This recipe for Homemade Refried Beans are made with canned pinto beans, garlic, chili and cumin powder. These beans are a quick and easy solution for nights when you want to add them to your meal but don’t have a store-bought can on hand. They are a great side dish or go great in burritos and on loaded nachos.

Making Refried Beans From Canned Beans

For years I bought canned refried beans. I always made sure to buy the beans that were vegetarian, meaning they were not made with lard. Recently, when shopping, I was unable to find a can that was labeled vegetarian. I decided that I would try my hand at homemade refried beans and use olive oil to keep them on the healthier side.

I grabbed two cans of pinto beans and made my way home to make my own homemade refried beans. After I made these beans, I realized just how super easy they were to make and now I will probably make them myself going forward

A Nutrient Packed Recipe

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Pinto Beans are the bean that refried beans are made from. They are a nutrient rich legume that is high in fiber. You can buy them dry or canned. If you buy them dried, they have to be soaked and cooked before proceeding with this recipe. 

Olive Oil is my oil of choice (next to avocado) and it is what I used for this recipe. I like the fact that it is rich in antioxidants and high in healthy monounsaturated fat. It helps making this refried bean recipe much healthier!

Garlic can help prevent heart disease when consumed on a daily basis. We eat lots of garlic so I hope we keep a healthy heart!

Chili and Cumin Powder are two spices that go hand in hand with Mexican style cooking. Of the two, cumin is my favorite. I love the aroma, but the two together really compliment each other! They both have anti-inflammatory effects and can aid in weight loss.

Limes are one of my favorite citrus fruits. I love the aroma of a lime and the lime zest puts me over the moon happy. They are a good source of potassium and magnesium and they contain lots of vitamin C.

Tips and Substitutions 

• Make sure the pinto beans are rinsed and drained before using. Rinsing is done to remove the excess starch from the beans.
• Use 1 tablespoon of this homemade taco seasoning in place of the chili and cumin powder.
• Use a potato masher to mash the beans.
• Substitute black beans for pinto beans.
• Saute some onion or jalapeno pepper with the garlic to add to the refried beans.

Things To Make With Refried Beans

Refried beans are a great side dish on their own with any Mexican themed meal you may serve.  Below are some recipes you might want to use this homemade refried bean recipe with.

Grilled Stuffed Burritos

Serve refried beans as a layer in this Loaded Nacho recipe.

This Mexican Casserole has a layer of refried beans, use this homemade recipe in place of the canned beans.

Use this Refried Bean recipe in place of the black beans in Chipotle Butternut Squash Enchiladas.

*If you made this Homemade Refried Beans recipe, please give it a star rating*

Yield: 4

Homemade Refried Beans

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

Quick and easy to make right at home, refried beans are a great side to any Mexican meal.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans
• 1 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil In a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, or until lightly browned.  
2. Add the pinto beans to the skillet. Using a potato masher, smash the beans until desired consistency.
3. Stir in the, cumin, chili powder, salt, and lime juice. Cook for 5 minutes, or until beans are warmed through. 

Notes

Tips and Substitutions 

• Make sure the pinto beans are rinsed and drained before using. Rinsing is done to remove the excess starch from the beans.
• Use 1 tablespoon of this homemade taco seasoning in place of the chili and cumin powder.
• Use a potato masher to mash the beans.
• Substitute black beans for pinto beans.
• Saute some onion or jalapeno pepper with the garlic to add to the refried beans.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 128Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 285mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 4gSugar 0gProtein 4g

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy but will vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients you use. Please consult with your doctor regarding specific health needs.