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These Refried Pinto Beans are a traditional staple in Mexican cooking, made from cooked, mashed pinto beans sautéed in oil with garlic, onions, and spices. El Sabor!
Why You’ll 🫶🏻 these Beans
These simple and easy-to-prepare refried beans are incredibly creamy and bursting with flavor. They are quite versatile and can be enjoyed as a side to a meal, incorporated into tacos or burritos, or served as a dip with tortilla chips. Enjoy! ~Nicole
Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner, and for me, that means one thing–a darn good excuse to enjoy some good Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. One of the staples of these cuisines is refried beans. A common misconception is that the beans are cooked twice, a reference to the English prefix re- preceding fried. In Spanish, the re- is from the word “refrito”, meaning “well-fried”. However one interprets the meaning, it certainly does not impact the wonderful flavor and comforting texture.
For a good, authentic flavor, I like to start the dish by rendering the fat from a bit of salt pork. It gives the dish a deep, rich flavor without overpowering the beans. Most markets carry a 12-ounce package of salt pork, but if you can’t find it, I would recommend using lard instead. (One tip–my recipe only calls for 3-ounces, so I cut the 12-ounce chunk into four pieces, wrap the remaining three chunks in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze until refried beans are on the menu again.) Some people might suggest using bacon. While I love bacon, I think it adds too much smoky flavor.
To further flavor the beans, I sauté the onion and garlic and add a little ground cumin. I love the earthiness that the cumin adds. Once the beans are thoroughly cooked through, I mash them to the desired consistency, which is usually a chunkier purée. As the beans set up, they will thicken. If I am making them as a topping for nachos or as a filling for burritos and tacos, I leave them as they are. But when I serve them as a side dish or a simple chip-and-dip, I thin the beans with chicken broth, starting with a tablespoon at a time. Garnishes can be versatile as well. You can use sliced or diced jalapeño, chopped green onion, or even some crumbled queso fresco. All are well received.
Other sides you may enjoy…
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Refried Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 3- ounces salt pork, cut into lardons
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 3 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, undrained
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt to taste
- Chicken broth to thin as needed
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, render the salt pork over medium heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the salt pork. Reserve the rendered fat in the pan, about 3 tablespoons. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the beans, their liquid, and the cumin. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover the beans and stir. Cook, uncovered, for another 10 minutes. Using the tines of a large fork or a potato masher, mash the beans to a coarse purée or to the desired texture, stirring as you go. (To serve as a side dish, I like my beans with a thinner texture. To serve on nachos or as a filling for burritos, I like them with a thicker texture.) As the beans sit, they will thicken. Thin with 1 tablespoon of chicken broth at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Season to taste with kosher salt. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
