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Refried Beans
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Easy Refried Beans

Quick, easy, and versatile, you can use these refried beans to fill a taco, quesadilla, or burrito, as a dip, or even on a pizza.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: Beans
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • Blender or food processor for smoother texture.

Ingredients

  • 1 540-mL can of beans, pinto or kidney, drained & rinsed
  • 1/3 cup stock, vegetable or chicken, or water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup shallots, minced, or less, to taste See Notes, below.
  • 1 small red sweet pepper, finely diced
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1-2 tsp ground cumin, to taste
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder, or to taste See Notes, below.
  • 3/4 tsp smoked paprika, or to taste
  • 1-2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce See Notes, below.
  • 1/2 tsp hot sauce, or to taste, optional See Notes, below.

Instructions

  • Combine beans and stock in a blender or food processor. Pulse until desired texture is reached. If you do not have a blender, you can mash the beans with a potato masher.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and saute for about 2 minutes. Turn heat down if shallots start to brown.
  • Add the sweet pepper and saute for about 2-3 minutes until softened.
  • Add the mashed beans and stir to combine. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until mixture thickens.

Notes

  • I am fairly sensitive to onions so chose not to use them in this recipe. You can substitute regular cooking onions if you prefer.
  • If you prefer a smokier taste and more heat, you can use dried chipotle powder or an equivalent amount of chopped chipotle in adobo sauce. The adobo version is sold in cans and they freeze for future use. Just freeze them individually on a pan, then store them in a freezer bag. 
  • Start with 1 tbsp of tamari, especially if you are using stock with the beans. The tamari can be quite salty, so starting with less ensures you don't oversalt the dish. I do find that this dish needs a good amount of salt to bring out the flavours, but it;s always best to start with less salt.  
  • Hot sauce is optional, and the amount is to to taste. As with the tamari, I start small. You can use any variety you prefer. I like Cholula Chili Garlic.