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The Best Refried Beans Ever

Name: The Best Refried Beans Ever
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 slices bacon; 1/2 onion (diced); 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less, if you prefer mild spice); 15 oz. canned pinto beans (drained and rinsed (about 1.5 cups cooked beans)); 1/2 cup chicken stock/broth (or veggie stock, or water); 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped); salt and pepper (to taste)

Published February 2, 2015. Last updated June 10, 2020 By Elizabeth Lindemann / This post may contain affiliate links.

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4.98 from 35 votes

Well, the title of this post really sums this up. These truly are are the Best. Refried Beans. Ever.

They even have the endorsement of my native Texan husband, who stated out loud and swore a sacred oath that these were, in fact, the Best. Refried. Beans. Ever.

And that’s saying a lot!

Seriously, guys. You need to make these as soon as possible. Eat them as a side, with eggs for breakfast, or on nachos with refried beans and jalapeños.

They are bursting with flavor- smoky, spicy, simple, fresh, and decadent. (They are made with bacon and bacon grease, as per tradition. See recipe/notes below for a lighter/vegetarian version.)

It was all I could do to take these photographs without sneaking bite after bite of the delicious concoction. (Um OK actually I did take multiple bites and I kept having to smooth it out and add more cilantro garnish on top to make it seem like I didn’t.)

We had these with simple tacos filled with smoky Mexican pulled chicken and topped with an onion/cilantro mixture in corn tortillas.

I think next time I make the Best Refried Beans Ever, I’ll use them in the tacos themselves- one of my favorite taco combinations is refried beans, a fried egg, and onions/cilantro.

And hot sauce. Can’t forget the hot sauce!

BUT WAIT. THERE’S MORE!

As if the delicious refried beans and chicken tacos weren’t enough, Zach made us some blood orange margaritas to have with our meal.

There’s something about Mexican food and margaritas that just makes you think “summer.” And in the middle of a New England snowstorm, cooped up in our apartment, Zach and I were able to experience one of the best parts of a warmer climate and forget about the horrible weather for a little bit.

Really, if you ask me, Mexican food should be part of the winter survival guide that all northerners should incorporate at least biweekly during the months of January-March. It should be a requirement.

Back to the recipe.

These refried beans are a one pot dish, they are CHEAP (as are almost all bean-based dishes), and they are ready in a mere 10-15 minutes. While they are best fresh and hot from the skillet, they can also be made ahead of time and reheated, or frozen for a later use.

They are super easy to make, and like I said before, they are the BEST REFRIED BEANS EVER.

How to make really smooth refried beans

As you’ll see in the recipe below, I used a potato masher to make my beans. I like the texture somewhat lumpy, and I like that it’s a really simple process to mash them directly in the pot.

If you like very smooth refried beans, however, you can puree the beans and broth in a food processor or blender before adding to the skillet.

How to make refried beans healthier or vegetarian

If using bacon and bacon grease sounds like a little too much for you, or if you are vegetarian, you can omit the bacon and use butter to sauté the onions.

You may want to throw a little smoked paprika or chipotle hot sauce in there to give it some of the smoky flavor it will be missing without the bacon.

And as usual, since it’s my favorite piece of cookware on the planet, I recommend using a well seasoned cast iron skillet for this recipe (here’s how to use and season a cast iron skillet!).

What to serve with refried beans

Recipe below! Enjoy :-)