Refried Black Beans

In this recipe, canned black beans are seasoned and gently mashed while cooking in a bit of olive oil. We keep the ingredients simple, so there’s no slicing, dicing or chopping.

These refried beans are great because they’re really easy to make and they’re delicious! The family loves them too, especially when they are served with our tacos with ground beef recipe.

Refried beans are traditionally made with pinto beans but red kidney beans and black beans are common too. The flavors are quite different so it’s a good way to change up the flavor profile of your favorite Mexican or Tex Mex dishes.

Ingredients

• 2 (15 ounce) cans Black Beans
• ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
• ½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil

You will also need:

• Non-stick (at least 10 inches)
• Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for mashing

Recipe tip

Use plain, unseasoned black beans because we are going to add our own seasoning mix so there will be plenty of flavor. The ingredients list of the canned beans should read: prepared black beans, water and salt. Use reduced sodium beans if you are sensitive to salt.

Instructions

Add the garlic powder, onion powder, cumin powder, salt and pepper to a small bowl. Stir to combine well.

Add the olive oil to a non-stick skillet. Heat the oil over medium heat. When it's hot, but nowhere near smoking, add the two cans of black beans. Do not drain the beans; add them in with the liquid.

Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the beans and stir well to combine.

Allow the beans to come to a simmer. Don’t crank the heat, it will take about 4-5 minutes, stir occasionally.

When the beans come to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and start mashing them. Use a rubber spatula or the back of a wooden spoon to gently smash them. Move around the skillet, mashing and stirring as you go.

Continue cooking and mashing for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until the beans have reached the desired consistency.

Take the skillet off the heat and serve immediately. Give them a good stir every few minutes to keep them from looking dry on top.

Here we serve the refried black beans on a tostada, topped with diced tomatoes, queso fresco, and green onions. But they are also great with restaurant style salsa, garden fresh salsa, or served along side chicken enchiladas or pork tacos.