It’s no secret that the best refried beans come from your local Mexican food restaurant. They are so flavorful and creamy. So when I discovered that it really wasn’t that hard to make refried beans from scratch, I set out on a mission to replicate those ultra creamy restaurant-style refried beans that I love so much.
If your experience with serving refried beans at home is to heat canned refried beans on the stovetop, then I can’t wait for you to make these crockpot refried beans for the first time.
Recipe Highlights
- Quick prep: It takes me less than 10 minutes to get the ingredients cooking in the slow cooker
- Simple ingredients: This recipe requires just a few whole real-food ingredients, including the star of the show: the beans. As a dietitian, I think everyone could use more beans in their diet, and this recipe is one way that makes beans so delicious and craveable
- Ultra creamy: I think the main thing that sets these restaurant-style refried beans apart from canned refried beans is how ultra creamy they are. I provide two methods to get super creamy beans at home, as well as a method to make chunkier beans, if that’s the preference
Ingredients To Gather
It’s almost shocking how few ingredients you need to make refried beans from dry beans at home. Here’s what to gather:
- Dry beans – a 1-pound bag of dried pinto beans
- Spices – my recipe calls for simple everyday spices that are always in my cupboard, including smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. It’s easy to experiment with the seasonings you like most, so add dried oregano, chili powder, chipotle powder, or other favorites to increase or decrease the spice level
- Veggies – the base of the beans gets so flavorful from the addition of one chopped onion and some garlic cloves. I also like to add a jalapeño, but it’s optional
- Broth – I use homemade chicken broth, but store-bought works well, too. For vegan beans, use vegetable broth or water
- Oil – I use avocado oil or olive oil in place of the typical lard or butter to reduce saturated fat
Health Spotlight: Beans
Beans, or frijoles, are one of the healthiest plant-based foods on the planet. And I don’t know a single dietitian out there, including myself, that doesn’t recommend that people eat more beans. Beans are a source of slow-digesting carbohydrates, which is important for lasting energy, as well as providing an excellent amount of fiber to diets that are typically lacking that nutrient.
Whether cooked fresh or reheated from canned pinto beans, beans are a high-fiber food, as well as excellent source of plant-based protein, iron, magnesium, copper, and calcium.
Basic Steps
My easy slow cooker refried beans recipe requires just a few steps. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve started making them from scratch all the time. The steps are just so simple.
- Prep ingredients: Chop the onion and garlic (and jalapeño, if using). Then rinse and drain the dry beans under running water. However, since they’ll be cooking for a long time in the crockpot, there’s no need to soak the beans overnight.
- Slow cook: Add the chopped veggies and dry beans directly to the slow cooker. Add the spices and 6 cups of water or broth. Cover and cook on the low heat setting for 10 hours or cook on high heat setting for 6 hours.
- Blend: Transfer the cooked beans and veggies and 1 cup of the bean cooking liquid to a high-speed blender. Add a few tablespoons of oil and blend until very smooth and creamy. Serve the beans while still warm, or transfer back to the crockpot on the warm setting.
The Key To Mexican Restaurant Style Beans
When I was testing this recipe, my goal was to achieve homemade refried beans that taste like they came from a Mexican restaurant. The key features were ultra creaminess and a rich and flavorful mouthfeel. The creaminess comes from cooking the dry beans until they are very soft, and then blending them with a high-speed blender. The layer of flavor come from the addition of fat and spices. Most often, lard or butter is added as the fat, but I found that just a few tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil really does the trick, and there’s really no need to add a full stick of butter like you’ll see in other recipes.
Make Them Vegan
This is an easy recipe to convert to be 100% plant based with one simple swap. Instead of using chicken broth as the cooking liquid, use vegetable broth or water instead. To keep them vegan, serve them with only vegan toppings, such as a squeeze of lime juice, sliced green onions, sliced jalapeños, or chopped fresh cilantro.
How to Serve
I love to serve these refried beans as a simple bean dip for tortilla chips. For a recent birthday party where I had a taco bar for my guests, I served the refried beans right out of the crockpot, topped with a little crumbled queso fresco and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. I set out other toppings, including sour cream and hot sauce, and I’m proud to say my beans were one of the first things to disappear!
These homemade refried beans are also delicious served as as filling for tacos or bean burritos, and also on sheet pan chicken tostadas where a layer of creamy beans is spread on tortillas before baking. Along with homemade cooked rice, these beans are also a perfect side dish for many meals, including chicken tacos, baked tacos, my vegan enchiladas, my birria tacos, and this favorite green chicken enchilada casserole.
How To Store
Store leftover refried beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat from frozen, allow the beans to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then, reheat them slowly in a pot or large skillet on the stovetop, adding a little more broth as needed to soften and loosen them up.
Frequently Asked Questions
When making beans in the crockpot, it’s not necessary to soak them ahead of time. But it is a good idea to rinse the beans to remove any dust and debris, as well as to pick through them to remove any broken beans or stones.
Refried beans benefit from the addition of fat to help make them creamy and smooth, but the fat doesn’t have to be lard. It can be butter or oil instead. The addition of fat also helps the body absorb some nutrients from the beans more efficiently, including fat-soluble vitamin E and vitamin K.
Refried beans are typically made from pinto beans, but you can make refried beans using black beans, kidney beans, or even butter beans.
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Crockpot Refried Beans Recipe
Make Mexican restaurant-style refried beans at home with this simple method and everyday ingredients. These ultra creamy, smooth, flavorful, and nutritious beans make a delicious dip for chips and a perfect addition to taco night.
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (2 cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1½ tablespoons)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stem and seeds removed, diced (optional)
- 1 lb dry pinto beans
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ quarts (6 cups) chicken broth (or use vegetable broth for vegan/vegetarian)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- Optional toppings: shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, crumbled queso fresco, sliced green onions, sliced jalapeño, chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In the bottom of a large slow cooker, place the diced onion, garlic, and jalapeño (if using).
- Rinse the beans in a colander under running water (no need to soak them). Add the rinsed beans, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper to the slower cooker.
- Pour the broth over the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir gently with a spoon.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours or on HIGH for 6 hours.
- When the cooking time is done, finish the beans with one of the following methods:
For creamy and smooth refried beans (recommended): Blend the beans using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender.
> Blender or food processor: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked beans and ingredients from the slow cooker (but not the liquid) to a food processor or blender. Then, add 1 cup of the remaining cooking liquid from the slow cooker and discard the remaining liquid. Add the oil and blend or process until very smooth and creamy, about 1 minute, scraping down sides as needed. Transfer the refried beans to a bowl to serve, or return them to the slow cooker and keep warm on the Warm setting.
> Immersion blender: Use a ladle to remove cooking liquid from the slow cooker until only about 1 cup of liquid remains in the slow cooker with the beans and other ingredients. Add the oil. Use an immersion blender to blend the beans until very smooth and creamy. Keep beans warm using the Warm setting on the slow cooker and serve beans right from the slow cooker.For slightly chunky beans: Mash the beans with a potato masher or fork. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked beans and ingredients from the slow cooker (but not the liquid) to a large wide bowl. Then, add 1 cup of the remaining cooking liquid from the slow cooker and discard the remaining liquid. Add the oil to the bowl and mash with a potato masher or a fork until the beans reach desired consistency (some mashed, some still intact). Serve or return the beans to the slow cooker and keep warm on the Warm setting.
- After the beans are blended, add salt to taste. Garnish with desired toppings and serve warm.
- Store refried beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Notes
To make refried beans in an Instant Pot: Place the onion, garlic, and jalapeño (if using), in the pressure cooker. Stir in the rinsed beans, the spices, and 6 cups liquid (broth or water). Close and seal the lid. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. When the cooking time is up, allow for natural release for 20-25 minutes before venting. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans and 1 cup of the bean cooking liquid to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth, adding 2 tablespoons of oil to the blender as well. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 153
- Fat: 3 g
- (Sat Fat: 0 g)
- Sodium: 129 mg
- Carbohydrate: 24 g
- (Fiber: 10 g
- Sugar: 1 g)
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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