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!

5 Minute Refried Beans Recipe - Build Your Bite (3)

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

5 Minute Refried Beans Recipe - Build Your Bite (4)

These are so simple but really flavorful!

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

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)

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

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? ›

May raise cholesterol

Refried beans made with lard contain saturated fat. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends reducing your saturated fat intake to less than 10% of your daily calorie intake to reduce your risk of heart disease ( 26 ).

How to make refried beans taste like homemade? ›

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.

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.

What is the secret to good refried beans? ›

Lard – Here's where the secret ingredient comes in. Use lard to add a rich, savory thickness to the beans, or, use bacon fat like I do. Leftover bacon fat is extremely rich in salty, savory goodness, and it adds an entirely new depth of flavor to these Mexican refried beans — I can't recommend it enough!

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

If you don't like bacon flavor in your refried beans (which I don't, but some do), you can simply add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and some oregano to those beans. An alternate addition is adding a bit of your favorite salsa to them.

Do Mexicans really eat refried beans? ›

'rehashed or warmed-over beans') is a dish of cooked and mashed beans that is a traditional staple of Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine, although each cuisine has a different approach when making the dish. Refried beans are also popular in many other Latin American countries.

Why are Mexican refried beans 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 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.

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 kind of cheese goes on refried beans? ›

Ingredients for a creamy refried bean dip typically include refried beans, sour cream, cheese (such as cheddar or Monterey jack), and seasonings (such as garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder). Optional ingredients may include diced tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro.

How to jazz up refried beans? ›

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.

Should I drain canned beans for refried beans? ›

For that reason, most of our Test Kitchen recipes call for draining and rinsing canned beans, which can also help remove the metallic flavor sometimes found in cans. It's an added step that takes less than a minute but improves the flavor and texture of your finished dish.

Are refried beans healthy? ›

Refried beans are healthy because they are high in protein, fiber, minerals, and other nutrients and they may help you lose weight. Refried beans are a delicious and versatile dish that appears on the menus of many Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. You can also easily make this meal at home or buy it in a can.

Why are my refried beans so dry? ›

If you put the heat too high, your beans will dry out faster.

What makes refried beans taste good? ›

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 restaurant beans taste better? ›

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.

How to make canned beans taste like restaurant? ›

Instructions
  1. Add the canned refried beans, sour cream, bacon fat, and hot sauce to a small pot over medium heat. Stir frequently as they heat up to combine.
  2. Once heated through, remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender. Or add to a blender. ...
  3. Top with cheese of your choice and serve.
May 6, 2022

Why are Mexican restaurant beans so 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.

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