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Gracious Cooking

Easy Vegetarian Refried Beans With Canned Pinto Beans

This is the easiest and tastiest refried beans recipe out there. Two cans of pinto beans make this recipe a snap, while jalapeños, onions, garlic and spices add bold flavors. Add these refried beans to tacos, or eat them with chips for a tasty midnight snack.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer, Condiment
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoons neutral oil canola, vegetable, grapeseed oil, etc.
  • ½ medium to large yellow onion diced
  • 1 fresh jalapeño pepper finely diced. Use more or less depending on your spice preferences. The seeds and ribs will add more heat.
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder optional. Adds smokiness and heat.
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 16 oz cans pinto beans drained
Optional Toppings
  • sour cream, avocados, cheese, pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, and anything else you can dream up!

Equipment

  • 1 chef's knife
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 medium saucepan with lid
  • 1 Rubber spatula
  • 1 can opener
  • 1 medium mixing bowl
  • 1 potato masher or immersion blender

Method
 

  1. Dice or mince the onion, jalapeño pepper, and garlic.
  2. Preheat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil to the pan, then add the onion and jalapeños. Sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes.
  3. While the onions and jalapeño peppers cook, open and drain the cans of pinto beans. No need to rinse the beans.
  4. Add the minced garlic, and then the salt, black pepper, cumin, and chipotle chili powder to the cooked onions and jalapeño. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  5. Add the water and pinto beans. Bring the beans to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. This makes the beans very soft and helps marry the flavors.
  6. Carefully pour the bean mixture into a medium mixing bowl. Mash the beans with the potato masher until they reach your desired consistency. You can also pulse the beans with an immersion blender. Do not mash them in the pot. You will badly scratch your pot. Trust me.
  7. Serve with tortilla chips and toppings of your choosing, or as a component for tacos, quesadillas, etc.

Notes

  • Homemade refried beans can be frozen in an airtight freezer bag for about 3 months.