Refried Beans from Canned Pinto Beans Recipe
Refried Beans from Canned Pinto Beans recipe is a flavorful and easy side dish with pantry staple canned beans, a few simple vegetables, and perfectly blended spices. These bold and flavorful beans can be made on the stove top in about 20 minutes.
These canned beans make a great side dish or you can add them to tacos or burrito bowls. I like to serve them alongside fajita veggies, cilantro lime rice in the rice cooker, and with our pinto bean huevos rancheros.
We are all about easy flavorful recipes on our homestead, and these simple quick refried beans are a fantastic way to get some major flavor onto your plate. I always keep a stock of canned beans in the pantry for quick and delicious sides like these.
These refried beans are fast to the table, and you can make them while preparing other sides. Serve these beans with your next Taco Tuesday spread – they are great alongside rice or tucked into a delicious burrito.
These Refried Beans from Canned Pinto Beans are:
- Earthy
- Spicy (but can be less spicy if desired)
- Warming
- Filling
- High Protein
- Vegan & Gluten Free
- High in Plant Based Protein
Ingredients for Canned Pinto Refried Beans
See our recipe card below for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
The base of this recipe is canned pinto beans. You can find regular or no-salt canned pinto beans. For the recipe, I would recommend using no-salt so you can control the amount of salt in the dish.
This recipe also starts by sautéing some garlic and onion in olive oil. This gives the beans a nice savory flavor. We also simmered the beans in arbol chilies and Bay leaves to get extra flavor during the cooking time.
For spices, we use a simple spice blend of chili powder, cumin, and adobo seasoning. This adds a wonderful flavor to the beans, along with the vegetable stock that we simmer the beans in. Taste and add salt if desired.
And finally, we love topping our refried pinto beans with some fresh cilantro and red chili flakes for added heat.
Additions and Substitutions
For a smoky flavor, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika or chipotle chili powder to the dish.
You can make this recipe with any canned bean. Doesn’t have to be pinto. Try it with black beans too.
And if you wanted to reduce the amount of fat in this dish, you could omit the oil and keep it oil-free.
Step-By-Step Photos for Making Refried Pinto Beans
Step 1: In a large pot, add the olive oil, garlic, and onions and cook over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes until soft.
Step 2: Add in the canned beans, and the arbol chilis, and stir well to combine.
Step 3: Pour in the vegetable stock, chili powder, cumin, bay leaves, and adobo seasoning.
Step 4: Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for at least 30 minutes until the beans are soft and tender.
Step 5: Discard the bay leaves, and with a potato masher, gently mash the beans for 5 minutes until they are soft.
Step 6: Before serving, sprinkle on the fresh cilantro and red chili flakes and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
We make our vegetarian pinto beans with canned beans, spices, arbol chilis, bay leaves, vegetable stock, and topped with cilantro and red pepper flakes.
Absolutely! All you need to do is simmer the beans in spices and broth, and mash them until smooth and creamy.
Store any leftover beans in an airtight container and refrigerate within 4 days.
Yes! This recipe is easy to freeze and save for later. Store the cooked beans in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
We love serving these beans in our vegan 7 layer dip and our 7 layer dip burritos!
They are also great on top of veggie taco bowls or our favorite BBQ chickpea tacos.
Serve them on Taco Tuesday along side our sour cream cornbread, avocado black bean salad, and our papaya salsa.
More Vegetarian Bean Recipes You’ll Love!
- Italian-Style Bruschetta Bean Salad Recipe
- White Bean and Olive Salad Recipe
- Quinoa Salad with Black Beans Recipe
- Bean Salad with Quinoa Recipe
- Authentic Fasolatha Recipe (Greek White Bean Soup)
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Refried Beans from Canned Pinto Beans
Equipment
- Pan
- Potato Masher
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 14 ounce cans pinto beans
- 2 arbol chilis
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cup Vegetable Stock
- 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Chili Flakes optional for heat
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the olive oil, garlic, and onions and cook over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes until soft.
- Add in the canned beans, and the arbol chilis, and stir well to combine.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, chili powder, cumin, bay leaves, and adobo seasoning.
- Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for at least 30 minutes until the beans are soft and tender.
- Discard the bay leaves, and with a potato masher, gently mash the beans for 5 minutes until they are soft.
- Before serving, sprinkle on the fresh cilantro and red chili flakes and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Fabulous recipe, Kelly!
I love that this has all the things I love and I can adjust the amounts to my delight!
Great job! I too was a beekeeper, but moving states got in the way. Looking to start some hives again, though.
Thank you Morris, really appreciate the rating and comment! And hello from a fellow beekeeper 🙂
– Kelly
tried it, loved it, can’t thank you enuf for sharing!