This recipe for Vegan Refried Beans is one of my all time favorite bean recipes. Not only is it incredibly flavorful and simple to make (literally it takes about 15 minute), but it's also a plant-based protein powerhouse.
We love taco night in my house. And while we love a good meat-based taco, like our Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos recipe, we're most likely enjoying a plant-based taco or fajita like our Sheet Pan Tofu Fajitas. We are certainly not vegetarian (though I have been off and on over the last 20 years), but I try to focus on vegetables, whole grains, plant-based proteins and occasional lean proteins or fish when making dinner for my wife and daughters.
That is where this recipe for vegan refried beans comes into play. To be clear, this is NOT a traditional refried beans recipe that you'd find traveling to Mexico or even in the southwest of the U.S. This is simply inspired by traditional refried beans.
So what's the difference? For starters, many refried beans found in Mexico (though not all) are made with lard while ours simply uses olive oil. In addition, classic refried beans simmer much longer than our simple 15 minute version! The end result is a recipe that comes together fast, has minimal added saturated fat and is ideal to serve as a side for dinner party or taco night with the family. Want more taco night sides or starters? Try our Easy Guacamole with Homemade Pico de Gallo recipe or our Mango Corn Salsa recipe.
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Ingredients that Matter
The beauty of this recipe is that you only need a handful of pantry staples to make it. Here are the ingredients you'll need for this recipe:
- Pinto Beans. This recipe calls for two (14.5 oz.) cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed. If you want to make your own beans from dried, use 3 cups of cooked beans .
- Onion. One medium yellow onion finely chopped and sauteed in olive oil provides a good amount of aromatic flavor for the refried beans.
- Garlic. Like the onion, a couple minced garlic cloves provides a wonderful backbone of flavor for the beans.
- Oil. Use olive or vegetable oil to cook the onion, garlic and spices.
- Spices. A bit of ground cumin and paprika provides warm yet gentle flavor.
- Vegetable Broth. If you don't have vegetable broth, you can simply use water.
- Salt. I recommend starting with no-salt added canned beans and adding your own salt so you can control how much sodium to use.
- Garnishes. Use whatever garnishes you'd like, including fresh cilantro, chopped tomatoes, pickled jalapenos and/or lime wedges.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This recipe comes together very easily. Here is how to make this recipe:
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the minced onion and salt. Cook until slightly golden brown then add the minced garlic, cumin and paprika and cook until fragrant.
Add the drained and rinsed beans and vegetable broth (or water). Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Cook the beans, covered, until the beans are very soft and have mostly absorbed all the liquid, about 10 minutes.
Mash the mixture with a fork or potato masher to desired consistency.
Hint: Use extra vegetable broth or water to adjust the consistency of the mashed beans.
Substitutions
This recipe is vegan and gluten-free. You can, however, make some simple substitutions based on your dietary restrictions or flavor preferences:
- Black Beans - You can make this recipe using canned or cooked black beans instead of pinto beans.
- Oil-Free - If you want to make this recipe without using any added fat, simmer the onion, garlic and spices in about ¼ cup of vegetable broth or water.
- Spicy - You can easily added a bit of spice with a big pinch of cayenne pepper. I like to finish the dish with pickled jalapenos as a garnish (my kids won't eat anything spicy), but you can also make this using a fresh or pickled jalapeno added with the garlic and spices.
Pinto vs. Black Beans
What's the difference between pinto and black beans? For starters, both beans work well in refried beans, but pinto beans tend to be creamier and starchier when simmered. Black beans are smaller and tend to hold their shape when cooked.
On the flip side, black beans tend to be slightly healthier, with a tad more protein and fiber and a bit less carbohydrates compared to pinto beans (remember, black beans are a bit less starchy compared to pinto beans).
But pinto beans are still packed with fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals so they are a great choice for our vegan refried beans.
Equipment
For this recipe you only need a medium saucepan and perhaps a potato masher. A solid medium saucepan like this Cuisinart 2-Quart Saucepan with Lid is perfect! As for the potato masher, a simple one like this KitchenAid Gourmet Stainless Steel Wire Masher will work well.
Storage and Serving
Leftover vegan refried beans will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. The recipe makes about 3 cups, so there may not be leftovers if you are serving this as a key component on tacos or nachos. But, you can also use this recipe for meal prep.
Try making these beans and putting it into a container with our Pulled Chicken in a Dutch Oven or our Chickpea Patties, which is super easy and also vegan. Or you can make some of our Easy Tomato Rice (Mexican Inspired) along with our Purple Cabbage Slaw and our Creamy Chipotle Lime Sauce for some flavor packed lunches!
FAQ
Refried beans are not necessarily vegan as they are often made with lard. You can make them vegan by cooking aromatics in a bit of oil then adding beans, spices and water or vegetable broth and simmering until very tender.
Pinto beans are ideal for making refried beans as they soak up a lot of flavor from aromatics and spices plus they breakdown easily and are very creamy.
Vegetarian Recipes
Looking for some vegetarian recipes like this? Try these:
Sides
You can never have enough inspiration for sides! Check out these side dishes:
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Recipe
Vegan Refried Beans
- Total Time: 20 min.
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Description
This recipe for Vegan Refried Beans is one of my all time favorite bean recipes. Not only is it incredibly flavorful and simple to make (literally it takes about 15 minute), but it's also a plant-based protein powerhouse.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. table salt, plus more to taste
- 2 (14.5 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked pinto beans)
- 1 cup vegetable broth (or water)
- cilantro, lime, tomatoes and/or pickled jalapenos for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, paprika and salt and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add beans and broth (or water) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, covered, until the beans are very soft and have absorbed most of the liquid, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and mash the beans and cooking liquid with a fork or a potato masher. Serve hot garnished with cilantro, lime, tomatoes and/or pickled jalapenos, if desired.
Notes
- You can make this recipe using beans you cooked yourself from scratch. Use 3 cups of precooked beans instead of 2 (14.5 oz.) cans.
- Swap in black beans for pinto beans, if desired.
- Serve these vegan refried beans as a side for our Sheet Pan Tofu Fajitas or our Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 5 min.
- Cook Time: 15 min.
- Category: Sides
- Method: simmering
- Cuisine: American/Mexican
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