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These Refried Beans are creamy, flavorful and so easy to make. Once you learn how to make refried beans from scratch you won’t want to reach for canned beans again!

Refried beans in a bowl garnished with fresh cilantro and cotija cheese.

When I was testing this pinto beans recipe, I knew I wanted to make something with the cooked beans besides our usual bean burritos. I decided upon refried beans and wow, did we love these! This refried beans recipe is now a regular in our recipe rotation. They make amazing tostadas and are perfect for serving alongside Mexican food favorites like enchiladas and tacos.

This homemade refried beans recipe does take more effort than opening a can of refried beans but it’s well worth it:

  • These refried beans are just as good as any I’ve ordered at a Mexican restaurant. Made with fresh garlic, cumin, oregano and salt, they’re so flavorful.
  • This recipe is made with just a few simple, wholesome ingredients. While authentic refried beans are made with lard, I use olive oil instead to make the beans healthier and just as delicious. Using olive oil instead of lard also makes this recipe vegetarian.
  • You can mash the beans more or less to achieve a chunky or extra smooth and creamy texture, depending on your preference.

Refried beans are best served right after making them, since they tend to dry out over time. If you end up with leftovers, you can make them creamy again by stirring in some water or reserved bean cooking liquid when you reheat them.

Ingredients for refried beans recipe.

Refried Beans Recipe Ingredients

  • Dry Pinto Beans: To make the best refried beans, start with dry beans. Pinto beans are traditionally used, but you can also use black beans.
  • Yellow Onion: For flavor.
  • Olive Oil: Lard is used in authentic refried beans. I use olive oil instead to make the dish healthier.
  • Garlic: For flavor.
  • Ground Cumin and Dried Oregano: To season the beans.
  • Salt: Adjust the amount to your tastes.

Recipe Tip: Avoid using very old dry beans. The cook time for dry beans can depend on how old the beans are, and very old beans may never soften.

Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.

How to Make Refried Beans

Soak the beans. Rinse and pick over the beans to check for any small rocks or other debris. Put the beans in a large bowl and fill with water. Soak for at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.

Cook the beans. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, combine the soaked beans, 10 cups of water and a halved yellow onion. Simmer the beans until tender, 1-2 hours.

Dry beans, water and halved onions in a pot.
Ladling cooked beans and onion out of pot.

Reserve cooking liquid. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard the onion.

Toast seasonings. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet (cast iron works well). Add the minced garlic, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Add the beans. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Then stir in the salt and 1 cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid.

Pouring bean cooking liquid into beans in skillet.
Mashing beans with a potato masher.

Mash. Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the beans to your desired texture, adding more of the cooking liquid as needed to achieve your desired texture.

Taste and serve! Add more salt if needed, to taste. I like to serve the beans with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and some crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese.

Close up of refried beans in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

Can You Use Canned Beans?

I highly recommend you start with dry beans for refried beans with the best texture and flavor. Cooking the dried beans is easy and most of the prep time is hands-off. If you’re really short on time, you can use canned beans:

  • Use two cans of no salt added pinto beans and skip the recipe steps for soaking and cooking the dry beans. Since you won’t have bean cooking liquid to add to the beans before mashing, you can either reserve the liquid in the can or use water. Start with 1/2 cup of added liquid and add more when mashing as necessary.

Ways to Serve Refried Beans

Tortilla chip dipped in bowl of refried beans.

More Mexican-Inspired Recipes

Refried beans in a bowl garnished with fresh cilantro and cotija cheese.

Homemade Refried Beans

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Soaking Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 9 hours 55 minutes
Once you learn how to make homemade refried beans, you won't want to grab canned beans again! This simple recipe makes the best creamy, flavorful refried beans.
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Ingredients

For Cooking the Beans

  • 1 pound dry pinto beans
  • 10 cups water, filtered is best, plus more for soaking the beans
  • 1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut in half

For Making the Refried Beans

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed to taste
  • lime wedges, optional, for serving

Instructions
 

Soak the Beans

  • Pick over the beans to check for any small rocks or other debris. Place dry beans in a strainer and rinse well under cold water. Place rinsed beans in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover the beans by 3 inches (use filtered water, if possible). Soak for at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours, at room temperature. Transfer soaked beans to a colander and rinse them well.

Cook the Beans

  • Place the soaked, drained beans in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Add the 10 cups water and halved onion.
  • Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer the beans, uncovered, until tender, stirring occasionally. This usually takes about 1 ½ hours, but can range from 1-2 hours depending on the beans. (See note below.) Start checking on the beans after 1 hour, doing a taste test to see if they are cooked to your liking. If not, continue cooking, checking on them every 15 minutes or so. Add up to 1 cup more water as needed if the liquid is almost gone and the beans are not yet done.
  • Remove and discard the onion. Drain off and reserve the extra cooking liquid.

Make the Refried Beans

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet, such as a cast iron skillet, over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, ground cumin and dried oregano and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the drained cooked beans to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in the salt and 1 cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid. Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the beans to your desired texture, adding more of the cooking liquid as needed to achieve your desired texture.
  • Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve, with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and your favorite toppings.

Notes

  • To make this recipe with canned beans instead of dry beans, use 2 cans of no salt added pinto beans and skip the steps for soaking and cooking the dry beans. Since you won’t have bean cooking liquid to add to the beans before mashing, you can either reserve the liquid in the can or use water (start with 1/2 cup added liquid).
Calories: 236kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 313mg, Potassium: 818mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 4IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 82mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Mexican
Course: Side Dish
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