Refried Black Beans Recipe | Easy Homemade Mexican Side Dish
Creamy, savory refried black beans made on the stovetop with aromatics, warm spices, and a squeeze of lime. Perfect as a quick side or spread for tacos, burritos, bowls, and breakfast.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons lard bacon fat, avocado oil, or butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 –3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small jalapeño or serrano seeded and minced (optional)
- 2 cans 15 ounces each black beans, drained, reserve 1 cup liquid (or 3 cups cooked black beans)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ –3/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 –2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ cup broth or reserved bean liquid more as needed
- Optional garnishes: chopped cilantro crumbled queso fresco, sliced scallions, crema
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat the fat in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook until translucent and golden at the edges, 5–7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook until fragrant, 30–60 seconds.
- Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano and toast for about 20 seconds.
- Add the black beans and 1/4 cup reserved bean liquid or broth, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Mash the beans with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, adding more liquid a splash at a time until creamy and thick but spreadable, leaving some beans whole.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir in lime juice, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve hot and garnish with cilantro, queso fresco, scallions, or a drizzle of crema.
Notes
Use canned beans for speed or cooked-from-scratch beans for extra creaminess. Adjust thickness with more reserved bean liquid or broth until the beans hold soft peaks. For classic flavor, cook with lard; for vegan, use avocado oil. Variations: add minced chipotle, extra garlic, melted Oaxaca or Monterey Jack, fresh herbs, or extra heat with serrano or cayenne. Store up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer; reheat with a splash of water or broth and a little lime.