Mexican refried beans orfrijoles refritosare a Mexican food staple that everyone should master. You’ll love this easy authentic refried beans recipe because it’s better than canned or restaurant refried beans. This recipe makes theBEST refried beans!
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Frijoles Refritos
Frijoles refritostranslates to refried beans.
But it’s a bit of a confusing translation because the beans aren’t actually re-fried or fried twice.
Let’s break it downfrijolesmeans beans andrefritosmeans well-fried. In English, the prefix “re” is used to express an action done twice, in Mexican-Spanish we commonly use it for emphasis.
So,frijoles refritosactually means very well-fried beans.
Refried beans are a staple in Mexican cuisine and they require simple ingredients that are pantry stables. Plus this Mexican dish isn’t complicated to make, anyone can do it!
Best of all is that you will no longer have to rely on the canned stuff, and your wallet will thank you for it too.
I know you’re going to love this quick, easy, inexpensive, and delicious homemade refried bean recipe. Amigos, homemade refried beans will rock your world!
The Secret Ingredient to Authentic Homemade Refried Beans
When making refried beans, starting with freshly homemadebeansis the secret to perfect authentic Mexican refried beans every time — just like ourabuelashave been making for centuries.
I know many people like to use canned beans, butif you want the authentic Mexican taste skip the can and reach for the pot.
In a previous post, I shared my process formaking a pot of Mexican beans from scratch, make sure to read that article and recipe.
I highly suggest you start by making a pot of homemade beans and using them to make your frijoles refritos. The taste and texture is always better.
My easy refried beans recipe doesn’t use lard and so it’s suitable for all diet types. I promise that you’ll find this recipe better than your favorite Mexican restaurant.
For those that just don’t have the time to make beans from scratch, I will include some tips for a canned version below.
• Homemade and from scratch is cheaper or more budget friendly.Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• The ingredients are all kitchen staples.
• Usingdried beansis much cheaper than buyingcanned refried beans.
• Always have theperfect side dishfor anyMexican meal.
• This recipe can be adapted to all the diets in your home.
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While the ingredients for frijoles refritos is pretty basic, do know that there are many variations. Below are the ingredient for my base recipe. Home-cooked Beans: I start with dry pinto beans that I cook at home. You can also use any kind of beans you’d like. Besides the pintos I useblack beans, or Bayos or Peruvian beans. All are also a great choice. Any will do, it’s a matter of personal choice. Bean Broth: Make sure to save some of the bean water from when you boil the beans. This will help you get creamy refried beans. Onions:You can use either white or yellow onion. Garlic: I love to add garlic cloves, but it’s up to you. Chiles: You can use anything from jalapeño peppers, serrano peppers or even dried chilies like chile de arbol. Seasonings: Salt is a must, of course, and most people keep it that simple but others add spices or herbs too. Fat: To fry the beans traditionally pork lard ormanteca de cerdois used. In the Mexican-American community many people like to use bacon fat or bacon grease to give their beans more flavor.🌿Ingredients for Mexican Refried Beans
My personal preference is olive oil for health reasons, but use any type of vegetable oil that you like.
Even vegetable shortening can be used – just don’t use butter or margarine to make refried beans; both have strong flavors which will overpower the bean taste.
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Ingredient Alternatives
Additional spices can be added to refried beans. Just don’t go overboard otherwise you’ll mask the yummy bean flavors.
- Ground Cumin: gives a slight smokiness to beans
- Chili Powder: To add heat when fresh chilies aren’t available.
- Chopped Tomato
- Chorizo: A lot of times when I have leftover refried beans I love mixing some veggie chorizo into them. A great idea is to first cook the chorizo and use that extra oil to mix in the beans.
Another thing to consider is that you may find that refried pinto beans taste different than dorefried black beans. Just experiment and you’ll find what suits your taste buds best.
Again, the seasoning is all up to your taste buds. What ever you decide to use you’ll be able to create delicious beans for your next Mexican meal or countless Mexican dishes.
How to MakeAuthentic Mexican Refried Beans
Step 1
Sort through the beans and discard any damaged ones. Thoroughly rinse under cold water. Place in a large pot with onion, garlic, epazote and plenty of water. Simmer until the beans are cooked through. Cooking time is between 1:30 to 2 hours.
Once cooked the cooking process for frijoles refritos is quite easy and you’ll be making your own refried beans in no time.
Step 2
Drain beans, but make sure to reserve thebean cooking liquidand set it aside.
I also include the onion, garlic, and chile that I used when boiling the beans.
Step 3
Heat alarge cast iron skillet, or large frying pan, overmedium heatthen add the oil and allow to heat up.
Step 4
Next add thechopped onion and sauté until it becomes golden brown and a tad crispy. Then add in the chilies and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Browning the onion and adding the chile adds more depth of flavor to the beans.
Step 5
Carefully add the cooked beans, a 1/4 cup of thebean broth, and with apotato masherbegin to mash. Continue mashing until the beans have broken down. At this time add salt and any other seasonings and mix until well combined.
Step 6
Simmer on low heat for about 8 minutes and stir often to prevent burning and the beans from drying out. Continue to mash and addbean brothuntil you reach your desiredcreamy texture.
What Texture Should Refried Beans Have
I like a bit of texture in myfrijolesrefritos, some like theirs smoother or creamier. It’s up to you to find your desired consistency.
Someauthentic mexican restauranttend to serve their refried beans a bit runnier or thicker than you are accustomed to, but at home it’s up to you.
I think the consistency should be made according to what the beans will be used for.
How to Serve
Now you are ready to serve them alongside sometacos, make crispy refried bean tacos, enchiladas, ontostadasortortasor you can blendleftover refried beansto make a sauce forenfrijoladasand serve as amain dish.
They also make a delicious side dish to your meals or breakfasts likehuevos rancherosormigas.
Spread refried beans over a bolillo and top with cheese and pico de gallo to make molletes.
You could also serve them as abean diptopped withfresh cilantroand some crumbledqueso fresco. Or cook with chorizo to make a delicious dip. Don’t forget thetortilla chipsfor dipping!
Another of myfavorite thingsto do with refried beans is to serve onhomemade flour tortillasand make a bean and cheese burrito.
However you choose to eat your refried beans, I hope you enjoy them.Buen provecho!
How to Store & Reheat
Allowleftover beansto come toroom temperatureand place in anairtight container
Refrigerator
Homemade refried beanswill keep fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer
Beans freeze extremely well. Place in either a Ziploc bag or freezer safe container. They’ll keep fresh for about 3 months. Defrost in the fridge the night before using.
Reheating
You can reheat leftovers on the stove top. Add either leftover cookingbean brothor water or low-sodium broth to prevent them from drying out.
In the microwave reheat for 1 or 2 minutes. Also use a splash of liquid so they’ll reheat nice and creamy. If you can, cover when reheating so they don’t make a mess in your microwave.
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“Thank you for this recipe. I have made your frijoles refritos so many times. I very much appreciate both your recipe and your thorough description. And my family-in-law was very impressed by this as a side today – thanks to you.” Stine
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make refried beans usingcanned beans?
Of course refried beans from scratch taste better, but in a pinch yes you can make refried beans from a can, it’s easy.
Start by draining and thoroughly rinsingcanned pinto beans. Then just follow the same instructions of my recipe below. You may want to add somevegetable brothor hot water when you’re mashing them, since in this case there is no cooking water from thehomemade beans.
How to prevent dry refried beans?
Over cooking is the biggest cause ofdry beans. But don’t worry this is easily preventable and fixed. Simply add some of the boiling broth or a little bit of warm water to bring back to the consistency you want. If the beans are too watery just cook down to thicken up. Make sure to store inair-tight containersto prevent drying out too.
Can you make refried beans without oil?
Yes you can. Instead of frying you can mash with thebean cooking liquiduntil they have your desired consistency.
Can you make refried beans in apressure cooker?
Yes you can make refried beans in the Instant Pot. First you need to cook the beans then you can mash them.
Place the sorted and rinsed beans in the pot along with the other ingredients in my recipe. Select High Pressure and cook for 40 minutes. Natural release for 10 minutes then remove some of the broth. Select Sauté function then use animmersion blenderorpotato masheruntil smooth and creamy.
Gracias
I’m so happy you stopped by. If you have any questions or want to let me know how you liked this recipe, do leave a comment. Muchas gracias, I appreciate you!
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Authentic Mexican Refried Beans Recipe (Frijoles Refritos)
This authentic Mexican refried beans orfrijoles refritosare creamy, easy to make and budget friendly. You’ll love this homemade recipe that tastes way better than store-bought or restaurant refried beans.This family recipe makesTHE best refried beans!
5 from 40 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican, vegan
Servings 6 servings
Calories 152 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups pinto beans
- 1/4 small white onion optional
- 2 garlic cloves optional
- 4 leaves epazote herb optional
- 1 large jalapeño pepper optional
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup cooking bean broth
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil of choice
- ⅓ cup white onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic optional
- 2 whole chiles de arbol optional or use serrano or jalapeno
- large pinch sea salt adjust to taste
Instructions
Sort through the beans and discard any damaged ones. Thoroughly rinse under cold water. Place in a large pot with onion, garlic, epazote, jalapeno and plenty of water. Simmer until the beans are cooked through. Salt then cook for another 10 or so minutes. Total cooking time is between 1:30 to 2 hours.
Drain beans, but make sure to reserve thebean cooking liquidand set it aside. You can either discard or keep the onion, garlic and pepper.
Heat alarge cast iron skillet, or large frying pan, overmedium heatthen add the oil and allow to heat up.
Next add thechopped onion and sauté until it becomes golden brown and a tad crispy. Then add in the chilies and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Carefully add the cooked beans, a 1/4 cup of thebean broth, and with apotato masherbegin to mash. Continue mashing until the beans have broken down. At this time add salt and any other seasonings and mix until well combined.
Simmer on low heat for about 8 minutes and stir often to prevent burning and the beans from drying out. Continue to mash and addbean brothuntil you reach your desiredcreamy texture.
Serve as desired.
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Notes
If you’ve started with my homemade boiled pinto beans, reserve the broth. If you’d like you can remove the onion, garlic, epazote and chile used to boil the beans, I like to keep the epazote, onion and garlic.
•You could also add mince garlic with the chile.
•veggie chorizo can be added for extra flavor if desired. First cook the chorizo through, in the same pan and without discarding the oil cook the onion (if using) and then mash the beans.
•Spices such as ground black pepper, ground cumin, achiote, oregano may also be used. Add them as you’re mashing the beans.
Nutrition
Serving: 6servingsCalories: 152kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 16mgPotassium: 288mgFiber: 6gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 114IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and tag me on social media @MexicanMadeMeatless or tag #mexicanmademeatless!
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Originally published on February 2014, updated February 2024 to add more helpful information.
Nancy Lopez
Nancy Lopez is a food blogger and author of the cookbook Mexican Tamales Made Meatless. Born in Mexico, raised in the US, and currently living in Southern Mexico, she has followed a meatless diet for almost 10 years. It is her passion and mission to share all she has learned about vegan Mexican cooking and vegetarian Mexican recipes. Mexican Made Meatless is a blog dedicated to preserving the authentic flavors of Mexican cuisine just without the meat. It’s a place to celebrate Mexican culture and all it’s delightfully delicious traditional foods. Read more…
