Refried Beans

By Rick A. Martínez

Updated Feb. 18, 2026

Refried Beans
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(616)
Comments
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Refried beans, a staple of Mexican cuisine, is a flavorful side dish that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. (They’re not really fried twice — “refried beans” is derived from their Spanish name, frjoles refritos, which means “well-fried beans.”) Throughout Mexico, the beans are cooked in freshly rendered lard, which adds a deep, caramelized pork flavor. In this quick recipe, smoked bacon stands in for the lard while chipotle pepper in adobo adds heat, sweetness and a long-simmered flavor that makes canned beans taste homemade. For a meatless version, replace the bacon with half a bell or poblano pepper, and swap the vegetable oil with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. You can easily make a double batch and freeze the leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 2garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2ounces bacon, finely chopped
  • 2(15-ounce) cans pinto, kidney or black beans, rinsed
  • 1chipotle pepper in adobo, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, or 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • Salt
  • Pico de gallo and Cotija cheese, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

358 calories; 14 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 17 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 19 grams protein; 939 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large (preferably cast-iron) skillet, heat oil over medium. Cook onion, garlic and bacon, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered, the bacon is crispy and the onion is browned and tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Increase heat to medium-high and add beans, chipotle and adobo sauce, and ⅔ cup water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Using a potato masher, smash beans until the mixture is thick and creamy. Remove from heat, taste and season with salt, if necessary. Let cool slightly; the refried beans will thicken as they sit. Serve with pico de gallo and Cotija cheese, if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
616 user ratings
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Comments

Sam

Um, no. It takes advance planning and hours of cooking (even with a pressure cooker) to make scratch beans. The texture is (potentially) better... but, really, who cares when you're literally smashing them to paste? Canned beans are a fantastic resource. I have never seen canned beans with sugar. Rinsing will deal with excess salt. We should all be eating more beans. Please make this with canned beans, save hours of your life, and enjoy your perfectly delicious, healthy beans.

Margaret

Here’s my 3-can version: 1 can vegetarian refried beans, 1 can drained pinto beans, I can fire-roasted tomatoes. Add to 1 sautéed onion, add trifecta of cumin, chili powder and chipotle Chile powder to taste. Top with grated cheese of your choosing and lots of chopped cilantro. Always a potluck winner!

Randy

I lived in Costa Rica in 1984 as a teacher. This was a staple of my diet. A three ingredient side/meal. 1 - Refried Beans 2 - Minced Garlic to taste 3 - Diced Sweet Green Pepper Optional Chopped Cilantro on top. That's it. All She Wrote. Fini. Perfecto!

Cath

I live in the frozen north, far from the home turf of refried beans and pico de Gallo, so I'm not purist enough that canned vs. home made beans matters. I made this as written (pintos and black beans) and the pico de Gallo without the jalepeno (I didn't have one), generous with the lime because why waste the extra lime juice. Fantastic!

Pedantic Twit

When to use canned beans vs dried. (Fresh is the way to go if available.) My deciding factors are if beans are central to the dish or need particular seasoning. When not, canned are awfully convenient. Consider minestrone. Cannellinis are one of the stars (along with parmesan and olive oil). Some are typically mashed to flavor throughout and thicken. But Red kidneys not so much, so I use canned. Or beans served WITH chili. They need to be soaked with chili powder, cumin, etc. No cans.

Pedantic Twit

Looks like I left somethings out. Cannellinis (AKA white kidneys) are central to the flavor and texture of minestrone, so I do them from dried. But the red kidneys are mainly in there just for looks and don't make much of a taste difference, so i use a relatively small amount of canned beans to give that effect. Not everything need be grand and sometimes the mission is to get something on the table quickly. Canned is an obvious necessity in such cases. But remember it IS often a tradeoff.

ReaderinVT

Yum. And I agree with Sam, canned beans are a godsend. Buy a quality brand and read the label, rinse the beans if you don’t want the salt. I have never seen a can of plain beans with sugar. I have a small kitchen and an additional appliance (instant pot) won’t fit in. If I am making black bean soup I do the traditional overnight soak of dried beans, parcook , etc. then add my ingredients. But for a quick mid week meal, canned is king.

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