Refried Black Beans

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Rich, delicious and oh so moreish! These Refried Black Beans are so easy to make and can be added to so many of your favorite Mexican recipes! You have to give these a try!

About this recipe:

Refried black beans are an immensely flavorful dish that can be made using ingredients you'll already have in your pantry! By simply mashing black beans with delicious Mexican spices, you'll have yourself the perfect dip for your homemade tortilla chips or the perfect topping for your tacos and tostadas! You have to give these Refried Black Beans a try!

Ingredients

Tinned black beans
Lard or olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
Mexican oregano
Cumin
Cayenne chili pepper
Garlic powder
Queso Fresco (or any mild, crumbly cheese)

See recipe card for quantities.

Step by step photographs:

Step 1: Over a medium low heat, in a saucepan, melt your lard or heat your olive oil.

Step 2: Add the spices to the pan and stir together.

Step 3: Add the black beans and combine with the fat and the spices.

Step 4: Add a touch of the retained liquid from the beans and allow to cook through and simmer for no longer than 5 minutes. This is just to heat up the beans.

Step 5: Using a handheld blender or masher, blend/mash/ the refried black beans to your desired consistency. Feel free to add a touch more of the retained liquid.

Step 6: Top with the cheese then serve as a dip for some tortilla chips or load up some tacos. The options are endless.

Substitutions

Cheese - If you can source it, Queso Fresco cheese is an authentic cheese to use. Any mild, crumbly cheese will do however. From making plenty of Mexican recipes using ingredients that can be sourced in the UK, I've found that Wensleydale cheese works great. It crumbles beautifully and can be sprinkled on top of tacos without it melting.
Oregano - If you can source Mexican oregano you will end up with a more authentically flavored Refried Black Beans or you can use standard oregano. Mexican oregano has slightly bigger, more jagged leaves and provides a citrusy flavor that normal oregano doesn't provide.

What can I serve these with?

Refried Black Beans can be used as a delicious dip for corn chips or vegetable sticks or used to top so many Mexican recipes. Here are a few ideas:

Homemade tortilla chips - Why not use it to dip these homemade tortilla chips in?
Tacos - Drizzle a healthy amount on these Fish Tacos, Steak Tacos, Tacos al Pastor, Pork carnitas or even Smash burger Tacos!
Tostadas - Why not top these Beef Tostadas or Tostadas de Tinga with these delicious Refried Black Beans?

Variations

Dried black beans - If you are using dried black beans, simply soak 1 and ½ cups in 3 inches of water overnight. Then, place in a pot and cover with water. Boil for 1 ½ to 2 hours or pressure cook for 30 minutes. Then follow the steps below to make your Refried Black Beans.
Tinned black beans - Tinned blacked beans are usually already cooked so only need to be drained and heated through before blending.

Equipment

To make these Refried Black Beans super silky and smooth I used a hand blender. You can blend the beans in batches using a standing blender instead. Alternatively, you can use a masher and mash them by hand!

Storage

Transfer the Refried Black Beans to an airtight container and place in the fridge. Good for up to 5 days.

Top Tip

Use a hand blender to easily blend large batches of Refried Black Beans.

FAQ

Are refried black beans actually fried twice?

No! Despite what the name suggests, the beans are quickly fried once with the oil and seasonings!

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Refried Black Beans:

Recipe