Description
Traditional Mexican Refried Beans made from scratch using dried pinto beans, slow-cooked until tender, then sautéed with aromatic onions, garlic, and jalapeño for a flavorful dish. Perfect as a side or filling for various Mexican meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Cooking Base
- 1 lb dried pinto beans
- ½ yellow onion (halved)
- 2 cloves garlic (smashed)
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- Water as needed to cover beans by at least 3 inches
Sauté Aromatics
- ½ yellow onion (finely diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely diced)
- 1 jalapeño pepper (diced)
- ½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil or lard
Optional Seasonings
- Squeeze of lime (optional)
- Pinch of cumin (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse and Sort the Beans: Spread out the dried pinto beans and remove any shriveled beans or debris. Rinse them thoroughly under cool running water to clean.
- Cook the Beans: In a large pot, combine the rinsed beans, half the yellow onion (halved), 2 smashed garlic cloves, bay leaf, half teaspoon of oregano, one and a half teaspoons of kosher salt, and enough water to cover the beans by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and simmer covered for 1½ to 2 hours until beans are very soft. Add more water if necessary during cooking to keep beans submerged.
- Prep the Flavor Base: While beans cook, finely dice the remaining half of the yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves, and the jalapeño pepper. Set aside these aromatics for later sautéing.
- Drain and Reserve Liquid: Once beans are tender, drain them through a strainer into a bowl to reserve the cooking liquid. Discard the bay leaf.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil or lard in the same pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, garlic, jalapeño, remaining oregano, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is softened and fragrant.
- Refry the Beans: Return the cooked beans to the pot with the sautéed aromatics. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat.
- Add Reserved Liquid and Mash or Blend: Add approximately three-quarters cup of the reserved bean liquid to the pot. Use a potato masher to mash the beans to a chunky texture, or blend with an immersion blender for a smoother consistency. Add more reserved liquid as needed to achieve your preferred thickness.
- Taste and Adjust: Taste the refried beans and adjust salt if necessary. For added flavor depth, optionally add a squeeze of lime juice or a pinch of cumin.
Notes
- Using lard instead of olive oil will give a more traditional Mexican flavor.
- Adding jalapeño seeds will increase the heat level of the beans; remove seeds for milder flavor.
- You can substitute Mexican oregano with regular oregano but flavor will be slightly different.
- Reserve the bean cooking liquid as it helps achieve creamy consistency when mashing.
- For vegan or vegetarian diets, use olive oil instead of lard.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: refried beans, Mexican beans, pinto beans, homemade refried beans, side dish, authentic Mexican
