Have you ever had refried beans that were so good that you wanted to just eat them plain out of a bowl? If you’ve been getting your refried beans out of a can, I’m going to guess you haven’t.
These (not) refried beans are that delicious. They have an incredibly complex flavor thanks to the jalapeño, chili, and other spices. The beans are so good and so flavorful, you’ll be tempted to serve them as your main dish. Dress them up with some roasted corn, crumbly cheese, and maybe some grilled zucchini and you can make a bowl out of them!
All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.
How to Use (Not) Refried Beans
This recipe makes about the same amount as three standard 15oz. size cans of refried beans. The left overs can be frozen so don’t worry about the large volume. You can use them as a chip dip, in a quick batch of Weeknight Enchiladas, to fill burritos, layered into a 7 Layer Dip, or more. These beans are versastile, so you’ll be glad you made a big batch!
How to Freeze Refried Beans
To freeze these beans first make sure you cool them completely in the refrigerator. Then, simply spoon them into a freezer bag in recipe-sized portions, squeeze out the air, and transfer to the freezer. I suggest about 1.5 cups per bag because this is roughly the same amount as a can of refried beans. Oh, and don’t forget to label and date the bags!
How to Make The Beans Less Spicy
My batch was just a tad on the spicy side, but I know not everyone is as big of a fan of spicy as I am. So, to make your refried beans less spicy, use half of a jalapeño and making sure you scrape out ALL the seeds. The jalapeño brings a lot of flavor with its heat, so I wouldn’t suggest nixing it all together. Just be sure to remove ALL of the seeds and white ribs on the inside of the jalapeño because that is where most of the heat lives.
Serve With: Homemade Tortilla Chips, Weeknight Enchiladas, Spiced Chickpea Tostadas
(Not) Refried Beans
Servings 9 about 1/2 cup eachIngredients
- 1 lb. dry pinto beans ($1.45)
- 1 medium onion ($0.42)
- 1 medium jalapeno ($0.13)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 tsp cumin ($0.10)
- 1/2 Tbs chili powder ($0.15)
- 10-15 cranks cracked black pepper ($0.05)
- 6 cups water ($0.00)
- 2-3 tsp salt ($0.05)
Instructions
- Spread the dry beans out onto a baking sheet to pick through them and remove any stones or bad pieces. Place the beans in a colander and rinse with cool water.
- Dice the onion. Cut the stem off the jalapeño, slice it open lengthwise, and remove the seeds and ribs by scraping with a spoon. Dice the jalapeño and mince the garlic. Place the onion, garlic, and jalapeño in the slow cooker along with the cumin, chili powder, and black pepper. Do not add the salt.
- Add the sorted and rinsed beans to the slow cooker along with 6 cups of water. Stir everything to distribute the seasoning. Secure the lid and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8. It’s okay if they cook longer, they’ll just be easier to mash.
- After cooking, remove about 1 cup of the water and reserve it in a bowl. Mash the beans and add the reserved water back in as needed. Make the beans a little thinner in texture than you’d expect because they will thicken as they cool. Season the mashed beans with salt, beginning with one teaspoon and adding more to taste. I used approximately 1 Tbsp but add a little at a time until you’re satisfied. Serve warm!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!The slow cooker I use is an older model, but the newer version of the same model is this Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Slow Cooker, 6 qt.
How to Make Slow COoker Refried Beans – Step By Step Photos
Start by sorting through one pound pinto beans to remove any stones or debris. Transfer the beans to a colander and give them a good rinse.
Dice one yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Cut the stem off one jalapeño, then slice it open lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and ribs. Dice the jalapeño. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño to the slow cooker along with 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 Tbsp chili powder, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 10-15 cranks of a pepper mill).
This is the chili powder that I use. It’s completely mild and contains very little salt. If you use another brand, it may have spicy red chiles in it, so be aware of the amount that you’re using and adjust accordingly.
Add the rinsed beans to the slow cooker.
Add six cups of water and give everything a stir.
Secure the lid and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours. After, it will look a little something like this. The longer it goes, the better because the beans will become more tender and easier to mash.
Stir everything up to see how much extra liquid is in the pot. Remove about one cup of water, but don’t throw it away.
Mash the beans with a potato masher or even use a hand mixer. Add more of the reserved liquid back in as you mash if needed. Mash until the beans are fairly smooth. Make them a little thinner than you’d think because when they’ll thicken up some when they cool down to eating temperature. Once mashed, it’s time to finally season with salt. This is when you’ll see the flavors pop. Start by adding 1 tsp of salt at a time until they get to where you like. I ended up using about 1 tablespoon (or 3 teaspoons) of salt.
Eat them with chips, in a burrito, or just with a spoon like I did! :P
Delicious! I think I will include ribs and seeds of jalapeño, or use two next time
My young people LOVE these beans. We use them throughout the week for tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, nachos, and burritos and sometimes just topped with cheese and served with chips for dipping. They freeze beautifully and my son says he’ll need this recipe when he goes off to college. I alternate making them in the slow cooker and Instant Pot and often add smoked paprika and/or Mexican oregano to the spices.
I made this recipe in my Instant Pot. I followed same ingredients, and same amount of water. Pressure cooked 40 minutes (35 prob would have been fine), natural released (about 35-ish minutes). I removed a lot of water before blending beans, may reduce to 4 cups next time. These beans are outstanding.
These are OUTSTANDING!
These are fantastic, Beth. Thank you for such an easy, healthy, delicious recipe!
Love love love this recipe! So simple but all the flavors really sing. And she’s not joking when she says you can just eat them with a spoon :) I’ve been making this since my college days about 10 years ago so you know they hold up. Thanks Budget Bytes team.
I love this recipe. I live on it as my cheap protein source most weeks!!
I just put all the ingredients in the crockpot and then reread the instructions and realized I added the salt in before the cook. Will it still work or do I need to dump everything out and start over?
It should be fine! ~Marion :)
I’ve used this recipe for years and always appreciate how tasty and economical of a dish it is. It’s a fraction of the cost of canned refried beans, wholesome, filling, and easy. Thanks for this one!!
Hi! Any suggestions if there’s no slowcooker (and the like) available? Just regular pots and pans…
Sadly, where I live refried beans aren’t anything you’d find in the grocery shops on a regular basis and if you do, it’s usualy only one not so great brand- or imports from overseas, which I find a tad wasteful for something I’d eat all the time if I could, so while they might not be the real stuff anyways- canned refried beans aren’t even an option. Heeeeelp!
Hi Mella. For slow cooking on a stovetop, use a large pot, ideally made of stainless steel or aluminum. Add the ingredients, cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently until beans are tender but firm. Most beans will cook in 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the variety and age of the bean. XOXO -Monti
I accidentally put the salt but only 2 teaspoons. Will it ruin the beans?
Hi! Could you swap tbe pinto beans for black beans?
Of course!
I’m vegetarian and eat a LOT of beans, and this is one of my favorite recipes. So easy, cheap, and delicious! I use it as the main component of taco salad.
This was delicious in my slow cooker!
I might try this in my Instant Pot next :)
So good every time