onion, 2 cloves garlic, little salt, 1 can pinto beans with its liquid. Will make them again with canned or cooked dry beans.
Was very good, however my family thought it lacked in flavor. Texture was great, only drained some of the juice from one can as I was afraid beans would be too runny. Will make again, but maybe next time add more of the seasonings.
Other than throwing a few peppers in with the garlic, I followed the recipe. Very good. I've tried several different ones but this is just what I was looking for. Simple and very tasty, especially after it's been in the fridge for a few hours. I use it as refried beans and also bean dip with chips. Thanks much!
Great recipe. Thank you.
As written this recipe is good! I am rating this a 5 because I will be able to tweak the recipe to go with other entrees or whatever I have in the pantry. Thank you for a recipe that is inexpensive, simple and tasty!
This was a decent base recipe, but I do have a few suggested changes. I followed the recipe to the tee and it wasn't great. It was a little soupy and the flavor was kind of off. Next time I will make the following changes: Only use 1/2 of the liquid in the cans, cut the lime juice in half, and cut the chili powder in half. I think those changes would make for a good refried bean recipe. Unfortunately, this recipe as it is, wasn't satisfying.
So I took the basic bean/spice ratio then changed everything else about the recipe. I used 3 types of beans, navy, pinto and black. I added 2 diced green chilis and a diced tomato. I drained the beans and added 1 C of chicken broth. Then I cooked it all for 3hrs in a slow cooker. I would rate this bean recipe a 5* but I think I changed it to much to really acknowledge the recipe as 5*. Reserve the bean juice for if it gets too dry.
Absolutely easy and tastes way better than store bought. I used one can pinto and one black....it was great!
This is a good base recipe. I needed a bit more salt and I added a small can of green chili
I am clearly not a refried beans connoisseur since I don't mind the canned ones, but these are much tastier. I used black beans and bacon grease instead of oil. Two out of three kids ate them and the third one rejects all beans, so I call that success!
I was just trying it out and I made a large batch of these beans. I did not use lime juice. I used some of the liquid of beans but poured some out. I think It still had to much liquid. But you need some liquid to boil the beans. After mashing beans I added Colby jack cheese (my secret ingredient)! And everyone loved them!! Ladies who only make beans not from the can even thought they were really good!!! Saving this recipe! Definitely add the spices but add to taste, i honestly think I added more than it says to but I kept tasting then adjusting, because I used so many beans. 3 of the largest can of beans. (And everyone ate all the beans!)
The recipe wasn't clear as to drain or not drain the beans , I drained and they came out too dry. Now trying to figure out how to add moisture back
Great, easy recipe. We make tacos or enchiladas about once every week or two. Sometimes we have a little nacho bar as a snack during a game or movie. I've always like refried beans when we go to the local Mexican restaurants, so I wanted to have them at home and introduce them to the rest of the family. At first I bought a popular brand of canned refried beans. They looked terrible and tasted worse. No one would even touch them. So I looked up a home recipe and found this. They are great! The whole Family is now willing to eat these beans with their tacos or nachos. And we have even began having bean burritos using this recipe. I found for our taste they are even better if you add a little chopped onion to them while cooking.
I added in sauteed red onion, finely diced. I pureed the mixture once it cooled and had to add in much more olive oil and lime to get it moving in my processor. It was quite good, better than the canned variety.
Pretty good base recipe. I had to add some garlic salt and more chili powder. It was a little underseasoned for my taste.
These were so quick to make and really hit the spot for my refried bean craving. Didn't have lime, but I didn't miss it. Will make again!
I tasted them before I added my touches to the dish. My family likes sharp cheddar on top of their refried ., also I added a half cup of soft, cooked rice prepared in chicken broth before mashing them. I served cooked pippian sauce and another sauce dish of fine diced fresh tomatoes (no seeds) along side of the refrieds, but not in the dish. My family have definite likes and dislikes in their meals. The dish was received well and I personally liked it very much. Thank you for sharing the Easy Refried Beans recipe. P.S. The rice was a leftover from last night's dinner and it also went well with the pintos.
Followed the recipe closely, except I cooked dry Pinto beans in the pressure cooker for about 30 minutes. Extraordinarily Flavor! I can't see eating canned re-fried beans ever again.
I used bacon grease as others suggested. I left the broth in the pinto beans and let them cook down, smashing them with the back of my wooden spoon. I forgot to add the lime juice but we loved them anyway! I will make again whenever I want refried beans.
The instructions didn’t say to drain or not and I drained this before reading comments, so my version includes draining the beans, adding onion powder and smoked paprika. I measured the garlic and lime juice with my heart. These were delicious!
Really good. I did not have a potato masher so I did the best I could with a fork. Will buy a masher for next time.
I cooked the beans with the liquid, but drained most of the liquid prior to mashing.
I've made this twice in one week! I see that people are saying that it's too dry or too soupy, so I drained one can, and left one the way it was perfect. I have nothing to tweek about this recipe.
I added 2x the spice but I like things really spicy it turned out great I put it on the bottom of a layered dip and it was perfect.
These were really good. My husband absolutely loves them. Says they're the best he's ever tasted.
First time I made this I had run out of the canned refried beans. Took a chance, and this was good! Tonight, I didn't have pinto beans or refried beans. I used a can of mild chili beans (which are pintos). Drained them, mashed them, then added the spices according to the recipe. Again, it was good! Thank you for a very versatile recipe!
Nice, simple recipe. I used black beans and it worked just the same. I also used already minced garlic, probably lost some flavor for a sophisticated palette, but it was fine for my family. I also added a little unsweetened almond milk to make it a little creamier. I did drain my can, so maybe i wouldn't have needed to add the milk if I didn't drain my beans, but the recipe doesn't specify. I .t needed some salty seasoning, so I added a dash of Adobo seasoning.
I did add about 1/4C fat free chicken stock because I thought i was a little too thick for the recipe I needed it for. But it was phenomenal! I may never buy refried beans again!
These are so easy to make. The cumin and lime add a nice depth to the flavor.
These beans turned out way dry, with too little flavor. If I did them again, I would slowly add broth throughout cooking to keep them moist. They also were really missing that umami flavor of good refried beans. I'd chalk that up to the lack of lard and bacon grease. I added a little butter to add more of a fatty flavor and some water at the very end, and it made them a little better. Wouldn't make this recipe again.
