These delicious, easy Homemade Refried Beans can be made on the stove-top or in an Instant Pot!
I know for many of you, the thought of making your own homemade refried beans from scratch is probably the last thing you want to think about- and I get it, why make your own when you can so easily open up a can? I understand completely and most of the time honestly, I do the same. But sometimes days come, like Sundays, when time is long and cooking feels pleasurable. Perhaps you are having guests over and want to create something a little extra special.
Or maybe, like me, you look at your overstuffed pantry and decide it’s time to start using some things up. In any case, the recipe is simple and the work easy. Make a batch on Sunday and use it during the busy work week, or freeze in small batches. There is something very gratifying about making good use of pantry items.
1.Soak the beans
2.Boil the beans
3.Puree the beans
4.Season
With 10-15 minutes of hands-on time, the beans practically make themselves. And what you end up with is a luxurious pot of goodness that you can feel truly and utterly proud of. Divide and freeze for later, or make a batch and use during the busy week.
Most any dried bean will work here, so feel free to experiment – pinto, kidney, black beans or specialty beans like you see here from my favorite bean company- Rancho Gordo.
Once they are cooked, simple puree with their own cooking liquid, a little olive oil and season to your liking.
No mashing required in this recipe. What I love about these beans is how creamy they are. They can be adapted to your own taste and heat tolerance. I love the hint of smoke from Smoked paprika and heat from chipotle – but leave these out if this is not your preference.
Place them back in the pot and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Before serving, drizzle with olive oil or sprinkle with queso fresco cheese and fresh cilantro.
There are so many recipes on the blog these would pair well with….try them in these baked tacos, or in my new favorite dish ever – Tlayudas. Make a Bean Bowl with warm refried beans as the base, top with crumbled queso fresco ( or feta) tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, cilantro, drizzled with olive oil- or simply serve as a vegan, gluten-free side dish at your Cinco de Mayo gathering. I think you will love them.
PrintHomemade Refried Beans
Simple delicious Homemade refried beans, made from scratch on the stove top or in an Instant Pot. EASY recipe!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 mins
- Yield: 6 cups
- Category: vegan side dish
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 2 cups beans ( pinto, black beans, or try something different!)
- 5 cups water ( 7 cups if using Instant pot)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 bay leaves ( or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
- ——–
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½-1 teaspoon chipotle powder ( optional)
- ½-1 teaspoon smoked paprika ( optional)
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil ( optional)
Instructions
- Place beans in a bowl or pot and pour 5 cups of water over top. Let them sit on the counter overnight or for for 8 hours, they will swell and double in size. Drain.
- Place soaked beans in a large pot with 5 cups of fresh water. Add salt, cumin, chili powder and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and turn heat to low then simmer gently until tender, about 2 hours.
- Drain the beans , reserving the cooking liquid, and removing the bay leaves.
- Place them in the food processor with the additional salt and spices. Add 1- 1 ½ cups of the cooking liquid into the food processor and puree until smooth. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to the puree, if you like for extra richness and delicious flavor.
- Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve, or divide and freeze, or simply refrigerate for the week. They will keep for 3-4 days.
Notes
If making in an Instant Pot, you can skip the soaking part and dump everything in the Instant pot and pressure cook on high for 35 minutes. Let pressure naturally release. Continue following directions starting with draining the beans ( save liquid).
25
Can’t wait to try this recipe! I love Rancho Gordo’s beans and have been using them almost exclusively for several years.
Made a pot of theses last week and my…so delicious! I had pinto beans on hand and also added the optional smoked paprika and chipotle. The food processor method for mashing the beans was a revelation. Why didn’t I think of that? Thanks Sylvia, I now have a great recipe and new technique and couldn’t be happier.
Colleen
Oh Im so glad you gave these a try. Aren’t they so velvety and amazing? And EASY?? A great way to use up beans in the pantry. I seriously could just eat a bowlful with tomato, cilantro, a little cheese and hot sauce…so good!