Homemade Refried Beans
from kristineskitchenblog.comOnce 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.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 236kcal
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.
Video
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).
Nutrition
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
