Best Refried Beans Recipe
The Best Refried Beans Recipe, aka frijoles refritos, can be made from canned OR dried beans! This Easy Bean Recipe can be made from canned beans, on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot!
Why You Should Make (Not Buy) Refried Beans
The Situation: You’ve got guests coming over tonight after work, so you thought you’d make a casual Mexican dinner you can throw together in less than an hour.
You pick up all the ingredients needed for your main dish. You grab what you need to make simple Spanish Rice. But then you reach for the canned refried beans and cringe a little.
Why is it that refried beans taste so good, yet look and smell so bad from a can?
I can’t explain this. But I can tell you I would always rather make them from scratch, than plop a cylinder of gelatinous stinky refried beans out of a can.
Homemade Refried Beans not only look, but also smell, and taste better than canned refried beans… They are relatively quick to make and you also have full quality control over the taste and texture.
Trust me, it’s worth the few minutes it takes to chop and mash, in order to to have refried beans you will be proud to serve!
The Best Refried Beans Recipe (Canned or Dried!)
We love this “Best” Refried Beans Recipe (Frijoles Refritos), because it’s…
- Thick and rich
- Ultra zesty
- Authentic tasting
- Easy to convert to “vegetarian” with one little swap
- Gluten and dairy-free
- Made with canned beans or dried beans
- Made on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot!
That’s right, we are offering 3 methods in today’s recipe.
- The Fastest Stovetop (Canned Bean) Refried Beans
- Cost-Effective Stovetop (Dried Bean) Refried Beans
- No-Soak Instant Pot Refried Beans (Dried Beans)
That way, you can cook whichever version makes the most sense for you!
Ingredients You Need
- Canned or dried pinto beans – Use canned beans when you are in a hurry, and dried beans when you are watching your budget.
- Olive oil – Or your choice of fat.
- Sweet onion
- Few Cloves Garlic
- Cilantro
- Chili powder – Or ground chile (like ancho.)
- Ground cumin– For a smoky note.
- Cayenne pepper
- Bouillon – Use cubes or packets. Pork bouillon will offer the most authentic flavor, but feel free to use chicken or vegetable bouillon.
- Fresh lime juice
- Salt and black pepper
- Water
How To Make Refried Beans from Canned Beans
The quickie method…
- Sauté – Sauté the onions, garlic, herbs, and spices low and slow until the onions are soft.
- Simmer – Add the beans, bouillon, and water. Then simmer the beans to incorporate all the flavors.
- Smash – Smash the beans with a potato masher, ricer, or even a blender!
How To Make Refried Beans from Dried Beans (Stovetop)
The lower-sodium budget-friendly method…
- Soak – When using dried beans, you need to plan ahead. Soak the beans in water overnight to prepare them for cooking. Drain and rinse the beans before cooking them.
- Sauté – Sauté the onions, garlic, herbs, and spices low and slow, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft.
- Simmer – Add the beans, bouillon, salt, and water. Simmer the beans to incorporate all the flavors. With dried beans, the simmer time will be quite a bit longer.
- Smash – Smash the beans with a potato masher, ricer, or even a blender!
How To Make Instant Pot Refried Beans
For IP fans who don’t want to soak the beans…
- Sauté – Sauté the onions, garlic, herbs, and spices in the Instant Pot until the onions are soft.
- Simmer – Add the beans, bouillon, salt, and water. Pressure cook on high until the beans are soft. Then perform a natural release.
- Smash – Smash the beans with a potato masher, ricer, or even a blender!
- Sprinkle – Add a sprinkling of cheese, fresh herbs, or sliced jalapeño pepper as a garnish if you so desire.
Get the Full (Printable) Refried Bean Recipe Below For Canned Beans, Stove Top or Instant Pot. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Will Beans Last In The Fridge?
These beans can last in your fridge for 5-6 days if it is stored in an airtight container. You can even freeze these beans for up to 8 months in the freezer!
Are Refried Beans Gluten-Free?
Yes, as long as the bouillon you buy is gluten-free the recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free as well. Most brands are, but check the label to be sure.
Are Instant Pot Refried Beans Vegetarian?
That depends on the type of bouillon you select. Buy vegetable bouillon for a true vegetarian refried beans recipe.
Do You Really Have to Soak Dried Beans Overnight for the Stovetop Method?
Yes and no. Most bags of beans offer overnight soaking instructions, and a quick-soak method. I find the quick-soak method produces a slightly firmer bean texture, that is not as good for refried beans.
If you don’t have time to soak the beans overnight, I suggest using canned beans, or going with the pressure cooker method.
Can You Make Instant Pot Refried Beans with Canned Beans?
Yes, but… If you make refried beans (with canned beans) in the Instant Pot, you simply follow the stovetop instructions.
Therefore, unless you don’t have stovetop burners, or are using all your burners for other dishes, you might as well make the recipe on the stovetop.
How do you think the recipe would be adjusted if you were HALVING the recipe?
Even though we have different cooking variables in the recipe, you can easily halve this recipe and keep the cooking times on all three methods. Just use a smaller-sized pot for stovetop cooking.
Can I make a Refried Black Beans Recipe with this method?
Yes, you can make this recipe with black beans! Simply follow the instructions as directed below.
Serve Refried Beans With…
- Perfect Baked Plantains
- Caribbean Confetti Rice
- Easy Spanish Rice
- Quick Carne Asada
- Best Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Authentic Sopes
- Easy Mexican Breakfast Casserole
- Cuban Ropa Vieja
- Belizean Garnachas (Tostadas)
Other Great Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Chipotle Corn Salsa Recipe with Roasted Chili
- Chicken Chipotle Burrito Bowls Recipe
- Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipe (Instant Pot and Stove Top)
- Best Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
- Brazilian Feijoada (Pork and Black Bean Stew Recipe)
- Pan con Tomate Recipe (Tomato Bread)
- Gambas al Ajillo Recipe – Asheville’s Cúrate Tapas Bar
- Black Beans Sweet Potato Skillet Enchiladas
Check the printable recipe card below for this side dish’s nutrition information including calories, protein, sodium, fiber, and calcium percentages.
Best Refried Beans Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 15-ounce cans pinto beans, or 1 pound dried pinto beans
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cubes chicken bouillon, pork bouillon, or vegetable bouillon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Salt and pepper
- Water
- Possible garnishes: lime wedges, queso fresco, more cilantro, chopped scallions
Instructions
- For Stovetop Canned Refried Beans: Place a large saucepot over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, cilantro, and spices. Sauté for 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions are very soft.
- Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans. Add them to the pot. Then add in the bouillon and 2 cups of water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, to keep the beans on the bottom from burning.
- Use a potato masher to mash the beans to your desired consistency. (I like mine pretty smooth.) Stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
- For Stovetop Dried Refried Beans: Place the dried beans in a large bowl. Pour in water, covering the beans by 1 inch. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic and let the beans soak overnight. Drain off the water.
- Place a large saucepot over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, cilantro, and spices. Sauté for 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions are very soft.
- Add the soaked beans to the pot. Then add in the bouillon, 8 cups of water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, to keep the beans on the bottom from burning.
- Remove the lid and simmer another 15 minutes or so, until the liquid has evaporated a bit and the beans are very soft. The cooking liquid should have cooked down to the top of the beans.
- Use a potato masher to mash the beans to your desired consistency. (I like mine pretty smooth.) Stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
- For Instant Pot Refried Beans from (No-Soak) Dried Beans: Set a 6+ quart Instant Pot on Sauté. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, cilantro, and spices. Sauté for 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions are very soft.
- Pour in the dried beans, the bouillon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 7 cups water. Stir well to loosen anything stuck to the bottom of the pot. (Debris could set off the burn notice.) Lock the lid into place, and set the Instant Pot on Pressure Cook High for 30 minutes.
- Perform a natural release. Once the steam button has dropped you can safely remove the lid. The water should have condensed into a thin gravy. If the beans look too watery, remove (and reserve) about 1 cup of liquid off the top.
- Use a potato masher to mash the beans to your desired consistency. (I like mine pretty smooth.) Stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. *Add some of the cooking liquid back in if desired.
Wowza! These were the best beans I have ever had and so easy to make! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I did a taco/bowl bar for Easter and they were a big hit! I can’t wait to make them again. Goodbye boring refried beans!