Canned Refried Black Beans Recipe
These creamy vegan refried black beans made from canned or homemade black beans are ready in 30 minutes and boldly seasoned with authentic Mexican flavors.
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.
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
Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1209mg | Potassium: 782mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 588IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 5mg
