Refried Beans Without the Refry

These beans were delicious! I used to cook them in the Pot for 4 hours with only onion and salt...but WOW...THIS IS MY NEW RECIPE!! I only added 3 teaspoons of salt and will add only 1 tablespoon of garlic next time. I cooked them on High for 8 hours as called for in the recipe and they came out great!! After they were done cooking,I served a bowl to my husband ( frijoles de la hoya)and then I transferred some of the beans (along with some juice) to a pan and mashed them. I added a little bit of lard, a tad of milk and some cheese to make them creamy. The beans were PERFECT without adding lard,milk and cheese...I only added those ingrediants because I am mexican and that is how we have been refrying beans for generations. I couldn't break the habit :) I think next time I will try subsituting 2 cups of water for 2 cups of chicken broth.

Salty! Oh my gosh this is salty-3 tsp would have been enough. In the restaurant I use to work at we added 1 TBSP sugar and 1 TBSP chili powder (along with 1/4 cup oil or lard) Good way to cook them but wish I would have cut back on the salt.

These turned out really good. My family ate them in bean burritos last night with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar, avocado, and sour cream. I omitted the jalapeno, otherwise they would've been too spicy for my 5 year old. To clarify, the halved onion completely disintegrates while cooking--I was worried about having a hunk of onion, but it works just the way it's written. Also, I used 1/2 of the salt--you can always add more salt once they are done, but I didn't. Once cooked, I poured the beans into a collander and allowed some of the juice to drain off, otherwise they would have been too wet for burritos. I then mashed them with a potato masher several good times, and they were great. Next time I make these, I'll try the black bean/pinto bean combo that others have suggested, and I may also add some reduced sodium taco seasoning instead of salt for more flavor. These are a fabulous substitute for canned refried beans, and I plan on freezing the leftovers for another meal--this does make a lot!

Having lived with a Mexican family (Jalisco) for over one year, I know what REAL refried beans should taste like, and this recipe takes the cake! Some changes I made to make it taste a bit more authentic is I did 1 whole jalapeno instead of half, 1/4 teaspoon cumin instead of 1/8, and added 3 tablespoons of paprika, and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. I also cooked the 2 lbs of beans for 10 hours instead of 8 hours on high. Mi familia LOVED it! We will be making our "refried" beans this way from now on! ^_^ Also forgot to mention, the broth alone is fantastic for those whom participate in long-term water or juice fasting! Lots of natural protein, it's liquid, and it's delicious!

5 star recipe! I've made this a couple of times when I planned on serving tacos or enchiladas. Great time saver using the crock pot and a very simple recipe that yeilds fantastic results. Of course, every cook personalizes a recipe to accomodate their family's taste so here's my changes: add three slices of bacon, upped the cumin to 1 tsp, chicken broth in place of the water, cut the salt and adjusted to taste at the end. In place of the water, I used the broth remaining from parboiling chicken for Chicken Enchiladas I from this site (fabulous recipe BTW) consisting of chicken stock, celery, green ortega chilis, garlic, cumin, chili powder, tomato sauce, black peppercorns, oregano and onions. This gives the beans an absolutely superb flavor! It's wonderful without my stock, but using it gives this recipe an added boost.

Very good. I left mine in for about 9 hours and mashing them was a snap. The flavor was just right; actually we found it to be very close to the canned variety (which we like). But we fried the leftovers with a little olive oil the next day and they were amazing! If you have the time, definitely give that route a try because it's twice as good. Also, this makes a lot, as most slow cooker recipes do.

Excellent. Life saver. Thank you! My Mom forgot that she was going to make the beans for my Mexican "Fiasco" and I ran to my local pantry and picked up the pinto beans.....threw these in the crock pot 10 p.m., the next morning....mmmmm smelled so good. I used 1 cup of the reserved liquid, stuck them in the kitchen aid to "mash" them and they were perfect. Got many compliments on this very easy recipe! Thanks CHEFCLAUDE!!!!! Your my new favorite!

I love this recipe. It's healthy, without the fat. I added garlic salt, and less salt. Didn't even chop the jalapeno, left it whole. When beans were done, I took out the onion and jalapeno. Seperated the beans and liquid. Mashed the beans, while adding the liquid. Loved it. Hubby says the beans had a punch. It's a keeper. Thank you for sharing.

I have made these beans many times. They make for great leftovers so I always make a lot! The recipe is excellent as it is, but I still found myself tweaking it a little each time until I found, what I now believe to be, the perfect formula. I use 3 cups low sodium chicken broth and 6 cups water. Adding too much chicken broth, as other posters recommended, tended to overwhelm the natural flavor of the beans. 3 cups seems to be the right amount for my tastes. I use 3 tablespoons of fresh garlic and 1 ½ medium size jalapenos minced with seeds and all. I do not add any additional salt beyond what is already in the chicken broth. Sometimes I’ll start the beans the night before on “warm” and let them cook all night and then throughout the next day. These beans always come out great and everyone I’ve ever served them to absolutely love them. Thanks for a great recipe!

I never thought I can make refried beans and this recipe made it possible for me. I would've given it more stars if it wasn't sooooo salty. We only used 3 teaspoons of salt and it was still pretty salty. So, I think I'm going to try for just 2 tsps and I've also heard adding milk makes them creamier.

These are the BEST "refried" beans I've ever had. I followed the advice of some other reviewers and made a few minor changes. Instead of the jalapeno pepper, I used a whole can of chopped green chiles. I used two full cartons of chicken broth (8 cups) instead of the water, and I did not add any salt until the end (because I didn't know how salty the broth would make the beans). The beans were pretty good after cooking overnight. They were darn good after they were blended and I added salt to taste. They were to die for the next day when I reheated the refrigerated leftovers. I will never buy canned beans again. These were too easy and too tasty to not make. BTW, this makes a pretty big sized batch. What we do when we have a lot of leftovers that might not get finished fast is we put some in a Foodsaver bag, seal it up, and freeze. Then, when you want to heat them, you throw the whole bag into boiling water and let it heat. You then pour the contents into a bowl to serve. It's a great way to deal with large batches of food, and an excellent way to reheat the beans without having to worry about them sticking to the pan when reheating them.

Addicting. Granted, I LOVE legumes. And there are so many ways to use these! In tacos/burritos, over rice with leftover meat (rotisserie chicken, sausage, whatever). Add a couple Tbsp tahini for a delicious hummus. Add colby cheese & cream cheese & sour cream & salsa & cilantro for a killer dip. Stir into soups for a creamy thickener. When health food tastes this good, why eat junk?? :) Also, per personal taste, add at least 1 tsp cumin. Lime juice is also a bright, refreshing addition.

This recipe is the best! Anything I can do in my slow cooker (which I've had since 1980!)makes my day, or actually my night since I have the habit of throwing things in and letting them cook overnight. Call me wierd, but waking up to the smell of a pot of beans starts my day off right! (I also highly recommend the Slow cooker pozole recipe from this site.. it's fabulous!) I cut the recipe down to 5 servings but used chicken broth instead of water (and omitted the salt in the recipe), a whole jalepeno (seeded and membrane removed),a nice big clove of garlic minced fine and a Tbsp of EVOO. The only other addition that I made that I haven't seen others mention was to add a packet of Goya Sazon. It didn't make sense to me to loose all the great flavor in the broth (which at that point just covered the beans), so I did not drain the beans, but mashed them with the liquid and then simmered, stiring almost constantly, until they were the consistency of gravey or loose mashed potatoes.They will firm up a little more as they cool down. Beans rule! Thanks for a recipe that calls for whole ingredients instead of the sodium packed canned goods many recipes use. Flavor and nutrition CAN co-exist in the kitchen.

These beans are excellent, healthy and easy. I froze the stock from 2 batches. Today I thawed it, added corn, black beans, tortilla strips and leftover chicken. It made an incredible soup!!!

This recipe, slightly blended with another, is a staple at our house. The difference: I use a bottle or two of beer on the beans, and sometimes add a bit of bacon, or a ham bone, which gives a bit more depth. In normal refried bean uses, I wouldn't, but when we do beans, we eat 'em as the main course, so those beans have to carry a lot of the meal, flavor-wise. One other thing I do: brown the onions, and then quick-saute the garlic (1 min. or less) to make the flavor really pop, before adding to the beans- it makes a big difference! Good recipe- thanks, ChefClaude! :)

The recipe itself is somewhat bland and too salty. I only put in 3 tablespoons of salt and to make it tastier put in 3 slices of turkey bacon on the bottom of the slow cooker. I also put in 1/4 tsp. of cumin instead of the 1/8 tsp. Also, I only cook the beans for 6-7 hours, as too much water evaporates in my slowcooker after 8 hours. Helpful hint - spray the inside of the slow cooker with vegetable spray then you won't have a ring around the slow cooker!

Wonderful! I have made these twice and made a refried bean eater out of my husband. They have so much more flavor than anything out of a can. I did add more jalapenos than stated, 3 seeded and halved. My crop this year was milder than normal. Also added 3 giant cloves of garlic, equal to apx. 2T chopped. Add the salt AFTER cooking the beans, you shouldn't cook beans with salt, makes them tough. I only needed to add 2t, not 5. Yummy, yummy. Can hardly wait to have Mexican night again!

I have made this recipe many, many times and it is the best and easiest way to make refried beans from scratch (which is the ONLY refried beans I serve.) Do yourself a favor though and cut back on the salt and add it after the beans have been cooked and mashed. You want the beans to break down, and adding salt while cooking will only preserve their shape, which you don't want. In my opinion, one teaspoon salt works well for this recipe. I usually also increase the cumin to at least a half teaspoon (if not more). This is one good recipe that also freezes extremely well, that said, I would heartily recommend doubling the recipe so you have extra to freeze for later (If it lasts that long.). After making this many times in the slow cooker, I now make my refried beans in 90 minutes by moving this recipe over to the pressure cooker and making a double batch. To do this, double everything in the original recipe except the salt (only 2 teaspoons total), and water (9 cups total). Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to keep the beans from frothing too much while they cook. Bring up to pressure and cook for 90 minutes. Release pressure and ladle beans and water into to a blender or food processor to break down. Do not drain any water off unless you want your beans the consistency of mashed potatoes. Either way, make up a batch (or two) and you will never buy canned beans again.

Cumin isn't an option its a must and much more of it! I add almost 1 tbsp of it along with 1 tsp of taco seasoning for more flavor. Love refried beans (all recipe search enchillada sauce for a topping, and add a tbps of cheddar and you've got pintos and cheese) freezes well, a great meal, a great appetizer, etc etc love it!

Great recipe! I did adapt it a bit to use what I had on hand. I only used half an onion and I went ahead and roughly chopped it. Also, I used 2c. of homemade chicken stock that I had in place of 2c. of the water called for. I cooked the beans overnight on low (about 10-12 hours). When I mashed them I added a pinch more cumin. These turned out WONDERFUL! Definitely better than canned refried beans and much less expensive since this yields so much. Thanks for a great recipe! P.S. I read a few reviews where people omitted the jalapeno for fear that it would be too spicy, the amount of jalapeno called for does not make the beans spicy at all! My 1 year old son thoroughly enjoyed these beans. So, actually if you are wanting a little bit of heat I'd definitely add a whole jalapeno and maybe even leave in some of the seeds and ribs.

Made these tonight for the second time. The first time...I found them a bit bland (followed the recipe to a T). This time, I added a little more jalapeno, 10 large cloves of garlic, an onion, 1 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, the recommended salt and pepper and subbed 4 cups of the water with homemade chicken broth. These were a million times better and so flavorful! The base of this recipe is great, and the cooking method is amazing, I just needed a little more "zing". Thanks for an easy recipe!

Very delicious! I made about two cups of dried pinto beans' worth of this recipe (and adjusted the ingredients to match) in my pressure cooker, instead of a slow cooker, since i don't have one of those. Added all the ingredients to the pressure cooker, and cooked on high pressure for about half an hour, took off the top, and checked the water level. I added about a cup more water, replaced the lid and brought it to high steam (high heat) then lowered the heat to med-low for about an hour and a half. The beans mashed up beautifully, and truth be told, I may never buy canned refried beans again! Thanks, ChefClaude!

I cut the recipe in half and used only 1 teaspoon of salt, which was plenty. This recipe is delicious. I won't buy canned refried beans any longer (unless time is of the essence, of course). I made these on the stove top instead of the slow cooker. I simmered for 2 hours on my simmer burner and more than one cup of water did evaporate, but the recipe was fine - not dry at all. I tried to mash with my immersion blender, but it met it's demise in the process (no fault of the recipe) so I finished by using a fork. I like knowing what's in my food so thanks for a healthy alternative to canned refried beans!

I love these beans. I throw ingredients in my crockpot and let cook overnight and they mash up perfectly. I also add salt towards the end of cooking.

Yum! I did not change a thing. Talk about walking into the house to an awesome aroma. I am used to buying the canned stuff and this is as good if not better. I actually left half the batch as is, and mashed the other half. These freeze very well. So, in a pinch, I always have some on hand. The recipe makes about 12 cups. This is definitely a keeper.

I have been using this recipe for quite awhile and like others, have tweaked some things (tried using chicken stock, didn't change flavor much, decided to save the $$ and not use it). I use a dried large chili to add a little heat rather than jalapeno, don't use salt until after beans are cooked. I've mixed black beans with pinto with great results. I'm at the point where measurements don't really matter, just throw in some stuff and let it cook. It is that easy. I use a stick blender to blend everything together because I'm lazy and don't want to hand mash. Use small plastic containers to freeze the beans, then pop them in plastic freezer bags for easy stacking in the deep freeze. The beans freeze extremely well. Yummmmm

I have read discussions about these beans for long enough. It was time I try them and get over my fear of using dried beans. Wow, what a simple and tasty recipe! I added all the ingredients (only used 2 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 whole jalapeño, and added the cumin) to the crockpot and at about hour 6 the juices were at a slow boil around the edges of the crockpot. I just let them boil as there was still plenty of juice. I drained them at the 8 hour mark, saving the juice, and mashed them. The first night we had them, no extra juice was needed as the beans were warm. After refrigerating them and reheating I needed to add some of the extra juice I had saved. My DH, who isn't a huge fan of refried beans loved these. I froze 3 containers for another time. A fantastic recipe, simple to make, and one that I will use again.

I am making these delicious beans for the second time. As another reviewer stated "I will never buy canned again"! The flavor and texture are perfect, and it's so easy. I freeze in smallish containers so I never run out. Thank you Chefclaude for sharing.

Great recipe. I didnt use a crock pot. I soaked the beans for 4 hours. After soaking the beans I out al the ingredients in to a medium pot on medium-high heat for 2 hours. Mashed them up and my family couldnt believe refried beans could taste so good. They hated refried beans until now. Thanks.

I also only used 2 tsp of salt and threw in a whole jalepeno, and some olive oil at the end. Yum! I'm so excited to make my own beans now!

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes on this site. I cut back the salt to 3 tsp, add a whole chopped jalapeño, and several healthy shakes of TJ's Chili Pepper Sauce after they're cooked. Cooked on high, these will be done in a lot less than 8 hours (mine 3 to 4 hrs). Seldom will you find my freezer without at least one container of these beans. And trust me, once you try them, you'll never buy canned refried beans again because they just don't measure up!

These beans were tender in 4.5 hours on high. I seasoned with 3 tsp. chili powder and 1 tsp. cumin and reduced the black pepper to 1 tsp. which is plenty. After beans were cooked, I ran them through the food processor, adding just enough of the bean liquid to get the right consistency. I also added a 4 oz. can of mild green chili's. This stuff is SO good!! You will NOT miss the fat...trust me. Wonderful consistency and fresh taste. It puts the canned refried beans to shame!! Warning...this makes a LOT of refried beans.

Don't throw away the leftover broth when you're done! I leave it in the crock pot and add 4 chicken breasts, 1 small can of chopped chilies, 1 small can of chopped jalopenos, and an 8 oz can of tomato sauce. Let cook until you can shred the chicken about 4 hours on low. Then add 1 can each drained corn and black beans and whatever seasonings you want and cook for about 1 more hour. Makes a delicious soup for lunches the next week!

I've made these beans several times now and they're awesome! Next time I'll try adding chicken broth like another reviewer posted. I used them in a quick and simple burrito recipe I've made up, about 2 cups worth of these beans, all the chicken from a rotissery chicken shredded, and 8 ounces of pepper jack cheese. Wrap mixture up in flour tortillas and top with enchilada sauce. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or so, until bubbly.

Finally! I've been searching and trying lots of refied beans recipes and yet they were all okay, this one is awesome! I highly recommend this one to people who have kids that might be used to the beans in the can because these taste very similar. Next time I might experiment w/ a little less salt, as it seemed pretty salty. But very edible non the less. Thank you for submitting a great recipe!

I didnt mash these up as the recipe instructed, I decided to keep them as frijoles de la hoya. The taste was very authentic and traditional without all the work of having to keep on eye of the pot of beans. It was much easier to make them in the slow cooker. I cooked them overnight and the beans were very tender. I made huevos rancheros for breakfast and served the beans as a side dish topping them with cotija cheese. My hubby gobbled them up with tortillas and salsa ranchera. Awesome recipe! Thanks for sharing!

I learned the hard way through this recipe that you SHOULD NOT cut jalapenos without using gloves! My fingers burned for literally two days!!! That said, this is one of the few recipes on this site that truly deserves five stars as written. I followed the recipe exactly (using less salt) and it turned out absolutely amazing. I have a new cuisinart slow cooker, so I cooked them on "high" for about five hours and stirred them. I then turned it down to "simmer" (one notch below the low setting) and cooked it for another five hours. I removed some of the liquid and pureed them directly in the slow cooker using an immersion blender. It was so good I was eating it cold right out of the fridge. We ate the whole batch as "soup" before I could use it for cooking, but I'm going to be making another again to use in Mexican enchiladas. I will NEVER buy canned refried beans again!

These are so fabulously delicious my family were spooning them straight out of the pot before I even got to mashing them (they create the most amazing aroma while cooking and had everyone's mouth watering all day long!) I took the hint from a few reviewers and used chicken broth as the cooking liquid, while reducing the salt to 1 teaspoon. That made for a knockout broth. I wouldn't want a single bit of it to go to waste and since this makes such a big batch, next time I plan to serve the beans and broth over rice first, saving the leftovers for mashing. I had no idea home made pinto beans were so delicious!

Seriously, this is THE best *refried (but not)* beans recipe ever!

Super easy, really REALLY YUMMY, crazy cheap!! Love throwing these together in the morning and having them for dinner that night and for other meals for the next week! And I did something I RARELY do (Drumroll please...) I FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS TO A "T"!!! The only thing I found was that I didn't have any water to drain off, so I just mashed away. My whole family loves them! And they freeze great too! :)

Hands down, my most requested recipe! A regular staple in my kitchen, my family and friends all love these beans, and swear that they just cannot eat those canned, pasty versions now that they have had these. I regularly feed my teenage son and his friends these in burritos, and they just keep coming back for more. A crew of hungry teenagers will go through an entire crock! I only do a few things different ~ I omitted the jalapeno, I just didn't have any on hand, and when I did and I added it, we didn't notice much of a taste difference. I also bumped up the cumin to a full tsp., and I throw in a good tbs. of Taco Seasoning as well. I chopped the onion up more, just to distribute it in the crock. I use the Trader Joe's frozen garlic cubes, about 4-5. When the beans are done, I simply drain out the liquid (but reserve a cup full), and use my immersion blender to give em a a good whirl for a few minutes, and drizzle back in the reserved water until the desired consistency is reached. This way you can serve them right in the crock so they stay warm. We like them creamy, but you can leave them lumpy by just not blending as much. They do not taste overly salty, as that salt water is all drained out at the end. If you want a little kick, any type of chile added is great. I added some Albuquerque Hatch green (hot) chiles that a friend gave me to the last batch and it was outstanding!

I was really excited about these and then a little let down. They were super easy and that was great. But I thought they needed way more flavor. I made half a batch and still put in the whole jalapeno. I couldn't even tell there was any jalapeno, onion or cumin. I added salt after I tasted it, as I do not like overly salty foods. Next time I will use chicken broth as others suggested and add the onions and pepper more towards the end so there is some flavor.

I have never made any beans from dried beans, this is my first attempt. I did substitute some of the liquid with my homemade vegetable broth for extra flavor, only used 3 t of salt, a tablespoon of Cumin, and a big wooden spoonful of chopped pickled jalapeños since I had no fresh. I also minced the onion. It smelled so good while cooking, I cooked on high for a good 7 hours. There was quite a bit liquid, I didn't need to add any of it when mashing the bean, I hand mashed them. My guest couldn't stop telling me how good these were, we made burritos with them. They all wanted the recipe.

I've made this about 5 times since finding recipe a few month ago. So simple, just put everything together in morning and its ready after work. I do like a bit more spice and flavor so I use 2 seeded quartered jalapenos and 1 tbs cumin and reduce salt. This makes a lot of beans and there is only 2 of us. I make bean dip out of the leftovers. I finely chop 1 jalapeno and 1/4 to 1/2 an onion and sautee in olive oil. I add this to warm beans along with some chopped tomato and cubed velevetta cheese. I also add leftover taco meat or ground beef I have on hand. I've been told its the best bean dip ever!

Loved it! I also added some chili powder. Didn't add the peppers. Turned out great!

Came out super-fantastic! I added only 1TBs of salt at the beginning and left in the jalapeno. I also thought that 1/8 tsp of ground cumin was way too little so I guestimate I added about 1.5 tsp. After cooking, I did have to add a little more salt, but that's ok by me because they weren't ruined by being over-salty (thank you reviewers for your advice!) With my huge crock pot, things have a tendency to get way too hot & burn since my only options are low, hot, and off. (The bigger the crock, the more heating area I guess) so these were done in less than 6 hours on high for me. I will certainly be making these again, and will probably let it go overnight on low for a longer cook time instead. nom nom nom nom :)

These are delicious, just like the ones my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant makes (except they add some bacon grease somehow...). Highly recommended! You can make this overnight if you keep the slow cooker on "low." Happy cooking!

Loved it! It smelled soooo good after a few hours in the slow cooker. I like things spicy, so I used a whole jalapeno, 1/2t cumin, 2t pepper, and a few dashes of Chipotle Tabasco. Also, I only used half the salt (plenty), and added two packets of low sodium chicken bouillion. Perfection! Frozen leftovers reheated well but needed a little extra water. I saved the leftover bean cooking liquid to try out as a base for taco soup. Yum! *Update - makes great soup simmered with tomatoes, jalapenos, chili beans, corn, rice, celery, onion, carrot, garlic, oregano, pepper, lemon juice, and cilantro.

These were excellent and so easy. I didn't have a jalapeno pepper on hand, so I added chipotle tabasco sauce when the beans were done. My second time making these I added about 3 drops of liquid smoke. Don't know what will happen. BTW - No gas with these!!

AMAZING!!!! I froze a bunch of this and it defrosts so well! No need to buy expensive canned beans again!

I have made this recipe like how many times since 2009? I can't remember why I never left a review maybe because I was so excited about the results! ---I increase the cumin to 1/2 Tbsp and also add 1/4 tsp garam masala, it rocks. This is is my go to recipe for beans, refried or not. Thank you ChefClaude!

These are incredible. I followed the recipe almost exactly, except I didn't measure the garlic (I used 5 - 7 cloves)and I didn't have a fresh jalapeno so I used a can of diced green chiles. I also used 2 or 3 chicken bullion cubes to cook the beans in broth and omitted the salt because there's plenty of sodium in bullion cubes. The beans are so good! They're super easy to make and take no prep time at all. It's nice to know exactly what's in them and that they are fat and perservative free. It makes me feel like I'm eating a little healthier. At first we just ate them plain as a side dish, but they were so good that we used them in tacos and burritos. Super YUM! Thanks Chef Claude! This recipe is a keeper. We ate the last of the first batch last night and I've already got more cooking in the crock pot this morning.

These beans were so good and easy to prepare. I followed the recipe and will never use canned beans again

This came out perfect. Very easy to make. I had to add more water for the first few hours until it boiled down some. My husband suggested more seasoning, maybe chili powder but that's the beauty of this dish: you can spice it up as you like. Thank you!

I stuck to the recipe except for using chicken broth instead of water, and omitting the salt (until serving), and reducing the liquid by 1 cup. I just thought it seemed like a lot. I cooked on low for about 14 hrs, and then mashed. I added a bit too much of he liquid back in, and they were a bit soupy for me, but that was my own error. The next day they were better. My BF who doesn't even care much for beans even liked these a lot. My son couldn't believe these were homemade. haha Will make again for sure.

Easy to make, but nothing outstanding about the taste. I halved the recipe, and still had so much left over from dinner for 8.

WONDERFUL Flavor! I added 3 strips of lightly fried bacon during the simmering process, and removed them when the beans were done. I also substituted 1/2 cup milk, plus the 1/2 cup broth. Tasted so authentic... just like traditional Mexican home-cooked beans should!

These are great vegan beans! I did add more spices than listed: 3-4 tsp cumin, 1 jalapeno, 4-5 cloves garlic, cayenne to taste. Since many reviewers said it was too salty, I only used half the salt in the beginning, but it ended up being bland. In the end, I added the 5 tsp salt listed.

the only reason why i gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is because i think it calls for way too much salt (and pepper for me). i would only add 2 tsp salt and maybe no pepper next time (due to personal preference - not a fan of pepper). i would be curious to see how it turns out if you cooked it in a beef broth instead of the water - or maybe 3/4 broth and the rest water. good, healthy recipe otherwise and easy to make. thanks!

This is definitely a keeper! With the reviews, I made these changes: 1 small can diced green chilies (for our taste), part chicken broth instead of all water, and decreased salt to 2 tsp. Just perfect! If you have a small household, scoop out meal-sized portions of beans onto a wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Put in the freezer until frozen, then transfer to a freezer bag for long term storage. Then just pull out a portion each time you need it.

Chefclaude these are divine. I did take note of others and reduced the salt by half.I also increased the cumin to 1 1/2 teaspoons. I did not mince the garlic. I just threw in about 8 small peeled cloves of garlic with the onion. I drained the beans and then pulsed them in the cuisinart. These things are addictive. Silky and NON FAT!!!!!

I love this bean recipe! Since I know what goes in it and there isn't the added saturated fat. It flavorful and we use it in many recipes. Especially good with layered mexican dip!

I love this recipe! ....everything about it just the way it is! Thanks. It's the only way I will ever do refried beans again.

Entirely as good as any of the canned ones, with no unpleasant affects later on in the evening. I would like more onion flavor next time, so I'll be sure to use a huge onion, or a couple smaller ones.

I worked at Taco Bell in the 70's and I came in early to cook the beans and meat for the day.I used beans,water,armour lard and salt.That is it.They were cooked in 2 big pressure cooker's.When done I used a big electric whisk to finish them.We never re-fried them.I don't know what they do now but these are better.I love the addition of cumin to them.

We make these just about every time we cook Mexican food. The only difference I make is I use chicken broth instead of water, or either I add a little chicken buillion paste to the water. Sometimes they are so good any flavorful we just eat the beans whole without mashing them. They freeze well that way too.

This is an amazingly good recipe...I did add 2 cans of green chilies, I made a double batch...BUT I did not double the salt...I DID add more cumin!!! Once done after they had cooled down...I put them into ziplock bags and into the freezer...wow...

The reason the dish is called 'refried' is because they are twice-cooked beans: first the boiling, then the frying (or baking if preferred). This is just mashed up boiled beans - and it's the second cooking which gives frijoles refritos their texture and taste. Sometimes shortcuts don't quite work out - I'm glad I tried this with only a tiny bag of beans.

These are so good! I haven't bought a can of refried beans in months. I've made these several times with great results, this recipe makes a lot (which is a very good thing) so you'll have plenty to freeze for later. My husband loves to spread the beans on a tostado along with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and salsa. A yummy cheap meal (which is also a good thing!) My thanks to Chef Claude for this 5 star recipe!

These beans are fantastic! Note: if you soak the beans over-night then you only have to have them in your slow cooker on high for 5 hours. Also, don't add salt until beans are done. Adding salt beforehand can make the skins on the beans remain tough. Thank you for a great recipe!

These were the best and so easy, too. The thought of 5 tsp of salt scared me, so I only used 2. Next time, I will try 3 tsps of salt OR put in some chicken base.

I can't believe I haven't rated this before! I make this all the time and it tastes much better than the canned store bought type. Only, I like my beans really mushy, so I do this a little differently than what the recipe states. I soak the beans in the crock pot overnight, then turn on low in the morning and leave it on that day and through the night. By the next day, they are mushy enough for me to squash w/o too much effort. Then, I put them in zip lock baggies to save for later.

Good but needs at whole teaspoon of cumin.

These were great! Thanks to all the helpful reviews I learned to cut back on the salt, so I used some chicken bouillon cubes instead of plain salt. Instead of manually mashing the cooked beans, I put them in the Kitchen Aid mixer with the whisk attachment (and a little lard), and they turned out good and creamy. I don't think my family believed that I actually cooked them.!! I was told multiple times that they were 'restaurant quality'. This recipe goes in the keeper file!

The first time I made this was a disaster. The beans were still hard after 8 hours and I had big chunks of onion. The second time I soaked the beans for a few hours and sliced the onions. Turned out wonderful! Will definitely make again.

I will never buy canned beans again! This recipe is so cheap, so easy, so flavorful and SO MUCH BETTER than the canned stuff! I like to add more cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and a can of diced green chiles right before mashing. I also add a dash of cayenne for a little extra heat. Delicious!!!!!

I have made a similar manner for years, but I add dried chili peppers instead of jalapeno when I make them and use two BIG onions. I dont add any other seasonings at this point. When they are done, I freeze containers of them (2 cups each). Then when I am ready to use I add seasonings. I vary the seasonings - sometimes is it cumin only. sometimes it is curry only, sometimes a combination of them. Any way if you dont add a lot of seasonings they are super versatile and so good for you. With all the seasonings I dont feel they need salt, but I generally dont salt food. One other thing, I do mine in a pressure cook and cook on high for 90 minutes.

These went great with our carne asada tacos. Lots of compliments. Thanks for the great recipe, I almost gave up on getting the flavors right with dry pinto beans!

Great recipe as is however due to personal preferences I would reduce the black pepper to 1/2t next time. I did this recipe in my pressure cooker on high pressure for an our and the beans turned out great. Next time will pressure cook about 15 minutes longer to get the beans slightly softer.

These beans are worth the effort. I made them for a work function and many people said they were the best beans they'd ever had. You won't miss the fat either.

Great recipe. I added a cup of grated Monterey Jack cheese after it was finished, and let it melt. Also, after you've made the beans, you're left with a fair bit of liquid. I was making tacos at the same time, and used this liquid instead of water in the ground beef seasoning, and it was amazing.

Since I needed the beans in 15 minutes, I mashed a can of beans that look like pinto beans (different one, but tastes just like it), added about 5 finely chopped slices of pickled jalapenos and 1/3 of very finely chopped red onion, the garlic, salt, pepper, cumin and voila! I had the most delicious refried beans on a budget - and they tasted better than the ones you buy in a can :)

We halved the recipe and it was plenty. 4 hours on high and 4 hours on low was MORE than enough time, it probably would have worked at 8 hours on low. After mashing I baked in the oven with shredded cheese on top. Delish.

First of all, I AM NEVER GOING BACK TO STORE BOUGHT REFRIED BEANS! I do think it's completely necessary to cut back on the salt -- 3 teaspoons is sufficient! They are WAY too salty otherwise. I use my electric mixer in the crockpot (after draining most of the liquid; adding as I need more moisture). Our favorite variation is to use all black beans. Yum!

Our new favorite recipe. Because of sodium restrictions I use salt-free seasoning instead of salt. Sometimes we mash them into refrieds and other times we just leave the beans whole. Turns out perfect every time. Thanks for a great recipe!

I've made this a few times. I was skeptical about being able to put dried, unsoaked, beans in the crock pot and have them turn out ok for this recipe, but IT WORKS! This recipe is truely a no-fuss recipe and it makes a ton! I added some dried chipotle seasoning for some extra kick and taste. My family uses it for burrito filling. You can also make your own frozen burritos with this mixture. Just add any ingredients you want for your burrito, wrap it in parchment paper (or cling wrap), place in a freezer bag until ready to use. When ready to use, take your burrito out of the freezer, unwrap, cover and microwave on high for about 2 minutes (or until hot in the center.) Enjoy!

This recipe is awesome! Excellent results with minimal effort! I reduced the salt to about 3 teaspoons, and I added a whole, de-seeded jalapeno. I used the food processor to mash the beans, which made it even easier. I did add about 2-3 teaspoons of safflower oil when I was mashing because I prefer low-fat to fat-free. I froze half of the beans in a quart-sized Mason jar and served the other half in bean burritos. (I also froze the leftover "bean broth" to use as a soup base or to cook rice.) They were very good, but I have to say that the beans tasted best the second day (they didn't make it to a third day...) because sitting in the fridge overnight allowed the spices to stand out more. Next time, I think I will add some more cumin and another jalapeno. Even though I added a whole red jalapeno, I couldn't taste any heat at all. I will definitely make this again! My boyfriend is already requesting a second batch with a reserved jar for him to freeze, since he doesn't have a slowcooker of his own.

Great recipe! But DO cut the salt in half.

i was disappointed at the lack of flavour ... i think 9 cups of water was way too much for my slow cooker, because there was so much left in the end. it seemed like the water absorbed the flavour and not the beans.

I've made this several times and it never disappoints! So easy and delicious. I also add a little chili powder and sometimes some red pepper flakes for a touch of heat. Leftovers freeze very well, and are a snap to defrost for the next taco night.

I am done buying canned refried beans now that I've tried this recipe! I made it exactly as instructed and it was delicious. I prefer things more salty so I added salt to my portion instead of making the beans oversalty. It was a huge hit at an office potluck. Cheap, flavorful and healthy. A+ on this recipe.

Exceptionally tasty! My one year old loved them, too. I modified the recipe using suggestions from 100daysofrealfood.com. I changed the beans to 2 cups (which is one bag and much easier than having half a bag open), 6 cups of water, slightly more cumin than suggested (hearty pinch), 2 garlic cloves instead of the 2 tbsp, and I left out the jalapeno because I was feeding this to a baby. I did need to add a little more salt for my liking. It is fantastic with a little shredded cheese on top and slices of avocado. Yum!

These are really good! I doubled the batch and used half black beans and half pinto beans. They cooked in about 6 hours in my slow cooker on high. I checked them periodically while cooking.

Delicious but can be salty. I follow the recipe almost exactly. I chop onion, reduce salt to 3 teaspoons and cook it in a Dutch oven (so I reduce water accordingly). It's really good and freezes well. So it can be cooked well in advance.

These are good! We ate as burritoes for lunch with sour cream, tomato and cheese. Bf said they are just the same as canned beans and the only thing he added to it was salt and pepper (I didn't salt mine, thinking we could always add it if needed) and 2 teaspoons of lime juice. I did put in about a teaspoon of cumin in and added taco seasoning--about a teaspoon and a half--at the end. I used two chicken bullion cubes and used about 3/4 teaspoons of pepper just in case it was too much. I wanted to use all pinto beans, but the bag I had only had 2 1/2 cups, so I added a 1/2 cup of black beans. When all was said and done, I had 3 leftover cups of water, so 6 cups were absorbed into the beans. I'm freezing the water for soup. I was able to mash them easily with a potato masher in the crock pot. I have a programmable crock pot, and it doesn't have a 8 hour setting on high, so I put them on low for 10 hours and they were perfect the next morning. These are easily modified to taste, and so easy to make. This recipe does make a ton, so I'm freezing the rest.

Just a note from an old bean cooker. DO NOT add salt, nor salt laden products to the cooking beans until they are nearly done cooking. If you add the salt, the beans become tough and take much longer to reach a "cooked" state. I will not use the recommended salt for this recipe because I am on a salt restricted diet; but I can add some at the table, or hot sauce and peppers which eliminate the need for salt flavoring, almosst.

These were SO easy and really good! I soaked my beans first and they only took about 4 hours on high.

These beans are wonderful! When paired with corn chips they also make a delicious snack :)

OMG- these were SO good!! I added a little chicken stock, but otherwise followed the recipe. Since it's just my husband and myself, I cut the recipe in half- now I wish I had made the full recipe!!