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Home · Recipes · Tex-Mex | Mexican Food · Refried Black Beans

Published: Mar 30, 2021 by Kelly Anthony · Leave a CommentThis post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Refried Black Beans

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The next time you're looking to fiesta come dinner, turn those canned black beans into a gourmet Mexican side dish with just a few simple steps! These Refried Black Beans are a handy mix of convenience and homemade thanks to a smart combination of canned black beans, fresh ingredients, and the perfect blend of Mexican spices!

Refried Black Beans in a white bowl topped with cilantro and crumbled cheese. There are sprigs of cilantro, limes, and tortilla chips in the background.

The uses for these refried beans are practically endless. Here are just a few of our favorite ways to serve them:

    • A healthy, vegetarian main dish with toppings like sour cream, cotija cheese, and pico de gallo.
    • As a side dish to literally any Mexican or Tex-Mex dish.
    • A nacho topping or addition to your taco, burrito, or on these healthy turkey tostadas!
  • A dip alongside a giant bowl of tortilla chips. (Check out our refried bean dip if pinto beans are more your style.)
  • For breakfast, slathered across a tostada topped off with scrambled eggs (like on our Huevos Motulenos)!

Looking for more healthy Mexican side dishes? Bookmark this Mexican Bean Salad for next time. It's the perfect side for summer BBQs and potluck parties! We've got tons of Tex-Mex Recipes for you to make right at home, add these to your line-up!

Refried black beans smeared on a tostada shell and topped with cheese and cilantro.

HOW TO MAKE REFRIED BLACK BEANS

  1. Saute Veggies | Add oil to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and allow it to come to temperature. Then, add in diced onion and jalapenos and stir to coat in the oil. Cook until softened, for about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  2. Add Canned Black Beans  | Add 2 cans of black beans (bean broth and all) to the pan, along with adobo sauce, spices, and water.
  3. Simmer | Reduce the  heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring every so often, for about 35 minutes. The mixture should appear slightly reduced and thickened.
  4. Mash | Add in chopped cilantro and use the back of your spoon or a potato masher and mash until your beans reach your desired consistency.

Check out our homemade baked beans or Crock-Pot pinto beans next!

REFRIED BLACK BEANS INGREDIENTS

  • Veggies | Nothing adds flavor to a dish like fresh ingredients. You'll be surprised at what a little diced onion, jalapeño, garlic, and cilantro can do to your beans. I promise -- this simple addition is worth the extra prep, not to mention it gives these black beans a boost of nutritional value!
  • Black Beans | For ease and convenience, this Refried Black Beans Recipe calls for canned black beans. If you are curious, Bush's Black Beans were used for recipe development.
  • Adobo Sauce | These days you can buy adobo sauce sold on its own or you can get it out of canned chipotle peppers (these canned peppers come swimming in this flavorful sauce). You'll typically find it on the international aisle of your grocery store near the other Mexican ingredients. If you're unfamiliar with this ingredient altogether and wonder what it tastes like exactly, it's tangy, smoky, and somewhat spicy. Note, if you are uncomfortable with spice, feel free to leave it out altogether.
  • Spices | The spices going into your Refried Black Beans are traditional to both Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. You will need cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, Kosher salt, and pepper.

A close up of refried black beans with cilantro and crumbled cheese on top.

WHAT EXACTLY ARE REFRIED BEANS?

The deceptive name, refried beans -- a Tex-Mex side dish staple, might lead one to believe that these beans, were not only fried once but twice. This couldn't be further from the truth.

Refried beans are essentially just cooked beans that have been reheated and mashed until they've reached a creamy consistency.

ARE REFRIED BLACK BEANS HEALTHY?

There isn't much about this Refried Black Beans recipe that couldn't be deemed as healthy. As clarified earlier, there's no "frying" involved whatsoever.

Not to mention, black beans are an excellent source of healthy minerals such as iron, magnesium, and zinc, have also been associated with blood sugar regulation, cancer prevention, and are both eye and heart-healthy!

So, in a nutshell, yes -- these Refried Black Beans are healthy.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH REFRIED BLACK BEANS

As mentioned above, the uses for Refried Black Beans go on-and-on, but if you're looking to serve them up as a side dish, here is a list of our favorite main dish candidates:

  • Sliced al Carbon Tacos with sides of grilled onions and lime

    Tacos al Carbon

  • Close up shot of carnitas tacos topped with white onion and cilantro.

    Authentic Carnitas Recipe

  • Shrimp piled high on a corn tortilla with chipotle sauce dripping down and cabbage on top.

    Tacos de Camaron | Shrimp Tacos

  • Tacos de Pollo (Chicken Tacos Recipe)

  • Pulled Pork Quesadillas

    Pulled Pork Quesadillas

  • Tex Mex Beef Enchiladas

    Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas | Recipe

TOPPINGS FOR YOUR BEANS

Want to take your Mexican black beans to the next level? Toppings are the way to go. Serve them with any of the following items and instantaneously level up your meal!

  • Fresh-Squeezed Lime
  • Chopped Cilantro
  • Cotija, Queso Fresco, or Monterey Jack cheese
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Chopped Jalapeños
  • Chopped White Onion
  • Diced Avocado
  • Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
  • Hot Sauce

HOW TO STORE REFRIED BLACK BEANS

Keep leftover Refried Black Beans refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

If you'd like to freeze them, allow them to cool to room temperature and then transfer them to a freezer-safe, ziptop bag. You could also keep them in a snug, freezer-safe container -- too much headspace will promote freezer burn. They will stay good for up to 3 months in the freezer.

5 MORE MEXICAN SIDE DISHES YOU’LL LOVE

  • Spanish Rice
  • Charro Beans
  • Jalapeño Cornbread
  • Mexican Bean Salad
  • Easy Mexican Black Beans

A close up of Refried Black Beans in a white bowl topped with cilantro and crumbled cheese. There are sprigs of cilantro, limes, and tortilla chips in the background.

Refried Black Beans in a white bowl topped with cilantro and crumbled cheese. There are sprigs of cilantro, limes, and tortilla chips in the background.
Print Recipe
4.50 from 4 votes

Refried Black Beans

Homemade Mexican Refried Black Beans made easy and delicious with canned black beans, fresh ingredients, and the perfect blend of Mexican spices! Serve as a side dish, a dip, or as a vegetarian main dish! 
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time45 minutes mins
Total Time55 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Keyword: Refried Black Beans
Servings: 8
Calories: 177kcal
Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons canola or avocado oil
  • 1 small white or yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 (14-ounce) cans of black beans
  • 1 ½ teaspoon adobo sauce from a can/bottle of chipotles in adobo
  • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  • Add oil to a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and jalapeños and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring often.
  • Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute more.
  • Add the black beans (along with the juices), adobo sauce, spices, and water to the pan and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the cilantro and remove from the heat. Mash the beans using the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher until you have reached the desired consistency. For a smoother consistency, you can either use an immersion blender or run the beans through a blender or a food processor fitted with a blade attachment.

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 407mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 241IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 3mg

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I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

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