Description

You can easily make runny refried beans like your favorite Mexican restaurant serves at home. These flavorful creamy beans are so good and easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups dried pinto beans (1 pound)
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons dried bullion of choice (vegetable, chicken or tomato chicken)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups of water
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon chile powder to taste
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, minced (1/2 cup)
Cojita cheese for garnish

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Instructions

In a pressure cooker or instant pot, add beans, quartered onion, garlic, bay leaf, bouillon powder, cumin, oregano, and water. Attach lid and set the pressure to high.
Cook for 45 minutes and quick-release pressure. (The beans will be liquidy which is good.)
Remove the bay leaf and discard it.
Carefully add the hot beans and liquid to a blender and blend until the desired texture. I recommend you do this in halves. For the first half, blend an until almost smooth, blend the second half less so there are still chunks of beans.
In a large saute pan, heat the oil and saute the diced onions over medium-high heat until translucent.
Add the pureed beans to the saute pan and heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and remove from heat.
Taste and adjust seasonings by adding kosher salt, black pepper, and chile powder as desired.
Sprinkle with cilantro and garnish with crumbled cojita cheese.

Notes

You can make these runny refried beans vegetarian by using vegetable bouillon. I really like using Knorr’s Tomato Chicken bouillon in this dish.

Refried beans can easily be made ahead, and even frozen.

If freezing, let the beans cool and then transfer to a zip-close bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, let the beans thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat as desired.

You may want to add a drizzle of water (or even milk) to the beans to thin them out after refrigerating.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 5 ounces