5 Minute Refried Beans Recipe - Build Your Bite (2024)

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Refried beans recipe from scratch made in just 5 minutes! All you need is a handful of ingredients to make this delicious mexican favorite.

5 Minute Refried Beans Recipe - Build Your Bite (1)
Today I’m sharing with you my favorite 5 minute homemade refried beans recipe.

I have loved refried beans since I was a little girl.

I remember on several occasions eating them straight out of the can with chips…cold even!

I have found since I began to eat healthy that refried beans can be either 1) hard to find with clean ingredients or 2) expensive.

That’s when I decided to make them myself.

How do you make refried beans?

Partially drain a can of black beans or pinto beans.

The more liquid you leave, the runnier the beans will be. For super thick refried beans, drain most of the liquid.

If you want more runny beans, say for pouring over nachos, leave a little more liquid than normal

Use an immersion blender to puree the beans until smooth.

Do this step first while the beans are still room temperature. If the beans splatter, at least they will not be hot.

I have learned this the hard way! If you do not have an immersion blender, use a potato masher and mash them as much as possible

Once your beans are smooth, place them in a saucepan over medium heat and add the lime juice and spices.

Heat until warm (less than five minutes) and they are ready to serve!

5 Minute Refried Beans Recipe - Build Your Bite (2)

refried black beans

Refried beans are classically made with pinto beans, but you can also make them with black beans.

I personally love to make refried black beans!

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I’m a fan of all things mexican food wise, especially as a vegetarian/mostly vegan.

We eat mexican at least once a week, if not more.

It’s an easy and delicious way to get lots of protein and lots of flavor!

Uses For Refried Beans

  • A healthy bean dip – I love eating them dipped with tortilla chips!
  • Use as filling in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, you can’t go wrong!
  • Drizzle these vegan refried beans over nachos for an extra protein and flavor punch

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These are so simple but really flavorful!

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Like I said above, I use black beans and pinto beans interchangeably in this recipe.

Whichever you have on hand will work!

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Ever since I got my immersion blender, it has been my best friend and this recipe is one of the main reasons why!

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I love these beans alone, or in pretty much anything.

I had a hard time photographing them because I kept dipping chips in to eat. The flavor is so addictive!

Refried beans recipe from scratch:

Ever since I discovered the immersion blender hack, I’ve been making my own homemade refried beans instead of buying them.

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I’m not one of those people that likes to make everything from scratch, but with as easy as this recipe is it takes no work at all!

These refried beans are perfect in my Simple Refried Bean Enchiladas!

Pin this refried beans recipe:

5 Minute Refried Beans Recipe - Build Your Bite (9)

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Are you making this recipe? I want to see! Be sure to tag me on instagram @buildyourbite and hashtag #buildyourbite with your recipe pictures!

5 Minute Refried Beans Recipe - Build Your Bite (10)

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

5 minute homemade refried beans - use canned black beans and just a few spices to make a quick and delicious addition to dinner!

Ingredients

  • 1 can of black beans or pinto beans, partially drained (see notes)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • squeeze of lime juice (I used around ½ small lime)

Instructions

  1. Partially drain beans and pour into a pan
  2. Using an immersion blender, blend beans in pan until they are a puree texture
  3. Add spices and lime juice and heat over medium heat until hot (around 3-5 minutes)
  4. Serve on burritos, nachos, tacos, or as a dip
  5. Enjoy!

Notes

Drain beans according to how thick you want the refried beans to be. I drained about half of the liquid from mine and it was spreadable but not extremely thick. It will thicken if stored in the fridge also.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 44Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 103mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to tag me on instagram @buildyourbite and hashtag #buildyourbite with your recipe creations!

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a star rating below!

5 Minute Refried Beans Recipe - Build Your Bite (2024)

FAQs

How do restaurants make refried beans taste so good? ›

If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat. Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.

Why is refried beans unhealthy? ›

Yet, since refried beans often contain added fat and salt, they may be higher in calories, saturated fat, and sodium than other beans. These factors may impair your weight loss goals, raise your risk of heart disease, and increase your blood pressure levels.

What is the secret of refried beans? ›

If you want a thicker refried bean, then use less water. If you want thinner beans, then you will use more broth. Save the leftover bean broth and use it to stir into your leftover beans. As they sit in the refrigerator and chill, they will thicken.

How to make refried beans more interesting? ›

14 Ways To Add Flavor To Canned Refried Beans
  1. Include a dollop or two of sour cream. Alena_Kos/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Squeeze in some lime juice. ...
  3. Sautee onion and garlic. ...
  4. Experiment with warming spices. ...
  5. Start with flavored refried beans. ...
  6. Pack on the heat with fresh chiles. ...
  7. Mix in canned adobo sauce. ...
  8. Cook with broth for deeper flavor.
Oct 29, 2023

Why do Mexican restaurant beans taste so good? ›

While canned refried beans are convenient, they're no match for the creamy and flavorful refried beans served at your local Mexican restaurant. If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat.

What can I add to refried beans for more flavor? ›

Fresh onion and garlic: Which we will sauté in butter or oil until softened. Veggie stock: To thin the beans out and add some extra depth of flavor. Spices: I love the combination of ground cumin, chili powder and oregano in my refried beans.

Do Mexicans really eat refried beans? ›

Refried beans, however, are pretty new, introduced about 100 years ago in northern Mexico. Their still growing popularity is from use in American Tex-Mex cuisine that originated as unique refried bean recipes specific to individual border town restaurants of Mexico and Texas.

Is it OK to eat refried beans everyday? ›

So, it really depends on the preparation, but in general, beans are very healthy, and refried beans aren't an exception. Depends on how they are made. If they are fried in lard, go easy. In olive oil, you could probably have them every day, ideally with some rice to get complete proteins.

Why do refried beans make me sick? ›

perfringens is an entertoxin-secreting bacteria most often found in inadequately heated or reheated meats, meat pies, stews, gravy, sauces, and refried beans. The incubation period averages 8-12 hours, after which diarrhea and abdominal cramps begin. C. perfringens symptoms usually persist for one day.

How to make tastier refried beans? ›

I like to sprinkle in some taco seasoning, but you could add whatever spices you like — garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder are all good calls. Then, you mash the beans up directly in the pan and add just a little bit of vinegar at the end to really make the beans sing.

Why do people add milk to refried beans? ›

Milk makes refried beans creamy

This liquid can help make your beans smoother and taste richer. Once the beans are tender, it's time to fry them. Garlic is cooked in the oil and then the beans are added. The beans are mashed, and this is where the milk comes in.

What is the difference between pinto beans and refried beans? ›

refried beans are literally re-heated, typically, pinto beans. beans take a long time to cook, roughly 2 hours. but like 99% of foods, it is better homemade. you can personally season them and cook to your texture.

What thickens refried beans? ›

If you prefer thicker beans, there's a simple solution to boost flavor, add moisture, and thicken refried beans. Cream cheese is the not-so-secret weapon for making refried beans a yummy side dish to accompany rice, or a versatile taco or nacho topping.

Can dogs eat refried beans? ›

Do not feed your dog refried beans. They are very high in fat, which can trigger pancreatitis in dogs. Refried beans also contain garlic and other spices such as cumin, chili powder, and salt that are harmful to pups.

What kind of cheese goes on refried beans? ›

We love to serve the beans right out of the skillet, garnish with crumbled Cojita cheese, or shredded mozzarella. EXPERT TIP: The beans can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a little more water or chicken stock, if the beans need to be loosened up a bit.

What makes refried beans taste good? ›

Fat and seasoning: Refried beans typically start with cooking beans in fat, such as lard, bacon fat, or vegetable oil. This fat adds richness and flavor to the beans.

How to make refried beans from a can taste like restaurant? ›

You can amp up the spice by adding more hot sauce, or tone it down by adding less — whatever your family prefers! Dice onion and add to the refried beans for more flavor. Add a dash of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt. Garnish with cilantro to improve refried beans taste.

Why do restaurant beans taste better? ›

Unlike the canned variety, restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.

How to make canned beans taste like restaurant? ›

I like to sprinkle in some taco seasoning, but you could add whatever spices you like — garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder are all good calls. Then, you mash the beans up directly in the pan and add just a little bit of vinegar at the end to really make the beans sing.

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