World's Best Homemade Refried Bean Recipe (2024)

Homemade refried beans are delicious and so easy. One you try this easy recipe you’ll never go back to the canned stuff. Serve them along side my roasted guacamole and creamy enchiladas or just on their own!

My whole family is obsessed with these beans. When my sister and nieces hear I made a batch they are miraculously on my doorstep within an hour lol. Last time I made them I knew to scoop out half to send to their house ha.

Not only are they delicious but it’s dirt cheap. We eat these for meals as well as for a hearty snack.

You could use them for all the other normal things people do with refried beans but I’m a chips and dip girl so my favorite way to eat these beans is along side some great tortilla chips like.

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How to Make Homemade Refried Beans

The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it how ever you like. Over the years I have made it on the stovetop, in the crockpot, and even in my Instant Pot.

Each method leaves you with a delicious protein packed result, it’s just whatever suits your schedule.

Homemade Refried Beans Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lbs. dried pinto beans, rinsed
• water
• 1/4 lbs. bacon
• 1/3-1/2 stick butter
• salt (to taste but I’d start with 1 TBS and add more if you like)
• cayanne pepper (to taste but I’d start with 1/2 tsp and add more if you like)
• taco seasoning (to taste but I’d start with 1 tsp and add more if you like)
• onion powder (to taste but I’d start with 1/2 tsp and add more if you like)

This recipe makes a little more than 6 cups.

You can easily double the recipe and just use a 2lbs bag of beans but you’ll have A LOT of beans. Like a lot a lot haha. But they freeze beautifully so if you have the space just make up the whole bag and pre-portion them for later!

Vegan option: I have skipped the bacon and butter (or subbed Earth Balance) when I’ve made this for vegan friends. It was still tasty but I do think the bacon and butter ad an extra layer of deliciousness.

How to Make Refried Beans in the Instant Pot

Making the beans in the Instant Pot is hands down my favorite way to make them. It goes SO much faster and it’s very hard to screw up (unlike doing it on the stove).

1. Add 1 lbs. rinsed dry pinto beans to the liner pot.
2. Cover with 6 C water
3. Add in bacon
4. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
5. Quick release. You can natural release some if you want but I’m usually impatient and to to get eating quicker
6. You can remove the bacon if you like or if you’re lazy like me and have the philosophy that more bacon is always better just leave it. I’ve done both, hubby liked it more when I left it in but I couldn’t tell the difference.
7. Drain off all but enough liquid to cover the beans with an inch of liquid. I recommend holding the liquid to the side in case you want to add nay back but if you don’t regular water will work fine if you want to thin your beans out.
8. Stir in seasonings and butter.
9. Mash with a potato masher (I did this for years) or my new favorite, blend with an immersion blender. I like it to have some bean texture but you can blend smooth if that is your preference.
10. Taste and add any more seasonings to your personal preferences.
11. If you want it to be thicker put the pot on sauté and cook the beans while stirring. Keep in mind that as they cook and sit they will also thicken up.
12. If you want them thinner add back in some of the liquid or some water.

It’s the best served warmed. And they reheat great so feel free to make them ahead of time!

How to Make Refried Beans in the Crock Pot

Making refried beans with the slow cooker is easy, it just takes all day. So you have to plan ahead. Unlike the Instant Pot where I can more or less have dinner on the table in an hour you need to start these early.

1. Add rinsed beans to the slow cooker.
2. Cover with 2 inches of water.
3. Cook on high for 5-6 hours until beans are tender.
4. Proceed to to step 6 of from the Instant Pot beans directions above.

How to Make Refried Beans on the Stove Top

I made it like this for years and years but let me tell you this is by far the most high maintenance of the options. It’s probably medium speed but I’d only do this route now if both my crock pot and pressure cooker were out of commission.

There’s just so much babysitting and I get distracted and have may times burnt my beans because I let the water boil down without realizing it!

1. Pour the beans into a big pot (remember they’ll triple in size, plus you’re adding water and need room to stir)
2. Cover the beans 3-4 inches of water
3. Add bacon yes in strips
4. Bring to boil and then simmer for 2 hours or until beans are fully cooked and tender. Be sure to check every once in a while and add more water if needed. I like mine soupy so I like to end with a small 1/2inch to 1 inch still covering the beans. Burnt beans stink so check em.
5. After 2 hours beans should be tender. Proceed to step 6 from Instant Pot directions above.

Now let me mention the consistency. Some people like a thicker style bean. I love a thinner creamier consistency. You can do either. To get it thicker just cook off or drain off extra liquid. To make it thinner keep more liquid or add some water in if you decide you want it thinner when you are done.

How to Store Homemade Refried Beans

It will thicken up as it cools and sits so I tend to keep lots of liquid. When I reheat these from the refrigerator I like to add some water and stir it in. I just pour a splash of water in stick in the microwave and zap until hot. I’ll often add more water to thin it out since they do get drier as they sit.

If you make more than you need or just want to plan ahead you can easily freeze the finished beans. I like to spoon them into 1 Cup baggies and stick them in my freezer. Just thaw in the fridge or microwave when you’re ready to use them adding water if you want them to be thinner.

What Should You Eat With Refried Beans

Like I said before my very favorite way to eat refried beans is as a dip with chips. But here are a bunch of ways that you could enjoy this tasty recipe!

As an Appetizer or Side Dish

• Warm Bean Dip. Just serve it as is with some chips or veggies, carrots are super yummy dipped into the warm beans!
• 7 Layer Dip. Layer your favorites, sour cream, beans, guacamole, tomatoes, onions, olives, cheese, or whatever else sounds good to you
• Along side rice for a classic rice and beans pairing
• Nachos!
• Round out any Mexican dish by serving these on the side. Taquitos, enchiladas, tacos, chimichangas, whatever sounds good to you!

As an Ingredient

• Use it in burritos or tacos! I love a layer of them in my Navajo tacos.
• Add them to quesadillas for an extra delicious protein boost
• Put them between corn tortillas for a quick tasty lunch or late night treat that is filling enough to keep you satisfied until your next meal.
• Use them in any recipe that calls for canned refried beans
• Meal Nachos. We love to spread chips on a cookie sheet and then top them with these beans, taco meat or any leftover meat like rotisserie chicken, steak, pulled pork, really anything can be used, and cheese. Broil for a bit and then top with sour cream, guacamole, salsa and any other toppings you like.

I hope you like these as much as we do. This is for sure one of our family favorites!

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