About the beans:
- Dried beans (NO CANS!): The key to authentic refried beans is using dry beans. Canned beans will not result in the same texture or flavor and it's just not the way Mexican refried beans are made! You can find dry beans in the Mexican food isle at the grocery store.
- Pinto beans: refried beans are usually made with pinto beans but black beans can also be used.
How to Make Refried Beans:
1. Rinse and soak beans. Sift through the dry beans, removing any unwanted pieces from the bag. Add the beans to a large pot, cover with water and soak overnight.
2. Boil beans. Drain beans, add them to a pot and cover them with fresh water. Add onion to the pot and a couple dashes of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for one hour.
3. Fry beans. Heat lard or oil in skillet. Add the garlic and stir. Add the beans, cumin, oregano and ¼ cup of reserved water from the bean broth.
4. Mash. Gently smash the beans with a potato masher or fork as they cook. Continue stirring and mashing until you get the texture you like and the beans are the consistency of soft mashed potatoes. Add more bean broth liquid if necessary. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
5. Serve. Top with shredded cheese, if desired.
For Instant Pot Refried Beans (No Soaking):
1. Rinse beans. Rinse in a colander, removing any unwanted pieces that may be in the bag.
2. Add to Instant Pot. Add the beans, onion, and salt to the instant pot and fill the pot with about 7-8 cups of water.
3. Pressure cook. Turn valve to sealed and cook on high pressure/manual for 45 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 25 minutes. Remove lid and test beans to make sure they are tender.
4. Sauté beans. Drain the beans, removing the onion and reserving ½ cup of the bean broth water. On SAUTE mode, add lard or oil. Once hot, add the garlic and stir. Add the beans, cumin, oregano and ¼ cup of the bean broth. (You could also chop the reserved onion and add it to the pan).
5. Mash. Cook, gently smashing the beans as they cook with a potato masher or fork. Continue stirring and mashing until you get the texture you like and the beans are the consistency of soft mashed potatoes. Add more bean broth liquid if necessary. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
6. Serve. Top with shredded cheese, if desired.
For Crockpot Refried Beans (No Soaking):
1. Combine Ingredients. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover with fresh water.
2. Cook on high for 8 hours, or overnight.
3. Drain. Drain the beans, removing the onion and reserving ½ cup of the bean broth water.
4. Sauté beans. Add lard or oil to a hot skillet. Add garlic, beans, cumin, oregano and ¼ cup of the bean broth. (You could also chop the reserved onion and add it to the pan).
5. Mash. Cook, gently smashing the beans as they cook with a potato masher or fork. Continue stirring and mashing until you get the texture you like and the beans are the consistency of soft mashed potatoes. Add more bean broth liquid if necessary. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.
6. Serve. Top with shredded cheese, if desired.
Adaptations:
To use canned pinto beans: substitute 2 cans of pinto beans, drained but liquid reserved.
Cheesy refried beans: Top your refried beans with Mexican cotija cheese or stir in your favorite shredded cheese.
Refried black beans- substitute one pound of dry black beans.
Add bell peppers- Finely chop bell pepper and sauté it with the garlic in step 7 of the recipe.
Spicy refried beans- remove the stem from a jalapeño peppers and finely dice it. Sauté it with the garlic in step 7 of the recipe.
Consider serving these with:
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Recipe
Homemade Refried Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry pinto beans , about 2 cups
- 1 large onion , quartered
- 2 Tablespoons lard or oil
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1-2 teaspoons salt , or more, to taste
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin , or more, to taste
- ½ teaspoon Dried oregano , or more, to taste
Instructions
Stove-top Refried Beans:
- Rinse pinto beans in a colander, removing any unwanted pebbles or pieces that may be in the bag.
- Add the beans to a large pot, cover with water and soak overnight.
- Drain soaked beans and return them to the pot. Add fresh water to cover the beans up to two inches above them. Add onion to the pot and a couple dashes of salt.
- Bring beans to a boil, cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Check the beans and if they’re not completely cooked after one hour, let them simmer a few minutes longer until they’re done.
- Drain the beans, removing the onion and reserving the bean broth water.
- In a large skillet (preferably an iron skillet), heat lard or oil over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and stir. Add the beans, cumin, oregano and ¼ cup of the bean broth. (You could also chop the reserved onion and add it to the pan).
- Cook, gently smashing the beans as they cook with a potato masher or fork.
- Continue stirring and mashing, adding additional bean broth as needed until you get the texture you like and the beans are the consistency of soft mashed potatoes. Taste and season with additional salt, cumin and oregano, as needed. Top with shredded cheese, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
*I originally shared this recipe March 2013. Updated February 2020 with process photos and instructions for making refried beans in the instant pot and slow cooker.
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
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This recipe is AMAZING! I’ve never made refried beans before, mainly because I don’t like them, but I’m turning away from buying premade foods and I needed some for a recipe. I followed the recipe exactly (unusual for me) since it’s a new process. These things are delicious. I also saved the bean water and will freeze it when it’s cool so I have it for when I make soup. Thank you for a fantastic recipe. You’ve turned me into a convert.
I’m in my late 40’s and had only the canned refried beans. Holy cow! This is so much better. I read the other reviews, but as with every ethnic food there is no one way to do “authentic” and recipes can vary wildly from region to region. I love this recipe. It’s simplicity makes it highly adaptable to one’s personal tastes.
Ever tried fixing these in the instant pot?
Refried beans are not refried beans unless you fry them with lard. That’s the only way they will taste great. Your recipe for refried beans is not right. Remember refied beans are not refried beans unless you use lard.
Hi, can I make these the day before my party then heat them up & serve in a crockpot on the day of?
Hi Lynne,
My only worry is that the beans will dry out. I have never made these in the slow cooker. You could try adding water to reheat them in the slow cooker.
Hi Lynne,
My only worry is that the beans will dry out. I have never made these in the slow cooker. You could try adding water to reheat them in the slow cooker.
I have made authentic refried beans for years. Here is my personal recipe:
1. clean and sort a bag of good raw pinto beans.
2. put in a pot big enough to allow the beans to swell twice their size as well as an additional 2 or 3 inches above the beans. Add 1 clove halved garlic, 4 slices os salt pork and 1 peeled whole yellow onion. Cook beans making sure there is always 2 to 3 inches water above beans. When beans are cooked through, remove onion, garlic and salt pork. In large well seasoned iron skillet, add 4 tbls. lard. pour enough beans and liquid into skillet to comfortably FRY beans with some liquid. You will know when they are fried as they will become thick and separate un the middle if pan and not run together. Always make sure there is enough lard in pan but without making them greasy. Repeat for the following batches.
Probably a silly question, but do you just place the onion in the pot? Or do you cut it into chunks first?
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Not a silly question! I made the recipe card more clear. Cut the onion in quarters and then add them to the pot.
Can these be done in a crockpot?
Hi Cindy, I haven’t experimented with them in the crock pot, so I really can’t say. For fear of giving you incorrect method without trying it first, I’m going to point you to another recipe tested for the crockpot: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/recipe-easy-slow-cooker-refried-beans/
Your beans are wonderful and I tried them last night for dinner, but I used canned whole beans instead of soaking my own. It tasted fine for a quick meal but it probably would have been better if I had soaked my own beans.
Lauren,
Like many others, my family loves your recipes, especially the Authentic Mexican Rice which has become a “most requested dish.” An FYI: I often cook a pot of Pinto Beans & freeze them in serving sizes. When we need them they are at hand & if time is an issue we zap them in the microwave oven. Just a simple tip from my mother to me.
I’ve a folder filled with your mouth watering recipes. Thank you ever so much for sharing Lauren.
That is an amazing compliment–thank you so much Barbara! I LOVE the idea of freezing serving size packs of pinto beans. Perfect to add to a quick meal! Thanks so much for you comment, and thank you for following TBFS!
These were simple to make and so much better than the can! I am serving them with your authentic Mexican rice (which has become a family favorite recipe) – Thanks for your awesome recipes!
Made these came out great. Tasted so good I put them in a blender with some bean juice and made them totally smooth, everyone just loved them. Made great bean and cheese burritos.
I’m so happy to hear you it! Thanks for sharing!