Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper to a small bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but nowhere near smoking, add the onions. Cook them for 3-4 minutes until they become translucent and turn golden in spots. Stir frequently.

Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add the beans, broth and seasoning mix (chili powder, cumin powder, salt and pepper) to the skillet. Stir well to combine.

Allow the liquid to come to a simmer. Don’t crank the heat, it will take about 1-2 minutes, stir occasionally.

When the beans come to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and let them cook gently for 2-3 minutes to let the flavors develop and come together.

Start mashing the pinto beans. Use a small masher or the back of a wooden spoon to gently smash the beans. Move around the skillet, mashing and stirring as you go.

When the beans start to thicken lower the heat a bit more, if needed. Continue cooking and mashing for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until the beans have reached the desired consistency.

If the beans are too thick loosen them with 1-2 tablespoons of broth, stirring between each addition. If they are not thick enough, continue cooking until they thicken, but keep in mind that the refried beans will thicken further as they cool.

Taste the refried beans and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add any extra to ours.

Take the skillet off the heat and serve immediately. If they start to look a little dry on top after a few minutes, just give them a good stir.

Here we serve the refried beans with Monterey cheese and chopped cilantro. Other topping ideas include black olives, green onions, seeded and sliced jalapenos.