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The homemade Refried Beans a delicate side dish that will satisfy your taste if you crave for something Delice from Mexican cuisine.

Refried Beans or “Frijoles Refritos”(its original name) is considered a dish of the Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine, although in each cuisine we could find mushed beans under different names. For example, in Georgia, this dish is called Lobio – mushed beans full of herbs (usually coriander), earthy spices, and walnuts. Refried beans are also a very popular dish in many Latin countries.

The Mexican style of Refried Beans is also preparing by frying mashed beans on vegetable oil but with minimal additives. This dish can be served as a main course or along with any Mexican meal.

Refritos are usually prepared from pinto beans, but this is not a rule. So, black or red beans will go well too.

Beans are affordable and very hearty ingredients. This is what Mexican people need, as Mexico is a poor country with big families. Beans are very healthy, as they provide a good source of protein. People who follow vegetarian and vegan diets use widely beans in their diet.

Actually I found this refried beans recipe while looking for something that will complement my beef tacos. I liked this dish at first glance so now it became a staple in our family. We can serve them with a burrito, quesadilla, tacos, near juicy stake or just as an appetizer with baked bread or tortillas. It is fantastic!

There is a wide choice in supermarkets of a canned already refried bean. Thus probably you are not ready to sacrifice your precious time to cook this dish. But I assure you once try and feel the difference in taste you will never be back to the canned stuff.

Why are they called Refried Beans?

Many people think that refried beans are twice-fried beans. Actually the term “refried” is misleading and it denotes “well-fried” or “intensively fried”. That means the prefix “re-” in Spanish. They are boiled, then fried and mashed or sometimes mashed and then fried.

Which beans are the best to use for Refried Beans?

Traditionally, for Mexican “Frijoles Refritos” are used the creamy and nutty pinto beans. But black and red beans can be used too.

How do you cook dry beans?

Saying the truth sometimes due to the insufficient time for cooking I am using canned beans. But usually, I prefer to cook from scratch every meal.

So if you intend to cook a dish from beans then you have to boil them first. I highly recommend you before doing this, soak beans. First, this will save your cooking time, as already well-hydrated and soften beans boil faster. Another reason why it is an important tip is that while soaking beans eliminates some of the sugar molecules that make them difficult to digest.

It is perfect to soak beans overnight (or at least 3 hours). During this time they will hydrate and double in size. So, beans are ready to be put to boil. A small remark – even if you didn’t hydrate beans they will boil anyway. It will take a little more time.

Now drain the soaked beans and transfer them in a boiling pan. Add water to cover the content and boil on medium heat. For better flavor add one onion, 1-2 bay leaves, and some whole black peppers. When beans are just barely tender add salt to taste. Boil the beans for about one hour. Do not throw away boiling liquid, you can use it if you are cooking refried beans or Healthy red beans recipe.

How do I make Refried Beans?

Once you boiled dried beans (or prepared canned one as I did this time) we can proceed to our Refried beans recipe.

Cut and chop one medium onion and 2 cloves of garlic ( OMG I love to add garlic everywhere it is possible, I think I am addicted). Fry vegetables with 4 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat until translucence. Then add 2 cans of beans. Season with salt (to taste), ⅛ tsp of ground pepper, ½ tsp ground coriander, ⅓ tsp of ground smoked paprika and ¼ tsp chilli flakes ( if you like more spice you can add more). Add ¼ cup of water (or liquid from boiling) and stew them for 15 minutes. This was the only fried part of this recipe.

Now transfer fried beans in a food processor and puree until mashed.

How to serve Refried Beans?

Refried beans should be served warm. Garnish with some cilantro or parsley, grab some tortilla or tortilla chips and enjoy!

Refried beans is a perfect ingredient for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, tostadas, taquitos, and more. This is a gread side dish for a suculen pice of meat.

How to store refried beans?

The refried dish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. But before make sure you cool down the dish and transfer it to a hermetic container.

You can freeze it too, but I would advise you to portion it. Then you can just grab your portion and reheat on medium heat either in a microwave or over the heat.

Tips:

This refried beans recipe is easy to customize, so feel free to make it the way you like: spicy or smoky.
You can add cheese like cedar or gouda.
Old beans take longer to cook, so try to find a source that will supply you with fresh dry beans.
If you do not have either a food processor or blender, you can easily mash beans with a potato masher.