These creamy vegan refried black beans with canned beans are ready in 30 minutes and boldly seasoned with authentic Mexican flavors.
Also check out my vegan Instant Pot refried beans, this Mexican red rice recipe, and these pickled jalapeños and carrots.
🔍 A Quick Look: Vegan Refried Black Beans with Canned Beans
- 📝 Recipe Name: Vegan Refried Black Beans with Canned Beans
- 🕒 Total Time: 30 minutes
- 👥 Yield: 6 servings
- 🎯 Key Ingredients: Black beans (canned), mirepoix (onion, celery, tomato), garlic, jalapeños, smoky spices
- 🌱 Dietary Info: Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, oil-free and WFPB options included.
- ✨ Best For: Taco night, meal prep, restaurant-style comfort food
- 💕 Why You’ll Love It: Creamy, flavor-packed, budget-friendly, and done in under 30 minutes
Jump to:
- 🔍 A Quick Look: Vegan Refried Black Beans with Canned Beans
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tested Tips for Refried Black Beans
- Variations
- How to make Creamy Refried Black Beans from Canned Beans
- Storage and Meal Prep
- Vegan Refried Black Beans with Canned Beans FAQs
- Suggested Pairings
- 📖 Recipe
- Canned Refried Black Beans Recipe
- 💬 Comments
For more than 20 years, I’ve made refried black beans in every which way, dried beans soaked overnight, simmered all day, in a slow-cooker, in the Instant Pot, and even sprouted!
But when life gets busy, I always come back to this recipe. I add a mirepoix and some of my pickled jalapenos for a little heat and tang. These simple extra touches make them taste like they’ve simmered all day, and you’ll never guess they came from a can.
I often make homemade black beans from scratch, especially for meal prep, in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. I switch it up with my slow cooker black bean soup and Instant Pot Chickpeas.
Why This Recipe Works
- Deglazing the pan releases slow-cooked flavor in a short time without overnight soaking!
- Sautéing onion and celery builds depth while tomato and jalapeño add acidity, sweetness, and heat.
- Flexible and includes an oil-free method! Use oil or a dry sauté with splashes of water for a whole food plant-based option.
- Ideal for meal prep! Double the recipe and use in tacos, vegan smothered burritos, and bowls.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make these vegan refried black beans with canned beans.
- Black Beans: I use canned whole black beans, though you can also make black beans from scratch (I cover how in the recipe card notes).
- Onion: Yellow or white onions work. You can even use frozen chopped onions or a mirepoix mix to save time.
- Garlic: Fresh is best for flavor, but jarred minced garlic works too.
- Pickled jalapeños: Sub with fresh jalapeño peppers or even serrano peppers if you like it hot.
- All Spices: You can substitute all spices in this recipe with 1–2 tablespoons of my homemade taco seasoning recipe.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
For a delicious side, try this avocado mango salsa, salsa pico de gallo, or easy cowboy caviar recipe; they all come together quickly. You can make ahead or while the beans are simmering.
Tested Tips for Refried Black Beans
- Keep the liquid just below a boil while simmering for a creamy, not pasty, texture.
- Use a potato masher for chunky beans. For smoother, use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender.
Serve these homemade black refried beans (frijoles negros refritos) with vegan nacho cheese sauce or a bold chile de arbol tomatillo salsa. For something milder, this creamy avocado salsa dip and homemade roasted salsa recipe are favorites.
Variations
- Spicy: Use fresh jalapeños with membranes and seeds in or swap for Serranos.
- Creamier: Stir in a spoonful or drizzle vegan cashew cream sauce or vegan lime crema before serving.
- Smoky and bold: Drizzle or stir in creamy chipotle sauce before serving.
- Extra spices: Experiment with chili powder, cumin, or chipotle powder.
How to make Creamy Refried Black Beans from Canned Beans
Find the full recipe with exact amounts in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Heat oil over medium heat and sauté the aromatics. Cook onions & celery for 2-3 minutes, then jalapeños and tomato until soft. Add garlic last and deglaze with a splash of brine.
- Step 2: Add beans, water, seasonings, and optional tamari. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Step 3: Mash for chunky beans or blend smooth. Adjust salt and water to taste. Add lime juice or brine for brightness.
If you’re in the mood to keep it simple, try this vegan bean dip and easy guacamole recipe; they're always delicious.
Storage and Meal Prep
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cool completely, then freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm on the stove with a splash of broth or water until creamy.
- Meal Prep: Double the batch, one for this week and one for the freezer. Check out my vegan meal prep for beginners guide, these vegan Mexican recipes, or this roundup of vegan Mexican meal prep for more authentic flavors and ideas.
Serve these easy refried black beans with tacos dorados de papa, creamy jalapeno sauce, and cilantro lime Mexican rice.
Vegan Refried Black Beans with Canned Beans FAQs
Yes, canned black beans make the easiest healthy refried beans. Just drain, rinse, and cook them with onion, garlic, and jalapeño for flavor. In 30 minutes, you’ll have creamy, homemade beans without soaking or pressure cooking.
To make refried black beans from canned beans, sauté aromatics, then add your beans, seasonings, and broth. Simmer 15–20 minutes, then mash or blend to your preferred texture. It’s a quick, plant-based way to get restaurant-quality results at home.
Upgrade canned refried beans with a squeeze of lime, a spoonful of jalapeño brine, and a dash of smoked paprika.
Use refried black beans as a filling for tacos, burritos, or enchiladas. They’re also great as a bean dip with salsa and tortillas or chips, or as a side with Mexican rice, tomatillo salsa, and pickled jalapeños.
Suggested Pairings
Use these black bean refritos as a dip or spread in these recipes:
Did you try this recipe? Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest! 💛
📖 Recipe
Canned Refried Black Beans Recipe
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Ingredients
- (3) 15-ounce cans whole black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, (see Notes for oil-free method)
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 small tomato, chopped
- ¼ cup pickled jalapeños, diced or 1 fresh jalapeño or even a Serrano pepper (see Notes)
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano, regular works too
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, optional
- 1 ½ cups water, or low-sodium vegetable broth
- ¾-1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños brine, optional, or a squeeze of fresh lime juice to taste
Instructions
- Heat a medium-sized pan over medium heat and add oil.
- Once oil is shimmering, add onion, celery, and a pinch of salt; cook 2-3 minutes until golden.
- Stir in jalapeños and tomato and cook 2-3 minutes until soft, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Deglaze with 1 tablespoon broth (or water).
- Add beans, water (or broth), and all seasonings (except salt). Stir to combine.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then partially cover the pan and reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add salt to taste. Mash or blend to your preferred texture. Creamy, chunky, or in-between.
- Turn off heat and optionally finish with either jalapeño brine or a squeeze of fresh lime to taste.
Video
Notes
- Oil-free method: Omit all oil in this recipe and start sautéing with a dry pan and add splashes of water as needed to prevent sticking. Deglaze with 1 tablespoon water or vegetable broth to deglaze and lift the flavor bits.
- Adjust texture: Mash with a fork or masher for chunky/rustic beans, or blend with an immersion blender for more creamy refried black beans. You can also adjust the liquid amount, more or less depending on the consistency you prefer. Salt amount will change with any changes you make to the liquid base, also, so adjust to taste.
- Pickled jalapeños: Use more or less depending on preference. If using a fresh jalapeño or Serrano, remove the membranes and seeds for less heat.
- Creamy finish: Drizzle with cashew sour cream, cashew lime crema, or my vegan chipotle sauce recipe.
- Garnishments: Chopped lettuce/cabbage, sliced radishes, cilantro, fresh onion, tomatoes, and lime slices.
- I always like to make some sort of salsa while the beans simmer. This avocado salsa dip and my pico de gallo salsa recipe come together in just the right amount of time.
Nutrition
Julie Gaeta is a plant-based recipe creator, certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and mom of nine who's been plant-based for over 20 years. She's cooked approximately 4,382 pots of beans and can't vacation without her juicer and pasta pot. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, Yahoo, YourTango, and other major outlets. She helps others simplify wellness and feel good again through her blog, coaching, and weekly newsletter.
Julie Gaeta says
These beans are packed with flavor and incredibly versatile. I make them for tacos, burrito bowls, nachos, and so much more. A tried and true staple.