Refried Beans: How to Make them From Dried Beans

Aside from the ranchero sauce, one common theme of the Mexican food we ate on our trip was beans. Almost everything we ordered came with either a side of refried beans or had beans in it. And I am here for it! I have not found black beans or even pinto beans here in the United Arab Emirates, so I am going with a light red kidney bean. But the result is the same, a delicious refried bean that has plenty of uses from huevos rancheros to chile rellenos and as a side dish for your favorite fajitas.

For this recipe, I am using a dried bean, but you could easily use a canned bean if you prefer. Like I said, I had an issue finding the kind of bean I wanted so I went with the dried version so I can control the salt levels and other ingredients. If you use a canned bean, be sure to rinse them thoroughly. And if you are soaking a dried bean, be sure to soak it overnight and discard any that look questionable. Either way, I promise you the result is 10 times better than the refried beans from a can and still just as easy!

Makes about 3-4 cups of refried beans. You can freeze these in an airtight container for about 3 weeks if you make too many.

Ingredients:

2 cups of dried beans soaked overnight and rinsed or 2 cans of beans of your choice; black, pinto, or kidney.

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

1/2 bell pepper, finely diced

Either 1 dehydrated chipotle pepper or 2 chipotles in adobo

4 cups of water or chicken stock

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 chilis or jalapenos, minced

1 teaspoon of each – cumin and chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste. You will need about 1 tablespoon of salt for the dried beans!

Cilantro and cheese for the top to make it pretty.

Instructions:

1. In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and peppers. and sauté for a few minutes.
2. Rinse your beans of choice and add them to the pot with garlic, chilis, cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper. Give that a good stir and add the water or chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Once it is boiling either add your dehydrated chipotle or add your chipotles in adobo. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer for 20 – 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. If you used a dehydrated chipotle, remove it for the mixture. Remove the stem and chop. Add back into the mixture.
5. The beans should be starting to breakdown at this point, but to move the process along, start smooshing the beans with the back of a wooden spoon or use a potato masher.
6. Remove from heat and serve with cilantro or cheese, or save for your next Mexican inspired masterpiece.