Refried beans (frijoles refritos)
Creamy, savoury pinto beans mashed and fried with onion and garlic until thick and glossy.
Make this once, then cook it into 140 different dishes.
- Time1 hr 45 plus soaking
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.25 a head
- Makesabout 750 g of refried beans, enough for 2 dishes for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the drained beans in a large pot with the 1500 ml of water, the half onion and 2 whole garlic cloves. Bring to the boil and boil hard for 10 minutes, skimming any foam.
10 min - 2
Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, partly cover, and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the beans are completely soft and squash easily. Top up with boiling water if the level drops. Add half the salt for the last 20 minutes.
70 min - 3
Drain the beans, keeping 400 ml of the cooking liquid. Discard the onion half and garlic.
- 4
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the chopped onion for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Add the chopped garlic, jalapeno and cumin and cook for 1 minute.
5 min - 5
Add the beans in two lots with 150 ml of the cooking liquid. Mash with a potato masher until as smooth or chunky as you like, adding more liquid until it is a loose porridge.
8 min - 6
Fry, stirring and scraping the pan, for 6 to 8 minutes until thick, glossy and pulling away from the sides. Season with the rest of the salt. Taste and adjust.
8 min - 7
Serve hot. Cool leftovers within 1 to 2 hours before putting them in the fridge.
About refried beans (frijoles refritos)
Refried beans, or frijoles refritos, are cooked pinto beans mashed and fried with onion and garlic until thick, creamy and savoury. Refritos does not mean fried twice. The re- prefix means well fried, so the beans are fried thoroughly in a hot pan until they are properly flavoured.
They taste earthy and rich, with a smooth or slightly chunky texture, depending on how much you mash. They are a staple side in Mexican food, and are spread on tostadas and in tortas, folded into burritos, served with eggs at breakfast, and eaten with rice.
Cooking dried beans from scratch is cheap and gives the best flavour and texture, and the bean cooking liquid is what loosens the mash. Boil the beans hard for 10 minutes first, then simmer until completely soft. Tinned beans work in a hurry, but add a splash of water and fry them longer.
Tips
- Boil soaked dried beans hard for 10 minutes before simmering, and cook until completely soft. Undercooked beans can upset the stomach.
- Keep the cooking liquid. Add it to the mash a ladleful at a time, because refried beans thicken a lot as they cool, so aim for a loose porridge consistency in the pan.
- In a hurry, use two 400 g tins of pinto beans, drained and rinsed, and 150 ml of water or stock. Fry them with the onion and mash as below.
- Traditional versions are fried in lard. Sunflower oil keeps them vegan and still tastes rich, and 3 tbsp is enough for this batch.
- For a smooth texture use a potato masher and then a hand blender. For a rustic, chunkier texture mash with a fork.
- Epazote, a Mexican herb, is the classic bean flavouring. Add a few leaves of fresh or dried epazote to the pot if you can get it.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 to 2 hours and keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot all the way through.
Dishes you can make with refried beans (frijoles refritos)
Huevos al Albañil (Bricklayer's Eggs)
GFDFNFTacos Ahogados (Drowned Bean and Cheese Tacos)
GFEFNFTacos de Canasta (Basket Tacos)
GFDFEFTlayuda Oaxaqueña (Oaxacan Bean and Cheese Tlayuda)
GFEFNFBurritos Mojados (Smothered Wet Burritos)
EFNFChicharrón en Salsa Verde (Crackling in Green Salsa)
GFEFNFSopes de Frijol con Salsa Verde (Masa Cups with Beans)
GFEFNFBurritos Bañados en Salsa Verde (Smothered Burritos)
EFNFSopes de Frijol con Queso (Bean Sopes)
GFEFNFTostadas de Frijol y Aguacate (Bean and Avocado Tostadas)
GFDFEFBurritos de Frijol con Queso (Bean and Cheese Burritos)
EFNFTorta de Milanesa de Pollo (Breaded Chicken Torta)
NFQuestions
Does refried mean fried twice?
No. In Spanish refritos means well fried, as the prefix re- makes it stronger. The beans are cooked once, then mashed and fried in a hot pan with onion and garlic until thick and flavourful.
Can I use tinned beans?
Yes. Use two 400 g tins of pinto beans, drained and rinsed, with about 150 ml of water or stock, and follow the frying steps. Flavour will be slightly less rich than with beans cooked from dried.
Can I make refried beans vegan?
Yes, cook them in sunflower oil rather than lard, as in this recipe. It is vegan, gluten free, dairy free and nut free. The flavour comes from the beans, onion, garlic and cumin.
Why are my refried beans dry?
They have been fried too long or not enough liquid was added. Stir in warm bean cooking liquid or water a spoonful at a time until the mash is loose. They thicken as they cool, so stop earlier than you think.
What do I serve them with?
Rice, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, eggs, quesadillas or as a dip with tortilla chips. Spread a thick layer on a tostada under toppings. They also go with grilled meat or fish.
Do dried beans have to be soaked?
Soaking overnight shortens cooking and helps them cook evenly, but is not essential. Unsoaked pinto beans simply need about an hour longer. Always boil hard for 10 minutes first.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.