These Mexican refried beans are the perfect side dish to complement any main dish. Beans go well with almost anything, chicken, meat, eggs, or you can even eat them on their own. Place them in a plate with tortilla chips or tostadas, and they'll be gone in no time. Everybody loves them!

As a typical Mexican, I grew up eating beans so you can only imagine that I love eating refried beans. My favourite way of eating them is with scrambled eggs. I prepare the eggs and just when they are almost fully cooked, I add in one or two tablespoons of refried beans to up my simple scrambled eggs into delicious scrambled eggs!

• These fried beans are made with butter. That is actually the secret ingredient to make them taste more delicious and have an even creamier texture.
• They are so versatile. They go well with chicken, pork, meat, eggs. You can even spread them in your sandwiches or burritos.
• They are the perfect side dish, snack or even appetizer. Bring them to your next party along with some tostadas and/or tortilla chips. You'll see them disappear in no time!

You'll need the following ingredients to make this delicious refried beans:

1. You can use chile jalapeño instead of chile serrano if you want it less spicy, or you can omit the chile. However, I do recommend using at least one chile of your preference to give your refried beans a kick.
2. You can use either red kidney beans or black beans. Both will be delicious!

1. Blend the beans in a food processor or blender until you get a chunky consistency.

2. In a pan or skillet at medium heat, add in the butter and oil. Once the butter is melted, add in the onion and saute for 4 mins.

3. Add into your pan the garlic and chile serrano. Cook for 2 minutes.

3. Incorporate the beans to the pan. Stir to combine. Add in salt to taste.

4. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Stir constantly.

5. Final consistency is semi-thick.

6. Taste again for salt and add in more if necessary.

• Can you use your own homemade beans instead of canned ones? Yes, they'll taste even better!
• Can I omit the chile serrano to make it less spicy? Yes, you can. However, I recommend to use it due to the flavour it adds. Substitute the chile serrano with chile jalapeño to make it less spicy.
• Can I freeze the refried beans? Yes, place them in an air tight container or ziploc bag. They'll last up to 3 months in the freezer.
• How long do they last in the fridge? They'll keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• How do I know that my beans are ready? A great tip to know they are fully cooked is to run your spatula through the middle of the pan and if the beans don't come back together so quickly then you know they are ready. Refer to the below pic.

Anytime! For any comments and/or questions, please let me know in the comments section below. I always like to hear back from you 🙂

Mexican refried beans

Ana Jimenez

Authentic Mexican refried beans from scratch. Perfect side dish or snack with some tortilla chips. Easy, vegetarian friendly, and only a few ingredients required.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 7 minutes mins

Cook Time 23 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 3 people

Equipment

• 1 food processor or blender
• 1 skillet or pan

Ingredients

  

• 1 can 15 oz. black or red kidney beans
• ½ medium sized onion, diced
• 1 chile serrano, diced
• 1 garlic, diced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt to taste
• crumbled feta cheese optional
• Tortilla chips and/or tostadas optional

Instructions

 

• In a food processor or blender, blend your beans. Don’t over process. Final consistency is a bit chunky.
• Warm up your pan or skillet at medium heat. Add in the butter and oil.
• Once the butter is melted, incorporate the onion and sauté for 3-4 mins.
• Add into your pan the garlic and chile serrano. Cook for 2 mins.
• Incorporate your beans to the pan. Stir to combine and add in salt to taste.
• Cook for approx. 10-15 mins. Stir constantly to avoid the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Final consistency of the beans is semi-thick.
• Taste for salt and add in more if necessary.
• Serve with some crumbled feta cheese on top. Eat with tortilla chips and/or tostadas.

Notes

When do I know that my fried beans are ready?

You know they are ready when the consistency has turned into a beans paste.

What can I do if my refried beans are too runny?

You can cook them for 5 additional minutes. Some of the additional moisture in the beans will evaporate.

What can I do if my refried beans are too thick?

Add in water, one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

How long do they last in the fridge?

They keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, you can. Place them inside an airtight container or a ziploc bag to freeze. They will last for up to 3 months.

Can I use beans cooked from scratch instead of buying canned beans?

Yes, it's even better. The recipe calls for canned beans to make the process quicker, but you can always use your own homemade beans.

Keyword homemade refried beans, Mexican refried beans, snack

Nutrition provided is just an estimate.