We had refried pinto beans at least once a week my entire upbringing. They are such a staple in our family nary a week goes by without my mother making a batch. Great with Mexican food (obviously), refried beans also go beautifully with a juicy steak and a big serving of salsa.
Why Are They Called Refried Beans?
“Refried” doesn’t mean the beans have been fried twice. The word comes from the Spanish name for the dish—frijoles refritos. In Spanish “refritos” means “well fried”. To make the beans you have to cook them in water first to soften them. Then you fry them in a pot or skillet with fat and seasonings.
What Kind of Beans Are Best for Refried Beans?
Traditionally, for Mexican style refried beans, pinto beans are used. But black beans are also wonderful prepared this way too, as are cranberry beans. In a pinch, I’ve even used white navy beans to make refried beans for tostadas. I just add some chipotle powder to them for seasoning. But usually we use either pinto beans or black beans.
Pressure Cooker vs. Stove Top Beans
There are two basic ways of initially cooking the dried beans: Since we make beans so often, we use a pressure cooker. It’s the first step of making the meal—put the beans in the pot, cover with water and cook while preparing everything else. By the time the beans are done, so is the rest of the meal. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, no worries! We have included directions for both methods.
Tip: Old Beans Take Longer to Cook
Note that although beans have a relatively long shelf life, the older they are the longer you’ll have to cook them to get them to soften. If you have dry beans that have been sitting around for more than a year, they may be tough. In this case, you might want to add an eighth of a teaspoon of baking soda to the cooking water. That can help soften the beans.
How To Cook Refried Beans
Once you cook the dry beans, you strain them and cook them with onions and fat in a skillet, mashing them while they cook. That’s the “fried” part of refried beans. You can also simply strain canned whole beans and mash them and fry them. Two cups of dried beans cooks to the equivalent of three to four 15-ounce cans of pre-cooked beans.
How To Store Refried Beans
Once made, the beans will last about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. To reheat them, just add more water and heat them up on the stovetop. If the beans smell at all bad or have developed mold, discard them. You can freeze the beans, either before or after you mash them. Let them cool to room temperature, then put them in meal-sized portions in either heavy duty freezer bags or covered, air-tight containers. They’ll last for several months frozen. If dry upon defrosting and reheating, just add more water and oil.
Ways To Use Refried Beans
Our favorite way to use refried beans? Along side a juicy steak with some green chile tomato salsa. The combination of the steak, beans, and salsa is fantastic! Refried beans are a standard accompaniment to Mexican dishes. We use them:
As a filling for burritos To spread over tostadas In a 7-Layer Bean Dip On nachos
Beans have phytic acid, a chemical that can cause digestion issues. This acid is the reason beans have the reputation for causing gas. Soaking them removes many of those phytic acids.Phytic acids are also considered anti-nutrients. They can keep your body from absorbing nutrients like phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc—all of which are found in beans. Soaking beans will help them cook evenly and cook more quickly.
NOTE: If you are pressure cooking your beans, you don’t need to pre-soak them.
More Great Mexican Side Dish Recipes
Refried Black Beans Spanish Rice Homemade Corn Tortillas Corn Salsa Mexican Green Rice
If you have access to the Mexican herb epazote, use a large sprig of epazote in place of the oregano. Not only is epazote the traditional herb used with these beans, it has anti-gas properties to make the beans easier to digest. Put beans into a pot and cover with at least 3 inches of water—about 3 quarts total for 2 1/2 cups of dry beans. Add half an onion, salt, and oregano. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer, covered, for about 2 1/2 hours. The cooking time will vary depending on the batch of beans you have. The beans are done when they are soft and the skin is just beginning to break open. If the beans are still hard after 2 1/2 hours, add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda to the pot and cook a half hour or more longer. Pressure Cooker Method Put beans into a 4 quart or larger Instant Pot or pressure cooker with a 15 pound weight. Add 8 cups (2 quarts) of water. (Make sure you never fill a pressure cooker with water more than 2/3 of the way up the pot.) Add the onion, salt, and oregano. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes on high pressure, then let the beans cool naturally for 10 minutes before releasing the pressure valve. The beans should be soft and the skins barely breaking open. If the beans are still quite hard, add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda and bring to pressure again for 10 minutes. Note: If you are using a standard pressure cooker (not an Instant Pot), allow the pressure cooker to cool completely before opening. If there is resistance when attempting to open the cooker, do not open it, allow it to cool further. Follow the directions for your brand of pressure cooker. (See How to Make Fast No Soak Beans in a Pressure Cooker.) Either method: Strain the beans from the cooking water, reserving about a cup of the cooking water. Remove the remnants of onion or oregano sprig if using. When the beans are heated through, top with crumbled cotija cheese or shredded cheddar cheese (1/2 cup) to serve (optional). (You can also stir in slices of cheddar to melt into the hot beans.)
