Description
This Homestyle Pinto Bean Refried Beans recipe offers a traditional and flavorful way to prepare creamy refried beans from dried pinto beans. Slow-cooked with onions, garlic, jalapeño, and Mexican oregano, these beans are perfect as a side dish or a filling for Mexican-inspired meals.
Ingredients
Scale
For cooking the beans:
- 1 lb pinto beans dried
- 0.5 yellow onion halved
- 2 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 0.5 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- water enough to cover beans plus 3 inches
For the refried beans:
- 0.5 yellow onion finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 0.5 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.75 cup reserved bean cooking liquid
Instructions
- Sort and rinse beans: Sort through the dried pinto beans, removing any damaged beans or debris, then rinse them thoroughly under cold water.
- Combine ingredients for cooking: In a large pot, combine the rinsed beans, half of the yellow onion (halved), two smashed garlic cloves, bay leaf, half a teaspoon of dried Mexican oregano, one and a half teaspoons of kosher salt, and enough water to cover the ingredients by about three inches.
- Simmer beans: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the beans simmer gently for up to two hours until they are tender, adding more water if necessary to keep the beans submerged.
- Prepare aromatics: While the beans cook, finely chop the remaining half of the yellow onion, mince the remaining three garlic cloves, and finely dice the jalapeño pepper; set these aside.
- Drain beans: Once the beans are soft, carefully drain them through a colander placed over a large bowl to catch the cooking liquid; discard the bay leaf.
- Sauté aromatics: Return the empty pot to medium-high heat and warm the olive oil. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, jalapeño, the remaining half teaspoon of dried Mexican oregano, and one and a half teaspoons of kosher salt. Sauté for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens.
- Add beans to pot: Add the cooked beans to the pot and cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally to combine the flavors.
- Mix in cooking liquid: Pour in three-quarters of a cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid and stir everything together.
- Mash beans: Using a potato masher, mash the beans to your preferred texture—chunky or smooth. For a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender or regular blender, adding more cooking liquid if needed to reach the desired creaminess.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the refried beans and adjust the seasoning with additional salt if needed before serving.
Notes
- For creamier beans, use lard instead of olive oil.
- Adjust the jalapeño amount to control the heat level.
- Leftover beans can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Adding a squeeze of lime juice before serving brightens the flavor.
