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!
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!
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Equipment
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
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!