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You are here: Home / Side dish / Easy Refried Beans from Homemade Pinto Beans

Easy Refried Beans from Homemade Pinto Beans

November 30, 2018 by Becky Spoon

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Refried Beans
Refried Beans

I start my refried beans with pinto beans that I cook with just a little lard, an onion, and salt, that’s it. I have friends in Mexico and they make amazing refried beans that are so, so simple, yet delicious so that’s how I make mine now. Oh, I do make them in the Instant Pot too. I try to soak them overnight, then set the timer for beans which I think is about 35 minutes. The Instant Pot makes the most delicious, creamy pinto beans, or any beans for that matter.

Pinto Beans
Pinto Beans

After the beans cook, I remove the onion if its’ in big chunks, I add a little oil to a saucepan, then add the beans, reserving the bean juice to ladle in as I mash the beans.

One thing I found that is essential for refried bean making is the bean masher. I got mine from Amazon and I love it. The texture is key in refried beans and you don’t want to put them in a food processor. I like a little texture, or don’t wan them mushy at all. https://amzn.to/30wzoeK.

This is a great tool, inexpensive, but a must have!

Easy Refried Beans from Homemade Pinto Beans

I always have refried beans in my freezer because we eat so much Mexican food. I make them, them put them in small freezer bags to use when I need them. Since I store them in small bags, I can take out just what I need for that meal.

Here are some uses for them:

  • as a side to any Mexican dish
  • nachos
  • tostados
  • burritos
  • tacos
  • Mexican pizza
  • layered dip

These are just to name a few. I love to make them homemade. They are so simple and so much more delicious than the canned version. The canned version seems like they just process them. I like to make mine that they are mostly mashed with the bean masher, but there may still be a little texture. So good. Wish I had some now. Here’s my Mexican Pizza that I use them in:https://the2spoons.com/simple-mexican-pizza-easy-snack/.

Mexican Pizza
Mexican Pizza

and, another favorite:

https://the2spoons.com/homemade-chorizo-with-eggs-hashbrowns/

Homemade Chorizo with Eggs, Hashbrowns, and Refried Beans
Homemade Chorizo with Eggs, Hashbrowns, and Refried Beans

This is one of Allen’s favorite breakfast!

Here’s the simple recipe!

Refried Beans from Homemade Pinto Beans

Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Course easy side dish, Side Dish
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb dried pinto beans
  • 1/4 cup lard
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 white onion, halved
  • water to cover the beans by 2 inches and more as needed
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded optional

Instructions
 

  • Wash your beans and put in a bowl or pan to soak overnight with a pinch of salt and the onion. 
    If you are cooking on the stove top, add the lard and bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 2-3 hours until tender.  Check for salt.  
    If you are cooking in the Instant Pot, cover with water by 1 inch. Add the lard to your pot. Use the bean mode and set for 35-45 minutes.  Since we are using these for refried beans, we want them to be pretty soft.  
  • When the beans are done, add a little oil to a skillet or a sturdy saucepan. Add the amount of beans you want to use, mashing with your bean masher, adding liquid as needed. Serve with your favorite Mexican food, Texmex dishes as a side dish or stuffed in a burrito with cheese. We like to add cheese to the top when we are using them as a side dish! Great for nachos too!
Keyword easy side dish, Instant Pot, mexican food, pinto bean, pinto beans, refried beans, side dish, vegetables

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Filed Under: Side dish, Vegetables Tagged With: beans, Mexicanfood, Pinto Beans, refriedbeans, sidedish

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