Homemade Refried Beans

Easy Refried Beans – these beans are so simple to make, they have just a few ingredients, take about 20 minutes and are so much better than the canned version!  

Complete your Mexican night with these super quick and easy Refried Beans. So much better than the canned ones, but ready in 20 minutes, so they are perfect for a quick Taco Tuesday!

It is no secret that we like Mexican food at my house.  It can be anything from Chicken Enchiladas to just basic air fryer tacos. Mexican food is on our menu at least once a week, usually more.  I have not always been a fan of refried beans, so I have relied on the canned version for my guys who love them.  

Well recently my son was at my brothers house and he made homemade refried beans, and my son was blown away.  I received an email with the recipe shortly after they were done eating and now they are our go to recipe. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fast – it starts with a can of pinto beans. Yes, if you want to soak dried beans go for it, but it is just a much longer process.
• Adjustable – the nice thing about homemade recipes is you can adjust the seasonings! If you want it spicy, add a little jalapeno. If you love garlic, and garlic. Completely up to you!
• Control the Ingredients – often times the ingredients on the side of the can you can’t pronounce, and there is a lot of salt and fat added. Here you control the quality of the ingredients, you add how much salt you want. You can also add fat to your liking, and everything is whole ingredients, so you know exactly what you are eating!

What You’ll Need

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card to get the measurements and full instructions!

• Pinto Beans
• Garlic Clove
• Bay Leaf
• Dried Oregano
• Cumin
• Salt

How to Make Refried Beans

• Add. To a saucepan you want to add all of the ingredients (except the salt), stirring to combine everything and evenly distribute the spices.
• Cook. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the beans are nice and soft.
• Smash. Remove the bay leaf from the pan and smash or blend to your desired consistency. If you like your beans smooth, you can use a stick blender to process the beans.
• Season. Start with about 1/2 tsp salt, taste and adjust from there.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Start with canned pinto beans.  You are going to use all the liquid in the can, so I like to pay a little extra and make sure I am getting the best version on the shelf. If you want to soak your beans instead of using a can, you can definitely do that.
• Smashed garlic cooks with the beans and infuses it with lots of flavor. Once it is soft and smashes and blends completely with the beans, so you don’t have to worry about mincing it ahead of time.
• Get creative with the spices. I like dried oregano and cumin, but chili powder would be a great addition or even onion powder.
• Salt at the end.  Adding salt early in the cooking process can make the beans tough.  Salt at the end and adjust to the level you like.
• If you like your beans smooth, you can use a stick blender.  If you like them slightly chunky a potato masher works great.  Just mash to the texture you enjoy.

How To Serve Refried Beans

This super easy refried bean recipe can make a great side dish with your taco night or next to Ground Beef Enchiladas. But is also works great in recipes.

• Wet Burritos
• Mini Tostadas
• Add a layer to your Taco Dip
• Mexican Pizza

Can you Freeze Refried Beans?

• Definitely!  Just cool completely and place in an air tight container.
• This recipe does not make a ton, but you could double, or triple the recipe and then freeze in portions for later.

How long will Homemade Refried Beans last in the fridge?

• I would store them in an air tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• To reheat you can microwave or place in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat.

So the next time you are thinking of Mexican food for dinner, skip the canned refried beans and make your own! They can be seasoning and exactly to your liking.  Plus they are hardly any extra work.  

More Delicious Mexican Recipes

• Chicken Chilaquiles
• Crockpot Fiesta Chicken
• Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
• Meximelt
• Chicken Flautas
• Beef Enchilada Casserole
• Taco Spaghetti

Continue to Content

Yield: 3

Easy Refried Beans

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Easy Refried Beans - these beans are so simple to make, they have just a few ingredients, take about 20 minutes and are so much better than the canned version!  

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz) can Pinto Beans
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Add the entire contents of the can of beans to a small saucepan.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the salt, and stir to combine.
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the beans are soft.
4. Remove the bay leave and smash or blend to your desired consistency
5. Season with about 1/2 tsp salt, taste and adjust from there.

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Nutrition Information

Yield

3

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 124Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 783mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 7gSugar 2gProtein 7g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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