Refried Beans Recipe Crockpot Mexican Style
This refried beans recipe crockpot style starts with dry pinto beans, so there is no soaking and no can. The beans cook until soft in the slow cooker, then get mashed with their own broth and a little fat.
8
servings10
minutes8
hoursDry pinto beans cook with onion, garlic and jalapeno until tender, then get mashed with bacon fat or oil.
Ingredients
1 lb dry pinto beans, rinsed and sorted
1 medium white onion, peeled and halved
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 jalapeno, halved and seeded
6 cups water
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup bacon drippings or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp lime juice
Cotija cheese, for serving
Directions
- Rinse the pinto beans and pick out any stones. Add them to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the onion halves, garlic, jalapeno and water. Do not add salt yet.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
- Test a few beans. They should be completely soft and creamy inside, with no chalky center.
- Stir in the salt, cumin, pepper and chili powder. Cook 15 more minutes.
- Remove the onion halves and jalapeno. Scoop out 1 cup of the cooking liquid and set it aside.
- Ladle off most of the remaining liquid into a bowl, keeping the beans in the pot.
- Add the bacon drippings and mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth.
- Add reserved liquid a splash at a time until creamy. Stir in the lime juice and serve warm.
Notes
- Dry beans in the slow cooker are safe when fully cooked, and these cook well past the danger zone. Salt at the end keeps the skins soft. Use oil for a vegetarian version. Freeze portions in bags for up to 3 months. Reheat with a splash of water.
Why dry beans beat canned
Homemade refried beans are creamier, cheaper and far more flavorful than anything from a can. Starting with dry pinto beans lets you control the salt, the fat and the texture. The slow cooker does the long, gentle simmer without any soaking or stirring.
Mexican style refried beans get their flavor from a few simple things: onion, garlic, a little jalapeno and good fat. Cook the beans with the aromatics, mash them with a splash of the cooking liquid, and finish with lime. The whole pot is hands-off for eight hours. Start it in the morning and it is ready by dinner, and the kitchen smells like a taqueria all day.
Ingredient notes
Dry pinto beans: Buy them from a store with good turnover. Old beans, more than a year on the shelf, can stay hard no matter how long you cook them. Rinse and pick through for stones.
Onion, garlic and jalapeno: Leave the onion in halves and the garlic smashed, so you can pull them out later. Seed the jalapeno if you want it mild.
Bacon drippings: This is the classic fat for refried beans. Vegetable oil or lard works equally well. Use the full quarter cup for a restaurant texture.
Kosher salt: Salt goes in near the end, not at the start. It seasons better and keeps the bean skins from toughening.
Cotija cheese: This salty, crumbly cheese goes on top at the table. Feta is a fair stand-in. A squeeze of lime at the end brightens the whole pot, so keep a fresh lime handy.
Tips for the best result
Do not salt early: Adding salt at the start can slow the softening of the bean skins. Wait until the beans are fully tender, then stir it in for the last 15 minutes.
Save the cooking liquid: The liquid is the secret to a creamy texture. Mash the beans with the fat first, then add liquid a splash at a time until the texture is right.
Test the beans, not the clock: The most common mistake is stopping when the timer rings. Bite a few beans. If any have a chalky center, keep cooking for another hour.
Swaps and variations
Use black beans for a different version, with the same method. Add a teaspoon of chipotle in adobo for smoky heat, or stir in a handful of sharp cheddar at the end. For a vegetarian or vegan pot, use vegetable oil and skip the cotija.
Do not use canned beans in place of dry in this recipe. The timing is built around dry beans, and canned ones turn to mush in hours. Soaking is not needed, but if you have time, a quick overnight soak can trim the cook time by about an hour.
What to serve with it
Serve the beans warm as a side for tacos, enchiladas or rice bowls. Spread them on tortillas for quick bean and cheese burritos. Put out lime wedges, hot sauce and warm tortilla chips on the table. They also make a great layer in a seven-layer dip or a base for loaded nachos with a little melted cheese on top.
Freezing and reheating
Refried beans keep in the fridge for 5 days and freeze very well for 3 months. Freeze flat in zip bags for fast thawing. To reheat, warm in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of water or broth, stirring so they do not stick. They will firm up as they cool, so thin them out each time you warm them.
Refried Beans Recipe Crockpot Mexican Style at a glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 8 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by dry pinto beans, white onion, garlic, jalapeno
Tips for Refried Beans Recipe Crockpot Mexican Style
Dry beans in the slow cooker are safe when fully cooked, and these cook well past the danger zone. Salt at the end keeps the skins soft. Use oil for a vegetarian version. Freeze portions in bags for up to 3 months. Reheat with a splash of water.
Refried Beans Recipe Crockpot Mexican Style FAQ
How long does Refried Beans Recipe Crockpot Mexican Style take?
Refried Beans Recipe Crockpot Mexican Style takes 8 hours of cooking after 10 minutes of prep.
How many people does Refried Beans Recipe Crockpot Mexican Style serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Refried Beans Recipe Crockpot Mexican Style?
12 ingredients, led by dry pinto beans, white onion, garlic, jalapeno. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
