Refried beans, well not exactly, unfried beans, beans sans grease (lard or extra fat). Let’s just call them unfried beans.
When my husband and I first got together he did all of the cooking. He taught me how to cook Mexican food. To make refried beans, he would put a little oil in the pan. Then add the cooked beans then smash them with a potato masher.
Once I started doing all of the cooking I omitted the oil. He didn’t notice unless I would say something. I then got lazier and would just put the cooked beans into my Magic Bullet to save all of the work of mashing them.
Now that I have a food processor I have a super simple recipe for Refried, er Unfried Beans. I’d say they rival any canned refried beans that are seasoned and are quick and easy to make.
Do Mexican Restaurants use Lard in Refried Beans?
Some canned beans contain lard, and most restaurants use canned beans. Check the ingredients if using canned beans at home. I promise you won’t miss any of the fat in the flavor!
Unfried Refried Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked pinto beans (black beans would work too)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- small amounts of water
- hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Add cooked beans and all of the spices to the food processor and process.
- Add small amounts of water until the desired consistency is reached.
- Taste and add more seasonings if desired.
Serving Suggestions
This was the perfect amount of beans for my husband and my nachos. If you are making bean burritos or just beans to accompany something else, this recipe is easy to double or triple.
Storage
Did you know that beans and unfried beans freeze well? You can make a big batch then package the beans into smaller serving sizes to freeze for later. I like to use a quart size freezer bag because I can lay it flat.
I’ve also made large amounts of unfried beans to use when we had company stay with us. They could make nacho’s, burritos, or a host of other things quickly.
Do you cook your beans? You will save a lot of money if you do. Read my post on “Plan for Success” if this is uncharted territory for you, in it, I detail how to cook beans.
Also, check out my Unfried Black Bean recipe!
More Plant Based Mexican Food Recipes
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Plant Based Nachos
- Instant Pot Mexican Casserole
- Tortilla Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Tacos
Unfried Refried Beans (Oil-Free)
A healthier version of refried beans without oil but all the flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked pinto beans (black beans would work too)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- small amounts of water
- hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Add cooked beans and all of the spices to the food processor and process.
- Add small amounts of water until the desired consistency is reached.
- Taste and add more seasonings if desired.
Notes
Freeze servings in a quart size freezer bag for later.
My husband saw this photo and said “Can we have that?” I can’t wait to try it! Looks awesome, and so much better than the Taco Bell nachos we used to occasionally get.
I just made this and it was so good. I will never buy refried beans again.
with this recipe, are the beans soaked before cooking?
You can do it either way. I prefer to soak mine before cooking but you can cook them any way you want. You can also used canned beans. This recipe works with any kind of canned beans that are full cooked. I feel like they are creamier if I soak them and over cook them a bit so they are easier to mash/puree.
Are the beans supposed to be drained and rinsed if cooked or canned prior to putting in food processor? Will putting them in a blender work too?
Hi Gina,
The beans should be drained, rinsing is optional. If I cook the beans I don’t rinse them because I usually cook them with onions and garlic and I want all that flavor to stay. If they are canned you may want to rinse them. It won’t make or break the recipe either way. You can set aside some of the liquid that comes in the can (or that the beans are cooked in) and use that instead of water to thin it out.
You can use a blender. I used a blender tonight and they came our so smoothie and silky. I thought they looked like cake frosting. I could totally trick my kids if I wanted to full a prank.
This recipe is absolutely perfect. It tastes great and it’s so easy! Thank You! (Col. 3:15)