“Dried beans are always cheaper to buy than canned and homemade always tastes better than store-bought, so making refried beans from scratch is a great option. This recipe makes quite a lot of refried beans, but you can always freeze any leftovers.” – April Ferre
Refried Beans
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Dry Pinto Beans
- 1/2 Large White or Yellow Onion Diced
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 Teaspoons Salt Divided
- 2 Tablespoons Lard or Olive Oil
- 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Jalapeño Finely Minced, Optional
- 3/4 Teaspoon Cumin
- 1/2 Teaspoon Mexican Oregano
Instructions
- Rinse pinto beans in a colander and remove any unwanted pebbles.
- Place beans in a large Dutch oven and add diced onion, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt. Add water to cover approximately 2 inches.
- Bring water to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Drain beans, reserving the bean broth water.
- Return Dutch oven to the stove and melt lard over medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeño and sauté for 1 minute.
- Return beans to the pot and add cumin, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add 3/4 cup bean broth and continue to stir the beans. If you like your beans chunky, you can use a potato masher or if you like them more smooth, use an immersion blender. Additional bean broth can be added to achieve the desired consistency.
- Taste and add additional salt if necessary.
- If serving as a side dish, garnish with a little chopped cilantro, some cotija cheese or melted cheddar and/or jack cheese.
Notes
Soaking beans overnight is not necessary for this recipe, but if you want your beans to cook faster, place them in a large Dutch oven overnight with water to cover approximately 2 inches. When ready to cook, drain and rinse the beans and proceed as directed above.
2024 Adapted Recipe – April Ferre – Adapted from Isabel Eats & Tastes Better from Scratch
