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!
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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
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
This was sooo easy and delicious! I left out the jalapeño because I’m a wimp and didn’t want to cut one up. I did add in a few dashes of cayenne for just a slight kick though. I think next time I won’t add back in any of the liquid because they were pretty thin and turned a little soupy when I reheated for burrito bowls. But delicious and made SO much, will def freeze probably at least half!
I prefer a sweeter flavor so I added some ketchup and a ton of sriracha. It made for amazing bean dip.
I’ve made this many times and it always turns out great. Freezes well too. No need to look for another recipe! I sometimes pull some whole beans out before mashing to use for different purposes. The spice level as written is perfect for our family.
We usually LOVE Budget Bytes recipes. This one did not turn out at all. Really soupy and an off taste.
The recipe includes removing water before purée and adding it back In afterwards to desired consistency.
I was surprised by how well this actually turned out because it was so easy. I left out the jalapeño and It still delicious! Thanks!
I love Budget Bytes! I’ve made a ton of Beth’s recipes over the years and have loved most of them (not all but that’s how it goes when trying new things). This is by far my favorite recipe, though. I love making these as a side for any Mexican main dish I’m making like chili rellenos. I prefer to mash them by hand so some whole beans remain which gives it a great consistency and flavor just like a good Mexican restaurant. Thanks Beth!
First time making refried beans and this was delicious! My boyfriend kept sneaking back to the crock pot for more.
I am interested in trying this but the calorie count (179k for 1/2 cup) seems disproportionately high. Looking at several canned varieties of fat free refried beans, they are around 100k for 1/2 cup so I am wondering if the math is wrong somewhere as there isn’t much in this recipe contributing calories besides beans.
The nutrition data provided is calculated using all ingredients listed on the recipe card, including any ingredient listed as optional. Keep in mind that recipes that involve marinades, breading, salad dressings, oil for frying, or salt for cooking pasta and potatoes may be skewed because some of these ingredients will be discarded and not included in the final edible portion.
The person who wrote the serving size and nutrition information forgot to specify that the nutrition information is for a 1/2 cup of DRY beans not prepared beans. 1/2 cup of dry beans will more than double in volume when cooked. The nutrition info provided here would be for over 1 cup prepared.
This is great recipe! After setting everything up in my slow cooker, I realized after 2 hrs that I had not plugged it in!! I transferred it to the stove top and cooked it there for 3+ hrs. Although it turned out great, it required more babysitting than the slow cooker. I made 1.5 times the recipe because I thought it wouldn’t be enough… It would have been plenty for the two of us! Luckily, we have leftovers! Thanks for a terrific recipe. I’ll be making this one over and over!!
I have tried this recipe many times and I LOVE it!!! I changed one thing. I have cooked a lot of crock pot beans over the years and I add salt to them before I cook them. They always turn out great!
I love this recipe! If I didn’t have a slow cooker and used canned beans – would this still work?
Yes but you’d have to let them sit on the stove longer to cook.
We love this one! We make a pot most every week. The only thing I do different sometimes is use canned diced green chilies instead of the jalapeno, since there’s always green chilies on hand. But either way, everyone loves it. It has totally ruined canned refried beans forever. The beans freeze great. (And sometimes we wait to mash the survivors until we’ve eaten the beans with some fried potatoes.) They have such a great flavor!
Thank you for the awesome review Shiny!
Excellent recipe. My husband currently can’t have hard foods, and can barely open his mouth. These beans were soft and yummy after cooking all night. We couldn’t wait, so I whipped them smooth with my immersion blender, and served with soft scrambled eggs on the side. I used Mayocoba beans from Rancho Gordo, which are not budget friendly, but they are a treat!
I’m happy to hear that you found something he can enjoy with you May.
I’ve made this over and over. I love that it’s easy, cheap, healthy, and freezes well! I replaced the jalapeno with a 4oz can of green chiles because I didn’t want it too spicy. I also used a stick blender to mash them. I usually make taquitos with this – refried beans + cheddar cheese in corn tortillas are a freezer staple of mine.
Happy to hear it Stacy!
This is my go to refried bean recipe. I normally make this in my Crockpot, however last night I had to make it on the stove-top for the first time. I soaked my beans for approximately 6 hours before cooking, drained the soaking water, and rinsed the beans. I added all ingredients to the pot except the salt. (I ended up needing around 7 cups water) I brought the water to a boil then turned the heat down and allowed the beans to simmer covered for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. (Stirring occasionally) When the beans were soft and most of the water was gone I added the salt and mashed. They came out perfectly just like cooking in the Crockpot. This is such a fantastic recipe. Thanks
Happy to hear it! Thanks for sharing!
I have always heard that beans should be soaked overnight in a brine before cooking. Reason being to reduce gas. Is there any particular reason you do not presoak your beans?? Have you noticed increased flatulency after eating your beans?
I don’t because I have personally never noticed even a slight difference in the way it affects my stomach. :) And I’ve tried many times with high hopes! Hahah But everyone is different.
I’ve a crock pot full of these right now, it’s at least the third time I’ve made them. Love them with a little cheese, salsa, and avocado for a really yummy high fiber (filling!) meal. I love things spicy so usually add a second diced jalapeno. Inexpensive, easy, low sodium, and delicious, what more could I want?
How many cups roughly of refried beans does this make??
Thanks!❤
About 4.5 cups
Has this been tested in an Instapot? Would I need to increase/decrease an ingredients? How about cooking time adjustments? Normally I love these from the slow cooker, but my husband broke the ceramic insert while washing it :(
I haven’t tried it in an IP, but there is some good info about converting slow cooker recipes to IP on hippressurecooking.com :)
I tried it out today and the results were good! I used the beans setting and it took about 80 mins using dry beans bc they were still a little hard after the pre-set of 40 mins. They may take even less time, I just did another 40 bc I was busy. I did end up with significantly more liquid than in the crock pot so I had to re-up the spices after I removed most of it, but otherwise worked out great!
Added a can of fire roasted tomatoes and reduced the water by one cup. I didn’t think they were too spicy even with the whole jalapeno, so I added a sprinkle of cayenne. I froze two cans worth and used the rest for breakfast tostadas – spread on a tortilla crisped in some butter, then top with a fried egg, some chopped tomato, and queso fresco.
Why do you even comment on a recipe when you just change up the whole thing. RUDE!!!
Thank you for sharing what you added! I love seeing all the ways I can use or modify a recipe.
If I used canned beans, should I skip the 6 cups of water? Or reduce it? I can’t wait to try these!!!!
Would it be possible to cook these in a bean pot instead of a slow cooker?
Yes, but I’d need to do some testing to figure out the proper liquid ratios and cooking times.
I’m looking forward to making your weeknight enchilada recipe and am wondering if I could substitute dried black beans for the pinto beans as I have a large back I need to use up? Thanks.
Yes, you can use the same technique with black beans. :)
I’m just curious as to if the recipe would work the same with a different kind of bean, black beans or kidney beans?
yes, it does!
My husband prefers half pinto and half black beans. Works great!
How long would these keep in the freezer?
There is no exact time limit since the lifespan of frozen goods varies on many factors, but I usually try to use them up within about three months. Frozen food slowly degrades in texture and flavor quality over time, rather than going straight from good to bad, so there’s quite a bit of grey area.
You just CHANGED MY LIFE. It’s 11pm and I literally just sat here and ate the beans straight out of the food processor with a spoon for about 10 minutes… while texting everyone to immediately go make some. Truly, thank you :)
But in all seriousness, my boyfriend’s family is Hispanic and they make the most delicious beans, however they are often full of lard, oil, and cheese. I’ve been wanting a healthy, vegan recipe (new vegan here) that didn’t sacrifice in flavor. This is hands down more flavorful and hearty than any other refried beans I have ever had. I will never go back.
You don’t know how happy your comment just made me. :)
I got a new crockpot for Christmas – an upgrade from my old one for sure- and used the medium setting for 6 hours, I think, they weren’t done. I put it on high for an hour after that, still not done. We went with Plan B for dinner and have the beans continuing in the crockpit on Hi for another 2 hours.
Not sure what the issue was. I didn’t add salt at the start, I know that can cause toughness. We’ll see how it goes, I’m encouraged by the above reviews!
Hi Erin, one of my friends, who was one of the best Mexican food cooks, said that when beans get old they get tough. She even remarked that the color of them is different. They are more pink while they’re cooking when fresh. When they’re older it means a longer cooktime. Maybe that was the problem with batch you made. I hope you tried again. 😊
Hi Erin, one of my friends, who was one of the best Mexican food cooks I’ve ever known, said that when beans get old they get tough. She even remarked that the color of them is different. They are more pink while they’re cooking when fresh. When they’re older it means a longer cooktime. Maybe that was the problem with batch you made. I hope you tried again. 😊
You don’t have to soak the pinto Beans over night ?
Nope! :)
This recipe is phenomenal – I have been eating these straight from the slow cooker with a spoon for hours. My only (extremely small) tweak was that I didn’t seed the jalapeno because I like a little bit of heat. Absolutely stellar. I think the genius of this recipe is adding the salt at the end, rather than earlier in the process. It brightens the flavor without bogging it down with a ton of salt earlier. I ended up using about 2.5 tsp of salt total. Thanks so much for sharing such a great recipe!
Has anyone tried these in the Instapot? I’m looking for pressure/timing/release method suggestions.
I just did a batch in my IP – sauteed the onion, garlic (used 4 cloves instead of two), and jalapeno for a bit, then added the rest of the ingredients. 45 minutes manual high pressure, natural release (probably could just do 25 minutes or so, but I did full NPR). Reserved about 1.5 cups of cooking liquid, blended with immersion blender, and added 2 tsp of salt plus some smoked paprika. Delicious! Thanks for a great recipe.
Great recipe, perfectly seasoned! We’ve had them in our tacos and on the side, and there is always enough left over for bean burritos for my lunches.
I left out the jalapeño and put in bacon and ciltantro and it came out amazing!
These made the best bean and cheese burritos. I’m feeling a little lazy right now and cooking isn’t on my priority list. It’s super simple to make a bean and cheese burrito and have a delicious meal. Thank you!
I love a good slow cooker pot of beans! We ate these with rice, a vinegar-y slaw, and pan-fried plantains. It was a delicious and super filling meal, which I realized halfway through is also vegan AND gluten free. Definitely keeping this meal in mind when I have to accommodate lots of diets.
These beans are amazing! I had to comment because yesterday I pulled some out of the freezer to serve to a guest I had over (in a burrito with greens, salsa, guac, cucumbers and very little else) and they reheated BEAUTIFULLY! So easy, so yummy. I left some seeds in the jalapeno for some heat.
I love this recipe. We make it often for the weeknight enchiladas and your black bean enchiladas. If I were to double this recipe, would I just double the amount of time on the slow cooker? Or instead of 8 hours on low, would 12 work? Thank you!
I made these today. OMG, I ate it with tortilla chips right out of the still-steaming crockpot because I couldn’t wait! SO GOOD. I used the whole TBSP of salt, but used Kosher salt, and it was perfect (to us). My question is about freezing- I know it says 9 servings, But about how much do you put into a freezer bag/container? Maybe 1 cup or 1 1/2 cups? Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes!
This is my second recipe I have tried from the Budget bytes site and again I am so excited! I am on a sodium restricted diet and canned refried beans are not on my shopping list because of the sodium content. Last night before I went to bed, I put all the ingredients for this recipe in my crockpot. When I woke up this morning, the house smelled so good and finishing the refried beans was a snap. The taste…well, I certainly have been missing out, there will never be another can of refried beans in my pantry and weekday enchiladas are on my menu for tonight (another budget byte recipe)! My foodie world just got a little bit broader. Thank you so much!
These were delicious! I used the immersion blender for about 1/2 of the mashing and then finished with a potato masher for a chunkier texture. I thought 1 TBSP of salt was perfect to bring out all the flavors! I did sub 1 cup of water for vegetable broth and would consider increasing that a tad in the future. I just love the ease of this recipe and that it doesn’t use oil or lard.
We used in your Weeknight Enchiladas for our NYE dinner and it was delish. Thanks, Beth!
REALLY GOOD although something went a little wonky with mine. Full disclosure, I use a smaller slow cooker bc I’m lazy and cleaning the bigger one is hard. Put the recipe on at about 10pm on low and happened to wake up at 3am so I checked them… they weren’t very different from when I put them in… decided to just trust it. When I got out of bed at about 6:30 they didn’t look like they’d be done in time for me to leave for work so I turned them up to high for the last hour. That worked and they blended nicely with an immersion blender. They were a little bland to me, to be honest, so I think next time I’ll up the spice content a little. I also have had luck with other refried beans adding some chicken better n’ bouillon paste to make them taste a little more like restaurant beans. I didn’t try that this time bc I wanted to really try the recipe but I think I’ll go with that instead of the salt next time. A lovely base recipe! Thanks!
this was the best ever!! :) modified the recipe based on what i had on hand and yet, it turned out so good, I ended up eating it like you: out of the bowl with a spoon :)
I used canned kidney beans with 1 chopped onion, pickled jalapenos, red chili powder, cumin powder and a clove of garlic and just let it cook with some water in the microwave for 4-5 min. mashed it all up with a hand blender and it was just amazing.
I am sitting here waiting for it to cool down so I can make a proper burrito and it eat it with the salsa i made earlier.
thank you for all the awesome recipes! You are my go-to blog for everyday ideas.
These beans are really good! Ive made this recipe multiple times and they’ve turned out really well every time! Recently I have been using chipotles+adobo sauce instead of raw jalapeño and it still comes out really well. Thanks!
I’ve made these beans in the slow cooker & I loved them! I’d like to try making them in the instant pot as well. Any tips on how to adapt the recipe?
These beans are very tasty and easy to make. The only slightly hard part is mashing them. I love that they’re healthy since there’s no lard or oil. The beans also freeze well and taste good after thawing in the fridge.
I use an emersion blender. 5 seconds later and they’re a great consistency.
I’ve been dying to make these forever (love your site) and FINALLY got my hands on some pinto beans. I don’t have a slow cooker though, if I roasted the vegetables then dumped them in a big pot with the pinto beans would it still work? I adore refried beans in restaurants (especially vegan ones), but mine always kind of suck.
I don’t think you’d get the nice definition of flavor that you get with the roasted vegetables separate from the beans. They’ll all kind of blend together. I’d cook the beans separately for sure. :)
Thanks! Going to try it tomorrow :)
These are wonderful. The kids and the hubby love them too. Thanks for a great recipe. Doubled my batch and have them waiting for us in the freezer.
I actually put some beef in this (it was almost like these cubes, can’t remember what exactly they are called) just as I turned it on, the beef became like pulled pork after and it went so well with rice! I do prefer the vegan red beans and rice but this is splendid.
OMG, that sounds delicious!
I LOVE this recipe! Super easy – no tinned taste and I can control the heat and spice. My 8 year old eats them PLAIN and while they work beautifully in the weeknight enchiladas, we use them in quesadillas too. And the recipe makes enough for 2 giant enchilada batches and then some for quesadillas or nachos too.
These beans are EPIC. Never going to buy another can of refried beans again!
Serves 9? lol… nah This stuff is too good and I may have had a little more than that. This is too good. I was super upset that it wasn’t at first, but then remembered I forgot to add the salt. Then I ignored the whole “start with 1 tsp at a time” and went right to the Tbsp. Next time I’ll listen as it was a little too much for my liking, but still some of the best beans I’ve had. So thank you! I also browned some beef, garlic, and a Tbsp of your taco seasoning and added about 16oz of these beans and made some burritos.
These are so good! I actually cooked them in my oven because I didn’t feel like washing my slow cooker. They turned out great. I’ll make these from now on instead of buying canned.
I accidentally bought pinto beans with ham flavoring :/ …thoughts? Should I wait and buy plain pinto beans or give it a try with the ham flavored ones?
Are they dry beans or canned? This recipe calls for dry beans. If they’re dry beans that are labeled “ham flavored”, there’s a good chance that the flavoring is in a packet somewhere in the bag, kind of like how ramen noodles have a flavor packet. If that’s the case, you can just toss the packet. :) If they’re dry beans that are somehow flavored with ham another way, I don’t think that would be a bad flavor in this dish. I’d just go ahead and use ’em.
They are dry beans! I would have never thought that there is probably a packet in there to make them ham flavored?! Thanks for the tip. I just postponed the recipe to this week’s menu, but glad to know either way it will taste good and I don’t have to buy more. I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for the quick response. Every recipe I have tried of yours has been a huge hit in my house!
So easy and delicious! I cooked them for 5 hours on HIGH in the crockpot. The house smelled delicious while these were cooking. Very quick to throw together, and the beans were so tender and mashed easily. I didn’t need to use too much of the cooking water to get a good consistency. I only needed to use about 1/2 tablespoon of the salt, and it was plenty salty for our tastes. This makes a huge bowl. I plan on using some in tonight’s Weeknight Enchiladas, and will likely freeze the extra beans in Ziploc bags.
Using soaked beans: I weighed the beans after an overnight soak and found that they take on about 2 cups of water. So. . . Use 4 cups of water instead of 6 to get the recipe results right. 1 lb of beans weighed 17 oz which is closed enough to 2 cups of water. Delicious!
Instead of mashing, do you think I could use an immersion blender? Or would that make it too runny?
Yes, that would work great! I actually used my hand mixer for this last batch and that also worked. :)
SERIOUSLY. So, so good. Just made them, and will be putting some into the enchiladas tonight. I have tried some other slow cooker refried bean recipes, but this is by far the best.
Hi Beth, I was wondering if I could substitute the pinto beans for aduki beans. Do you have any idea?
Thanks so much for all the great work you do for us all :)
To be honest, I’ve never cooked aduki beans. :) I think this could work with a variety of different beans, though.
Me neither :) It’s just that my grocery store was out of pinto beans and my girlfriend came home with aduki beans! This recipe is on my schedule for Saturday so we’ll have to wait to find out! :)
Yeah, I came here to ask that. What beans would work besides pinto beans? They don’t really sell these in Holland and I’m quite new to the bean-game. They do sell a variety of beans, just not pinto beans. I’d love to try and make refried beans, since I only know them from popculture :D
Black beans are quite nice with these flavors. :)
I don’t suppose there’s any reason to think this technique won’t work with dry black beans is there? I already have those on hand and my mouth is watering!
Any Tex-Mex type are beloved around here so this weeks recipes have made you a hero in our house:)
I’ve done it with black beans. :)
Yay! A reason to pull out the slow cooker AND restock the freezer!
I am not a bean eater. Not at all. Those beans are just something they put on your plate at mexican restaurants to make it look like you have more food.
Until I tried these. Unbelievable. I CRAVE them. If they are in the fridge, I keep making excuses to go out and eat a spoonful. Cold, hot, whatever! Oh and they make AMAZING 7 layer dip.
I don’t like spicy, so I substituted canned green chiles for the jalapeno.
Fabulous!
Yay! I’m so glad you’re a bean convert! Hahahah. They’re so delicious and good for you. :D
i must really have a tolerance for spicy… i always add at least three jalapenos with the seeds and light green flesh part into my beans and sometimes they arent spicy enough! I dont have a slow cooker but i cook pintos on the stove at a slow boil covered for two hours, uncovered for the last, and black beans for three hours covered, uncovered for the final and fourth hour. Hope this helps anyone without a slow cooker
I’ve made this recipe three times now, I love it. I’ve been considering mixing things up and using black beans though. Would this recipe work OK with black beans as is, or do you think anything would need to be adjusted?
I think it should work with black beans. They may take a bit longer to break down, though.
This is now my new staple refried beans recipe! Turned out delicious and oh so healthy!
Just found your site and really love it!!
Quick question about this recipe – in New Zealand (where I live) the most common way to buy beans is in cans. These are uncooked and just in water. Do you know if these canned beans would still work with this recipe? I worry that since they are already moist, it may ruin things.
Any thoughts much appreciated!
Correct, this recipe is for dry beans only. Using canned beans would require changing the liquid to bean ratio and, unfortunately, I couldn’t say exactly what ratio to use without testing it out.
Thanks – I’ll see if I can find any dry beans hiding!
Am I the only one who drinks the bean water? Don’t sleep on it, it’s delicious! And so are the beans of course!!
This is going to sound stupid but,how long to I cook them if i am not using a slow cooker? Mine broke on Monday after having it for 10 years and I have not gotten a new one yet.
Hmm, I’m not sure, but I think if you simmer them on the stove it might take a few hours. You’ll have to just keep checking them to see if they’re fall apart tender.
Thanks. Bye the way I love your site!! Everything we, my son and I, have eaten is great.
I cook beans all the time without a slow cooker. I don’t use cumin, jalapeno pepper or chilli pepper. I give the beans an overnight soak or at least 6 hour soak. I do use 1 or 1/2 a bay leaf.
Combine the beans, garlic, onion, and bay leaf in a pot. Add enough water to reach about 1 1/2 inches over the beans. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Add more water if the beans are absorbing too much liquid. The beans should be soupy when done, with plenty of liquid remaining. Season the beans with salt and pepper, to taste. I usually freeze. I use throughout the week by reheating in a small pot. I add water if needed and smash with a potato smasher. No frying needed.
I will never buy canned beans again! I soaked, rinsed, and boiled mine (yes, I have to do everything the hard way). I reserved about 3 cups of the bean wage after cooking. I cooked the onion, jalepeno, garlic, and spices on the stove. Then I put everything in a food processor in batches and added the reserved water as needed. I added more salt am cumin to mine. These were awesome. Used some for your taco pizza and then vacumned packed and froze the leftovers. Yum! Thank you!!
Bean water, not wage. Smh, bean wage….I pay in beans!
I accidentally bought pink beans instead of pinto beans (I was distracted by news that there had been a fire in the grocery store that day!). Can I use pink beans for this recipe?
Hmm, I’ll be honest, I don’t know. I’ve never cooked pink beans before. :P
I made these and I will NEVER buy canned beans again.
They taste SO much better and I usually have most of this stuff on hand so they end up being cheaper too.
Thanks for this recipe.
I’d never tried refried beans before (live in UK) but love slow cooker recipes so gave it a go.
I was 90% happy with the result. I kind of guessed at 5/6 cloves of garlic, but I think it was a bit too much as that was the main smell/flavour. Also only had chilli flakes, not powder so i think more than I used would have been better. I would probably use a whole jalapeno next time too.
This is all down to personal taste obviously!
Also, I filled the slow cooker the night before then just turned it on in the morning, don’t know if that affected the end result or not?!
Great website by the way.
I’ve always been taught to rinse the beans after an overnight soak. And start the cooking with fresh water.
I do the same!
Raw beans of any type are actually mildly poisonous. You soak the beans to activate enzymes that will destroy the toxins/to wash the toxins away. So, yes, not rinsing the beans will make them have a different flavor. They taste much, much better if you rinse them after soaking.
Can you use this recipe without a slow cooker? I have a rice cooker, but no slow cooker right now.
I don’t know if beans can be cooked in a rice cooker, but you can probably boil them on the stove top, although it will take a few hours.
First off Beth, I have to give you props for making homemade refried beans in a slow cooker, and to me, that idea is BRILLIANT!! I’m used to buying refried beans in a can, but I’m willing to try the homemade version. Is it possible that I can freeze the refried beans, and if so, how long will it last in the freezer?
Yes, beans freeze reall well! :) I usually try to use up frozen goods within about three months because I find that they start to dry out and lose quality after that, but there’s no solid rule about how long it will last.
I’ve made these beans so many times it’s silly. I have the recipe memorized and they’re in the crockpot right now. Everyone loves them! I prefer to leave them whole instead of mashing…if the leftovers need to be mashed i can do it then. I refuse to buy canned refried beans any more. Thank you so much!
This is the first recipe I’ve made here that I wasn’t fond of, which surprised me seeing all the raving reviews. The taste just was not up to par with actually fried beans. They were certainly well seasoned, but there was no denying that it just tasted like mashed pinto beans. I put them in burritos and they tasted fine, just more like boiled, seasoned beans like the ones from chipotle. Some people really like that taste, so I imagine that’s where all the positive reception is from. I’m giving this recipe a low score not because I think it’s inherently a bad recipe, but because it does not live up the hype of being like traditional refried beans like those you might find at a good Mexican restaurant.
I don’t want to sound rude, but refried beans are made from pinto beans!!!
Um, yes, I know pinto beans are what go into refried beans. I have made them before, as a matter of fact, but thanks for pretending that I must be stupid to not like this recipe even after saying I believed it was a matter of personal taste. These do not have the taste of genuine refried beans. Like many recipes that rely on frying, the fat contributes much of the flavor assosciated with them. This is NOT a bad recipe, but it is being disingenuine to say it tastes the same as real refried beans.
I NEVER said that you’re stupid, so there’s no need for you to put words in my mouth!!!!
Should have been five stars:)
These are our very favorite refried beans! We all love them- the husband, and 7, 5 and 1 year olds! We always easy refried bean nacho salads when we make these beans and dinner is eaten without one complaint! It’s one of my favorite nights:) I never keep jalapeños on hand so I always use a can of green chilies instead and it tastes awesome! Thank you for your recipes Beth! I always like what I cook from your site!!
I noticed that this recipe is nearly identical to the one that was linked and recommended to you, from the site allrecipes.com, by a previous commenter. I find your site incredibly helpful, but I also think it’s important to honor those who originate the recipes even when slight modifications are made.
I don’t see the link you’re referring to, but I assure you, as a long time blogger I appreciate the importance of giving credit where credit is due. If I had worked off of another recipe, I would have cited it.
YUM! Made these for the second time today, turned the leftovers from dinner into many frozen bean burritos for quick lunches. Thanks for sharing the budget friendly yums! I’ve pinned many of your recipes!
If you try these and they don’t turn out – TRY AGAIN! Not sure what happened the first time, they were okay, but very pale and kinda tasteless. Followed the recipe exactly.
This time I tried them – they were out of this WORLD! One difference I noticed was that after several hours in the crock, the top layer of beans was darker in color than the beans on the bottom, so every few hours I’d stir them up. Made a nice dark tan color in the end. That didn’t happen the first time so I’m wondering if I just didn’t cook long enough? Or maybe the onion I used was larger? Or maybe just a different brand of pinto beans?
Also I throw these in the food processor once they are done cooking and I never seem to need to get rid of or add any liquid. Whatever is left in the crock at the end of the cooking time is just enough to help the beans blend up perfectly in the food processor.
If you’re worried about spice – DON’T. Like Beth said, as long as you are getting rid of the seeds and ribs, you’ll get a great flavor without the spice.
Or maybe the pinto beans were older… even if you just bought them. Beans that are older take longer to cook. :>)
So I soaked beans for 24hrs… how would I make this with already soaked beans? Crock pot or stove? And whats the weight ratio to a can.. like ___cooked = 15oz can
It will need less water if they’re already soaked, but I’m not sure how much less. I’d need to experiment. I think 1.5 cups is about equal to one can. usually one pound of beans makes about 3 cans worth, but it may be different if they’re mashed.
Utterly fantastic!! Another winner. I zipped mine through the food processor to make it smooth. Made some great bean dip and taco filling!
This is about the fourth time I have made this recipe but I always use black beans. I’ve tasted the refried black beans with jalapeño from Trader Joes and they are awesome but this is way cheaper and tastes better. Yumm!
I made these today and they turned out fab…as your recipes always do! I noticed that I had quite a bit of the cooking liquid left over even after keeping them thin like you said. It seemed a shame to just pour it down the drain, but I couldn’t think what else to do with it. (I had at least two cups worth.) Any thoughts?
Hmm, I don’t know. I wonder if you could use it in a soup?
Great news! I DID make a soup using the liquid from the beans, a can of diced tomatoes (I drained), 3 oz, cooked turkey sausage (removed from casing), half a bag of frozen spinach and about 2 cups of cooked brown rice. It was so delicious that I recently made the beans again just so that I could also make the soup again. I added a bit of homemade vegetable broth the second time because it needed more liquid. And these beans are awesome in your taco pizza, btw.
That should have said a can of tomatoes UNDRAINED. Stupid autocorrect!
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing how it turned out! :D
I love this! I make this for my coworkers when we have potlucks at work. They can’t get enough! I love this! It’s good on its own or as a simple bean dip. Thanks Beth! I can’t wait to buy your book! :)
I tried this recipe in February for a crowd after finding it on Pinterest. Everyone loved it, I’ve been making it ever since. What has made this a staple for me, is freezing it in silicon muffin liners in a muffin tray. Pop them out, store in a freezer baggie and I can just grab a “bean muffin” to make the kids a quesadilla for lunch. I’ve even snuck greens into the recipe at the end when I blend with an immersion blender and no one is the wiser that they are getting a healthy does of green veggies. Thank you for a wonderful blueprint, and I have now been able to explore your awesome site and really enjoyed everything we tried!
Love the ideas of the muffin cups and the immersion blender. I’ll also try adding some spinach in at the end when it’s in season. Thanks!
I followed your suggestion for the muffin liners and it was such a great way to freeze these in individual portions! Thanks!
Oh man another winner. This was good. So good. I made some for tacos and it was beyond delicious. I cooked the beans on low for 8 hours and added some cilantro and oregano from my garden. I am already thing of stuff to add to this.
My first recipe in my new apartment! Thanks again for an amazing, never-fail recipe!
I love Mexican food. Store bought caan beans have gotten so expensive. I’m making these.
Wow! Such depth of flavour. This is a keeper.
Fabulous recipe, thank you so much!
One variable in beans softening is age. The longer they sit, the dryer they get so old beans need more cooking time and liquid to soften properly. That’s one of the selling points at Rancho Gordo–fresher beans. (Besides their heirloom varieties.) It makes a big difference. I’d cook older beans on a stove top or in a pressure cooker where you can vary the heat if needed.
Anonymous – as long as you have a slow cooker that is big enough to hold a double recipe, it will still work fine :)
Can you double the recipe? and have it come out ok?
I add my refrieds to warmed tortillas topped with some cheese, a dribble of ketchup, a blop of sour cream and a runny fried egg. Best cheap breakfast ever!
I just finished my monthly batch of beans – these have become a staple in our house! SO (so, so, so, so, so) good, and so versitile; 1000% better than anything out of a can!! In fact, I made my daughter a bean burrito last night (she doesn’t love the Chorizo & Sweet Potato Enchilladas yet) and had to use canned beans. Even though I used the brand that used to be her favorite, she took one bite and said “Mom, these aren’t your beans, are they? These are kinda weird.” I love that I can feed these to her and feel great about what she’s eating, and she thinks she’s getting a treat. I can’t thank you enough for this recipe. . . again!
I finally made this (after it had been sitting in my bookmarks for months). These are the best beans I have ever had. I still can’t believe they don’t have any oil or added fat. You are amazing!
Rebecca – Yep, that would work. They do have a slightly different flavor because they’re pickled (salt and vinegar), but I think that flavor would still be great!
Do you think I could use canned jalapenos? I want to make these, but that’s all I have on hand!
Thanks!
These are great we make them all the time. I substitute canned jalapenos for the fresh and add a couple tablespoons of the juice. Delicious!
Great recipe! The only thing I would change is less salt. I would probably put in 1 teaspoon and see how you like it. I love how easy this was!
Anon – There should be plenty of water to last the entire cooking time. The lid on the slow cooker helps prevent the liquid from evaporating away. In fact, there is so much water that I removed some of it before mashing the beans up. I hope that helps!
While cooking do you add water when it cooks down?
Just made these…so easy and SO good!
Dan – Actually, letting it soak should have made it cook/soften faster. If you added salt before cooking, that can prevent them from getting soft, but I’m sure you saw that in the instructions. I’m beginning to wonder if the mineral content in people’s water affects how well the beans cook because a good number of people couldn’t get their slow cooker baked beans to soften either. Those are the only things I can think of. Hopefully cooking them on high for a little longer helped!
OH would it have made a difference that I let the mixture soak in the pot a little bit before I started cooking? Everything sat in the pot for several hours before I turned on the slow-cooker.
I was really excited to try this out and I followed all the directions and stuff but after 8 hours on low in my slow cooker, the beans were still a little firm. I decided to start mashing them anyway, and after mashing, etc. everything was a lot different than your photos :(. The mixture was much lighter and not as creamy. It also didn’t taste that good. I put in some of the water that I took out, thinking that could make a difference, but it didn’t. I have it in the slow cooker again(with a little more bean-water), and I plan on cooking the mixture on high a little more. Perhaps that will bring them to the right consistency/flavor.
@Holly – It’s best to *never* cook red kidney beans from dry in a slow cooker! There’s a toxin that doesn’t get fully cooked out due to the low heat level. Other types of beans are okay. Here’s more info: http://www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/foodborneillness/foodborneillnessfoodbornepathogensnaturaltoxins/badbugbook/ucm071092.htm
So much healthier than out of a can!
You weren’t kidding. I ate these out of the bowl.
So. Delicious.
thanks for sharing! what a great site you have. Thanks again
Bah. I didn’t have any pinto beans on hand, so I ended up using red kidney beans…bad call. The consistency is weird and lumpy and I dunno, they just taste ok, but nothing stellar (and I’ve had really stellar refried beans!). I think I’m going to recycle them into sloppy joe filling or something.
ecoteri – I didn’t use a pressure cooker simply because I don’t have one yet ;)
how come you aren’t using a pressure cooker for your beans? they do such an amazing job, my partner who has always stove-topped the beans has been converted in only a few months to swearing by pressure cooked beans. soft and supple in under two hours (many in just an hour) and yummy. no problems with beans not getting soft…
how come you aren’t using a pressure cooker for your beans? they do such an amazing job, my partner who has always stove-topped the beans has been converted in only a few months to swearing by pressure cooked beans. soft and supple in under two hours (many in just an hour) and yummy. no problems with beans not getting soft…
I have been looking for a way to make pink beans like my husbands mother but they never seemed to come out right. I used this slow cooker recipe with a few changes to make them and they turned out great! Not only can I serve them over rice but they also are yummy mashed up for refried beans. Thanks for the technique.
These are AMAZING. I can’t imagine buying refried beans again. Thanks Beth, for showing once again, that homemade is less expensive, EASY and tasts GREAT.
Scott and Danielle – you could use the method that I used for these quick seasoned black beans. It should work great!
I have a whole bunch of canned pinto beans. Could I use canned beans to make this and how would it change how I make it?
Just made these – SO GOOD. Thanks so much!
You can definitely use a pot, just simmer them until they’re tender and then proceed as usual. I’ve never used a rice cooker for anything but rice, so I’m not sure if that would work.
Can I use a pot or rice cooker instead of a slow cooker?
I made these and then made the freezer burrito idea that you posted as well! Turned out awesome!
http://melizerd.blogspot.com/2012/01/food-i-made.html
http://melizerd.blogspot.com/2012/01/notrefried-bean-burritos.html
Thanks so much! Up next is the English Muffins! Wish me luck!!
Ashley – I’ve never had charro beans, but I bet these would taste just as good un-mashed… and adding extra herbs can never hurt! :) Your idea for cooking a double batch and mashing half is also great!
I’m trying to find a great recipe for Mexican style pinto beans (charro beans to us Texans). I would assume they would be great not mashed as well, right? I was thinking of adding cilantro and oregano. :) Or doing two lbs, and leaving one pinto and mashing the other lb.
This is a great and healthy recipe, that is super versatile. I added some green pepper to the pot while it cooked, and it added a nice flavour, to an already superb dish. I froze some of the mix into single serving portions, made some freezer burritos, and spread some leftovers on toast, with a tomato and an egg for a super quick and yummy breakfast. I am trying to eat less meat, so this is a great recipe to not only eat well, but also meatless! I have your Beef Taco in the crockpot as I write this, and can’t wait to try that for dinner. Smells wonderful! I am soooo glad I found your blog. :-)
Yummm! I love refried beans and these look wonderfully easy! Thank you :)
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My husband is determined to use lard in his homemade beans, the thought makes me want to hurl. Can’t wait to try these, they look awesome.
Amy – I think the best way to freeze these are in small re-sealable containers like ziplock or glad. That way you can just place them in the refrigerator for a day to thaw or microwave them. I usually freeze my stuff in single serving size portions or in 2-3 serving portions. That way you can thaw only what you need and keep the rest frozen. Hope that helped!
Anon – These beans will still be great without the jalapeno!
I don’t like spicy stuff. How would this be if I left out the jalapeno?
Just wondering how I would freeze this and reheat them. I am new to the “cooking” game.. and trying to make things up and have them stocked in the freezer..
tried this recipe just last night…it was AMAZING! I love all things mexican food and refried beans are not so good for you…especially from a can. However, this is such a healthier option! Thanks so much for sharing it:)
I have made these twice and love them.
My husband has made these beans about four times since this recipe has been posted…and he usually at least doubles it. So, I guess you can say it works out well for us. I’ve NEVER liked refried beans before these! Wow! I’m going to make another batch now to make into freezer burritos that he can take to work.
We have found that the time it takes to cook the beans all the way down is worth it in flavor. Not absolutely revolutionary, but there’s a noticeable impact. Hubby forgot to skim out the water one time before he mashed them, so we just let it cook down. That “bean water” makes a difference!
I just made these tonight for dinner!! They are absolutely the best (not)refried beans I’ve ever had! Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Thanks for the recipe. I found this on Pinterest and tried it over the weekend. Made taco pizza tonight and burritos for tomorrow. I think I need a better mashing technique next time, mine didnt end up as smooth as I’d have liked. But, they were tasty. Def. Worth the effort. Thanks!
This is an amazingly easy, cheap and DELICIOUS recipe! Thank you so much :) I just made my second batch and it’s my new favorite recipe. I’m trying out a wheat-free diet, so this plus corn tortillas is a delicious, healthy winner. Yays!
I made this recipe with black beans and it was delicious. I served it with some cojito cheese on top. This is a keeper. Thanks for your delicious and easy recipes!
Rose – about 5 days or so (until it gets that bad bean stink!) But, it freezes wondefully!
How long will this last in the fridge? I can’t wait to try this!!
Shalin – Unfortunately I don’t know much about canning :( But dry beans should stay good in your pantry for quite some time as long as you keep them sealed tight… or you can make a big batch and just stock your freezer.
I have been looking for a (not) refried bean recipe that I can use for canning. Would you know how I could change it around to do that? I have a HUGE bag from Costco and need to can them really soon!
I live on the Gulf Coast and it’s hard to buy things such as potatoes, onions, bread, etc. I keep my beans, any kind in the fridge. It seems to help them last longer.
This was great! Thank you for sharing. I also really enjoy the aspect of no added fat.
Great!! One of your best to date. You keep coming out with great food. A++
Thank you SO much!! This looks like a great recipe! I love working with dry beans & love the slow cooker. I have discoverd (slowly as I’m not a very good cook) how yummy homemade food is and I especially like that I can control fat & sodium intake and so forth. Great blog!
JSMDOLL – yep, it will work with black beans! I was planning on doing that in the near future, too :) I love refried black beans from the can so I can only imagine how awesome they’d be made fresh!
Will this work with black beans does everyone think? I don’t really like the flavor of pinto beans…at least I don’t think I do. I’ve never had anything other than mass-produced pinto bean foods…Scratch that – I think I’ll try it anyways and see:o)
PS: LOVE LOVE LOVE the new hairdo!
They are sitting in my fridge “cooling” at this very moment. I let them cook overnight and used my immersion blender to mush it all up. Can’t wait to make…something…anything…with them tonight! Thanks for the great idea, I love eliminating all gobs of salt from bean recipes!
Shady – one pound of dry beans is about 2 cups. The recipe is pretty forgiving, though, so if you’re over or under a bit it won’t make much of a difference :)
Looks like the comment I posted the other day didn’t work. I buy in bulk so I’m not sure how much 2lbs of beans are. Can you give an approximate measurement in cups? Thanks
I will be bookmarking this and coming back to it for sure. I’m a beans anytime girl, but they are a particular favourite once there’s a bit more of a chill in the air at night.
Wow I’ll have to try this. I’m the only person who likes refried beans and I end up wasting most of the can since it never gets eaten. This way I could make it from scratch and freeze it into individual portions. I’ll have to try this out soon!
Love this. I have made refried beans from canned pinto beans, but I love that this recipe uses the dried beans and a crock pot! The spices in this sound wonderful and the pictures look great! These are also so much healthier than the canned because of the sodium content – thanks for this recipe!!
I am a bean-a-holic. Can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
Word. Slow cooker beans are so easy and tasty! I like to add a bit of grated cheese to mine as well… maybe it’s just an Oregon thing. I also like a few dried chipotles and a bit of tapitio in mine.
I’m a bit surprised though that 1lbs of pinto beans cost so much; out here they are only $0.79 per 1lbs bag!
@ Anonymous…A 15 oz can or Little Bear Organic refried beans was $2.75 at the store. Dry pinto beans in the natural food section were $.99 a pound. I usually cook 3-4 pounds at a time. Pre-soaking them cuts down the cooking time. I soak about 8 hours, usually. @BB…My recipe is a lot like yours , with the onions and spices, but we keep it mild. When mashed and cooled I pack them into 1, 2 and 4 cup freezer containers. When the children stop by they usually take a couple home with them. I need to do this again, almost out.
I have never tried the slow-cooker. We have a gas cook top so just simmer on low for as long as it takes. I think the quality of the finished product far outweighs the price of the cooking, though I can’t imagine it adds that much, especially when cooking a large batch at once.
Funny I just made a nearly identical recipe for the first time a few weeks ago for a Mexican themed party. They were so good. I thought about making up another batch and freezing them in meal sized portions.
Ah-Mazing!!!! I LOVE beans. My husband, he hates that I love beans ;) Making these this weekend for a party.
I’ll be making these this week, I’ve only ever had canned so I’m interested on how much better they are :) And to Anon, a slow cooker costs like 2 cents an hour to operate…or some low number like that.
Oh, homemade beans are worth the effort and whatever else! A crockpot uses very little energy anyway… and Beth, I like to stir cheese into mine! Mmmm mmm mmmm.
Using gas or electric for so many hours will add to the cost making as opposed to buying already cooked. Sometimes its not worth the effort and expense ?
These look wonderful! I’ve never worked with dry beans before – you make it look easy!