These past few weeks, we’ve been having themed dinners at home. Yesterday’s theme was Mexican cuisine, and we wanted to make refried beans for tacos.
We looked at several recipes online, and as usual, there are many variations that offer different nuances, different textures… You read a lot, and in the end, you go to the kitchen and think you have to make refried beans with what you have in the pantry, trying to make sure everyone likes it, and we did.
This refried bean recipe isn’t strictly from the authentic Mexican recipe, but we really enjoyed it. Now we hope our Mexican friends will share their recipes so we can try different variations, and of course, we invite you to try our refried beans with nachos or tortilla chips, with vegetables, or in a Mexican taco.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Black beans | 250 grams |
| Onions | 2 |
| Garlic cloves | 2 |
| Chipotle | 1 |
| Bay leaf | 1 |
| Extra virgin olive oil | as needed |
| Black peppercorns | as needed |
| Salt | to taste |
Elaboration
- The night before, soak the black beans in water after rinsing them. The next day, drain them and cook them as usual. We cooked ours with an onion, black peppercorns, and a bay leaf. We didn’t add salt during cooking to make the beans less mealy and creamier, although this did slightly increase the cooking time.
- Regarding the water used to cook the legumes, there are two options: use the soaking water, which retains more nutrients, or change it, losing nutrients but avoiding some of the gas they produce. However, a longer cooking time also helps, or adding cumin is another good option. Once the beans have cooked for more than an hour and a half in a conventional pot, drain them and reserve the water.
- When making the refried beans, peel and finely chop the other onion. The sofrito is usually made with lard or vegetable oil, but we prefer to use extra virgin olive oil. Heat about half a finger’s width of oil in a pan and sauté the onion over medium heat. Optionally, add garlic when the onion is tender; we thought it would be tastier. Finally, add the seeded and chopped chipotle pepper (it would be much spicier with the seeds). In the recipes we looked at, there were different types of chili peppers to season this dish; some used only ‘chile de árbol,’ while others mixed up to three or four different types.
- Fry for a few minutes, then add enough of the bean cooking liquid to cover the beans. Reserve the remaining liquid to add later if needed. Simmer over medium‑low heat until the liquid evaporates, adding more if necessary. Refried beans can be made soupy or quite dry; we chose the latter, as we preferred it for making tacos.
- Once cooked, mash the beans with a potato ricer or blender, depending on whether you prefer a rustic or smooth texture. Add salt to taste, and the refried beans are ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 220 kcal | 11% |
| Total Fat | 6 g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 5 mg | 2% |
| Sodium | 390 mg | 17% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 32 g | 12% |
| Dietary Fiber | 9 g | 32% |
| Total Sugars | 2 g | |
| Protein | 11 g | 22% |
| Calcium | 50 mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2.2 mg | 12% |
*Disclaimer: Nutrition estimates are for general guidance only, based on a 2,000‑calorie diet. Actual values vary with bean type, added fat (lard/oil), and seasoning.*
Plating
You can enjoy refried beans as a side dish with grilled meat, rice, guacamole, Mexican tacos… What’s your suggestion?