Roma's Homemade Refried Beans
A simple vegetarian refried beans recipe that works in chili, burritos, bowls, nachos, or as a warm side dish.
Ingredients
Instructions
Rinse the dry beans and remove any small stones or broken beans.
Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water. Drain and rinse before cooking.
Place the soaked beans in a large pot and cover with fresh water. Cook until very soft, about 1 1/2–2 hours. Add more water as needed while the beans cook.
Drain the cooked beans, but reserve about 1 cup of the bean cooking liquid.
Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat.
Add the onion, if using, and cook until soft. Add the garlic paste and sauté for 1–2 minutes, making sure it does not burn.
Add cumin, if using, and stir briefly until fragrant.
Add the cooked beans and salt. Mash the beans with a potato masher or the back of a spoon.
Add a little reserved cooking liquid at a time until the beans become creamy and spreadable.
Taste and adjust salt as needed. Use immediately, or let cool and store for later.
Baker's notes
Instant Pot / pressure cooker shortcut (replaces step 3): add rinsed beans, water, and a pinch of salt to the pressure cooker (1–2 whistles) or Instant Pot (high pressure for 5 minutes). How to use in chili: use about 3–4 cups of these homemade refried beans in place of 2 cans of vegetarian refried beans in Roma's Cozy Vegetarian Chili. If the beans are very thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of water at a time while cooking the chili until the texture is right. Storage: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze in small portions for up to 2–3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water to loosen the texture. These homemade refried beans are a flexible base recipe. Keep them simple for chili, or add more cumin, chili powder, or hot seasoning if serving as a side with your Mexican food.
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