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Semi-Homemade Refried Beans Recipe

November 6, 2007 by Nicole 56 Comments

Refriend Beans

I know that not everyone has the time to cook up a big pot of beans from scratch. It’s not difficult but it does take some time. And even though I have more time available to cook than most people, I often use canned beans. They’re just so convenient!

But I’ll tell you one thing. Now that I discovered how great these taste and how easy they are to make, I am never using canned refried beans again! Yes, I did start with canned pinto beans, but what I ended up with was a bowl of rich creamy beans that I would never have guessed originated from a can if I hadn’t dumped them out myself!

There’s a reason these beans were so creamy and delicious and I’ll give you one hint… the secret ingredient is not olive oil!

It’s bacon grease.

And although I’m sure my vegetarian and vegan readers will be able to give some helpful hints for those of you who cringed at the last sentence, I stand by my ingredient list.

As good as these beans were, I’m positive that they would be even better if you made them completely from scratch. And for that, I will send you over to talk to Lisa, because if anyone knows a thing or two about refried beans, it’s a Homesick Texan.

But for a quick side dish, these semi-homemade refried beans really can’t be beat. I got the recipe from Rick Bayless’ Mexican Everyday cookbook and he gives you the option to start from scratch or use canned beans. Obviously, I chose the latter. Rick also gives you the option to use vegetable oil instead of bacon drippings. So yes, all joking aside, this can easily turn into a vegetarian recipe.

The best part is that you can use just about any type of beans you want. I used pinto beans because I happened to have them in my pantry but you could easily substitute black beans (they would be great with some lime juice and cilantro stirred in) or whatever other type of beans you want to experiment with. And of course, you can get as creative as you want with the seasonings.

But these are the beans I made last night and I don’t think I’ll change a thing next time.

Semi-Homemade Refried Beans Recipe
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Ingredients

3 tablespoons bacon drippings (or vegetable oil)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 15-ounce cans of pinto beans

Salt, to taste

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat bacon drippings over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or two. Add the beans with their liquid and start smashing them with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Keep stirring and mashing until you get the texture that you like then continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the beans are the consistency of soft mashed potatoes. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Recipe adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

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Recipe adapted from the Fried Beans recipe in Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Related Recipes:

  • Black Bean Dip
  • Veggie Chili Beans and Rice

Around the Web:

  • Refried Beans from Homesick Texan
  • Refried Beans from Simply Recipes
  • Frijoles Refritos from Kirsten’s Home Cooking

Filed Under: NaBloPoMo, Side Dishes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stacey says

    April 23, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    This is a great alternative to the can!!! I used my immersion blender and it worked great! Thanks for the tips!!
    Reply
  2. LeAnne says

    May 26, 2012 at 6:45 pm

    Wow!!! I was so excited to find this recipe!!! I made this to add to a Taco Pizza I made this evening and I will never buy canned refried beans again!!! I had one can of Pinto Beans Low Sodium and one can of Black Beans Low Sodium. It so rocked!!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!! Love it!!! Love it!!!
    Reply
  3. MelisaBerry says

    May 30, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    To the ones commenting about the bacon grease being weird or nasty or wrong, I really have to ask what is wrong with you? Seriously. Do you not know that bacon grease has been a standard staple of cooking basically since bacon was pulled off the first pig? It is as traditional and old school in cooking as you can get. Do you really think in the days before grocery stores that your great great grandmothers had bottles of hydrogenated vegetable oil around? Its the same with lard. No one was dropping off from clogged arteries and heart attacks in droves then from a little of either. Its the processed and prepared and artificial junk thats killing us. There is nothing wrong with bacon grease. Learn your culinary history! I will be making this tonight with white beans. I used to love the refried white bean tostadas they used to serve us in college. Its an awesome alternative to black or pinto.
    Reply
  4. G says

    February 13, 2013 at 8:40 am

    Reduce the chances of being gassy when you eat beans by discarding the can juice and rinsing the beans under cold running water. (Or if you cooked dry beans, discard the cooking water and rinse).
    Reply
  5. Stacey E. says

    October 21, 2013 at 10:22 am

    Oh, Melissa Barry, perhaps you should study up on your medical history. Claiming nobody ever dropped dead from heart attacks and clogged arteries from cooking "the traditional (animal fat laden) way" is a giant lie. Sure, artificial stuff is bad for you, but constantly cooking with animal fat is, too. Just because you don't like the fact, doesn't mean it isn't true. The difference between now and then is advances in medical technology, and the knowledge of what we're consuming in relation to poor health. People used to just die of "natural causes", now we know that many of them died with serious medical issues. We never bothered studying it back in "the good old days". We used to just let people die in their 50's and 60's and thought nothing of it. Anyway, I squashed my beans this time with a hand blender. Why not, right?
    Reply
  6. Allegra says

    December 21, 2013 at 1:29 pm

    What does the "T" stand for? Tablespoon? Teaspoon?
    Reply
  7. Rhonda says

    February 20, 2014 at 5:26 pm

    Allegra, 'T' (upper-case) stands for Tablespoon. 't' (lower-case) stands for teaspoon.
    Reply
  8. Emee says

    April 6, 2015 at 11:25 am

    After the bacon drippings have cooled, freeze them in a container. Just scrape out what you need when cooking. Lasts forever and you never run out :)))) Also, ground cumin and some chili powder added to the beans is delish.
    Reply
  9. Lisa Higdon says

    January 19, 2016 at 8:34 am

    Yes, indeed, some things just gotta have bacon grease :) I find you can use 1 part bacon grease, 2 parts olive oil with good results - if it's something we eat often. Occasionally, I go all out and fix a big skillet of fried potatoes in bacon grease. Drain on a paper towels and top with chopped green onion!
    Reply
  10. Melissa says

    May 20, 2018 at 12:33 pm

    I remember my aunt making bacon beans for me when I would visit her. She would save most of the juice from the beans and use it if the beans needed to be creamier. She would also add crumbled bacon and cheese. They were so yummy I would always sneak a taste when she wasn't looking.
    Reply
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