Back when I worked a lot, Via’s cooking sustained me and the kids. My cooking journal from those years has many pages covered with little post-its, each a valuable piece to the puzzle that was Via’s food…because there were no recipes, she just cooked—Birria and posole, complete with salsas and sides, and beans like these. Once while watching her make these beans, I wondered why we call them “refried beans”. As she mash-mash-mashed the beans with only a tablespoon of oil, it didn’t seem like frying to me.
I always thought refried beans came from a can. But as with most things, homemade is way better. Start with nice beans like the ones from Rancho Gordo, get them cooked (a one-pound bag of dried beans yields two quart jars of cooked beans and broth), make one jar into a batch of refries, and leave the others whole. Serve with tortillas and/or rice, cheese, and an assortment of toppings like jalapeño slices, cilantro leaves, sour cream, lime wedges, and your favorite chile sauce. This cabbage slaw makes a great side dish.
Refried Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 corn tortilla 100% corn for best flavor
- 3 cups cooked pinto-type beans
- 1 cup, approx. bean broth from cooking the beans
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a large, deep sauté pan (with lid handy) over medium heat. Add the corn tortilla and fry until golden brown, turning once to get both sides. Remove tortilla, and set aside—you’re using it to flavor the oil, then it's a snack or for the chickens.
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Be careful here, as the oil is hot and you're adding liquid—I like to use the lid to shield the initial splattering. Get your bean masher in hand (a ladle, large wooden spoon, or an actual bean masher—see Rancho Gordo's website for an authentic Mexican masher) and add the beans and their cooking liquid all at once to the hot oil. Using your masher of choice, mash the beans while they simmer until they are the consistency you like, it takes me about 10 - 15 minutes. Adjust heat to keep the beans bubbling but prevent molten-lava splatters all over you and your stove. Cook longer to evaporate excess liquid, or add additional bean broth or water if they become too dry.
Recipe Notes / Tips
- You can double this recipe, just make sure you use a large pot
- See my How to Cook Beans post for getting your beans cooked in the first place. I always cook a pound of beans at a time which yields about 4 - 6 cups cooked beans, depending on the variety.
- Bean math: 1 pound dry beans = 2 cups dry beans = 4 - 6 cups cooked beans
- For more great bean recipes, check out Rancho Gordo's new book, The Rancho Gordo Vegetarian Kitchen