Refried Beans
255kcal
Ingredients
- 1 white onion finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 800 g canned pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.25 teaspoon cayenne chili pepper optional
- 1 lime
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 120 ml water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Heat your oil in a pan over medium heat, then add the diced white onion and garlic. Saute for 7 - 9 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and have softened.1 white onion, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the seasonings, stir for another minute, then tip in your pinto beans and the water.1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 0.5 teaspoon onion powder, 0.25 teaspoon cayenne chili pepper, 120 ml water, Salt and pepper to taste
- Stir the beans into the spice and onion mixture, then cook for 10 minutes, using the back of your spoon or a potato masher to mash about two-thirds of the beans, retaining a slightly chunky consistency (if you prefer completely smooth refried beans, mash them all!).800 g canned pinto beans
- Cook for another 5 minutes or so until the beans have thickened, then squeeze over the lime juice. Taste your beans and adjust your seasoning accordingly.1 lime
Nutrition
Serving1gCalories255kcalCarbohydrates37gProtein10gFat9gSaturated Fat1gPolyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat6gSodium542mgPotassium674mgFiber11gSugar4gVitamin A722IUVitamin C10mgCalcium125mgIron4mg
Notes
I prefer refried beans to have some texture to them, so opt to leave some of the beans whole. If you prefer a smoother texture, mash all of the beans - or even blend them.
To add more spice to your refried beans, you could add some diced jalapenos or more chili powder. This recipe also works perfectly with black beans instead of pinto beans!
A few notes on making the best refried beans possible:
- I would strongly advise you to finely dice your onion for this recipe - big chunks of onion have no place in refried beans! If you notice your onions look too big, you could opt to blend two-thirds of the beans with a handheld blender to get rid of the onion, too.
- Sauté the onions and garlic before adding the beans and mashing. This helps you really get the most flavor out of the aromatics for the beans.
- Likewise, adding spices to the onion mixture before you add the beans lets the spices bloom so they taste even better.
- Your beans should have a chunky mashed consistency - if you leave too many of the beans whole, you’ll have a dish closer to these Mexican pinto beans than refried beans! Some people prefer to have their refried beans completely smooth, so you could mash all of the pinto beans if you prefer.