Welcome to your new favorite side dish: Refried Beans! These flavorful, creamy beans are perfect for any meal and super satisfying to make. Let’s dive into the details!
Cooking Tips
When cooking the beans, remember to keep an eye on them; the cooking liquid is your friend! If you prefer smoother beans, don’t hesitate to blend them!
Serving Suggestions
Serve them alongside tacos, burritos, or just enjoy them with some tortilla chips. Trust me, you’ll love it!
Ingredients
- Pinto Beans:
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Instructions
- Prepare the Beans:
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Step 1- Sort and Rinse the Beans: Place the beans in a colander and sort through them to remove and discard any stones or debris. Rinse well.
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Step 2- Cook the Beans: Place the beans in a large pot and add the water, onion wedges, cumin, salt, oregano, and several grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the water's surface, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Check the beans. If they are not fully tender, continue simmering, checking them every 15 minutes, until tender, up to 90 minutes more. Add water to the pot as needed if it begins to dry out.
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Step 3- Drain the Beans: Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Drain the beans into the strainer, reserving the cooking liquid in the bowl.
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Step 4- Sauté and Mash: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Stir in the beans and reduce the heat to low. Add ½ cup of the bean cooking liquid and use a potato masher to mash the beans until they reach your desired consistency, adding more cooking liquid, ½ cup at a time, as needed (I typically use 1 to 1½ cups). For smoother refried beans, blend the beans with an immersion blender or transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the lime juice. Taste and add more salt and lime juice as desired. (I typically add another 1 teaspoon salt and ½ tablespoon lime juice at this point.)
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Step 5- Serve: Serve as a side dish or try one of the serving suggestions in the blog post above. Store leftover refried beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They also freeze well.
Nutrition
- Calories: 120, Fat: 3g, Carbs: 20g, Protein: 6g
Cooking techniques
Simmering the beans gently helps them cook evenly and develop a rich flavor. Mashing or blending them to your desired consistency can make a big difference in the texture!
Variations or substitutions
Feel free to substitute black beans for pinto beans for a different flavor. You can also adjust the spices to suit your taste!
Storage tips
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage. Just reheat and enjoy!
Notes
Adjust the seasoning to your preference. These beans are versatile and can easily be customized!
