Real-Deal Refried Beans

Real-Deal Refried Beans are mostly authentic to the way they’re made in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. I use one shortcut plus a twist that makes them even more flavorful and easy to digest. Serve them alongside any Mexican- or TexMex-style entree, or as a delicious vegetarian filling for burritos and the like.

If you’ve been to a Mexican restaurant, you’ve had authentic refried beans, right?

Ummm… Sorry. Probably not.

The “recipe” at every mom-and-pop or chain Mexican-style restaurant I know of seems to be this: Open the can of beans. Dump them into a pot. Maybe add a little water to make them easier to plate. Heat ’em through and serve.

Those beans have never even seen the inside of a skillet, so how can they possibly be called “refried beans?”

My Real-Deal Refried Beans recipe originated with an old friend who grew up in Wichita, Kansas, but whose parents had immigrated from Mexico in the early 1900s. While dining out together, he mentioned that the beans we’d been served were nothing like those made by his mother when he was a kid. His mamá’s beans were dense, not watery, and deeply colored from long frying. They even had a bit of a crispy crust.

So I tried making them the way he described, but felt something was missing. I added chopped onion and bell pepper, and fried everything up together before topping with shredded cheese and serving. And something somewhat miraculous happened.

The refried beans, while not quite authentic to Mexico, had a great flavor to be sure, but there were no… aftereffects? Digestive issues? Tummy problems? I’m trying to say it politely, but I think you get the picture. I’ve made this recipe for many years, and hope you enjoy it too.

How to Make Real-Deal Refried Beans

Start by chopping the onion and bell pepper, then heat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes until hot. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan and at least halfway up the sides. I know it sounds like a lot of oil, but you’re going to be frying the beans for quite a bit of time. You’ll need that much oil. Trust.

Add the chopped onions and bell peppers. Here I’ve used an orange bell, but you can use any color you’d like. Saute for a couple of minutes – you just want to get them starting to soften.

My shortcut is to use canned refried beans. I’ve also made them from scratch, soaking and then cooking the beans until tender. It takes quite a bit of time and I don’t notice much of a difference from prepared, canned refried beans. So whatever you choose to use, scoop the refried beans directly into the frypan.

Here I’m using refried black beans. (I know! The heresy! But we much prefer them to pinto beans for the more complex flavor…) Use your spatula to incorporate the onion/bell pepper mixture into the beans. You’ll have to stir and smoosh quite a few times to get it all mixed together. Continue to fry, stirring and turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

As you continue to fry, the liquid in the refried beans will evaporate and the mixture will thicken and darken quite a bit. You may need to add a few more drops of oil to keep the mixture from sticking. Traditionally, authentic Mexican refried beans are cooked until they are quite dry, then formed into a half-circle against one side of the pan and allowed to form a crust.

I prefer them just a little more on the creamy side, a little less dense than the traditional. The image above shows about the texture that I go for.

When the beans have reached the texture you like, push the beans into a half circle against the side of the pan. Turn the burner off and top the beans with grated cheese (here I’ve used mild cheddar, but cotija, Monterey Jack or other cheeses would work well too). The residual heat from the pan and the beans will melt the cheese in a couple of minutes.

If you try my Real-Deal Refried Beans, please let me know what you think in the comments section below!

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