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4.85 from 32 votes

Refried Beans

This Mexican homemade refried beans recipe is easy to make in just 20 minutes and tastes sooo much better than the canned stuff!  See notes above for possible ingredient variations, plus tips on how to make this recipe from scratch with dry (uncooked) pinto beans.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: budget friendly, dairy free, gluten free, vegan, vegetarian
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Author: Ali

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter or oil * divided
  • 1 small white onion peeled and diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (or you can use 1/2 teaspoon chili powder + 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
  • fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
  • optional garnishes: finely-chopped fresh cilantro crumbled or shredded cheese, diced tomato, and/or sliced jalapeño

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon butter (or oil) in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until melted.  Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.  Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked and fragrant.
  • Add in the pinto beans, veggie stock, chipotle chili powder, cumin and oregano, and stir to combine.  Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer.
  • Remove pan from heat.  Use a potato masher or a wooden spoon to mash the beans to your desired consistency.  (Or if you would like them to be super-smooth, you can purée them in a food processor until smooth.)
  • Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter until it is melted and well-combined.  Taste and season the beans with lime juice, salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Serve warm, topped with any garnishes you might like.

Notes

If making this recipe vegan, you can just use 1 tablespoon of olive oil or avocado oil (and omit the second tablespoon that is added at the end of the recipe).