When I was growing up, mom always keep a can of refried beans on hand for me. I was the only vegetarian in the house, and when you’ve got vegetarian refried beans, you’ve usually got a meatless meal that can be assembled in minutes. Nowadays, I don’t bother keeping cans of refried beans on hand. I just hang onto this recipe, because it’s almost as easy as cracking open a can!
Aren’t All Refried Beans Vegan?
Nope! Be really careful when buying premade canned refried beans or ordering them at a restaurant, because refried beans often contain lard. Not only are they not vegan, they’re not even vegetarian! If you do choose to buy premade refried beans, look for cans labeled “vegetarian.” They’ll be made with oil instead of lard (and are generally also vegan).
Vegan Refried Bean Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
Olive oil (or any kind of high-heat oil) Onion Garlic Cumin Oregano Canned pinto beans Water Lime juice Salt
How to Make Vegetarian Refried Beans
Start by heating up your oil in a large skillet, then add an onion. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, just to soften it up and brown it a bit. Now add your garlic, cumin and oregano. Cook everything for about a minute to toast the garlic and spices. Add the beans and water. Bring the liquid up to a simmer and let it cook for about 10 minutes, to soften up the beans. You can add more water to the skillet if it gets too dry while cooking. Now take the skillet off of the burner and grab a fork or potato masher. Mash your beans as much or as little as you like! I like to keep mine a little chunky, but feel free to mash the heck out of them if you prefer super creamy beans. You can even puree them in a blender or food processor if you like. Reheat the beans for a minute after mashing, and add more water if needed. Season the beans with some salt and lime juice after they’ve finished cooking.
Are these beans gluten-free? They sure are! Can these beans be made oil-free? I haven’t tried making oil-free refried beans, but I don’t see why not! Try sautéing your onion in some water or broth instead of oil. Storage and shelf-life: homemade refried beans will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months. How are refried beans served? Refried beans make a great side dish with any Mexican-inspired meal. They’re also awesome for dipping chips in or topping nachos with. You can also wrap them in a warm tortilla to make a burrito, pile them onto tostadas, or stuff them into tacos. Can these be made with a different variety of bean? Absolutely! Black beans work particularly well, but you could also use navy beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans. You can also try my refried black bean recipe, which has a slightly different spice profile from this one.
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