I have always wanted to make my own refried beans. I have been holding on to this recipe to make them from Dinner’s Ready since September 2008. I finally got around to making them and wish I had tried it sooner. They are so yummy and much better than the canned stuff. These refried beans are so easy because you make them in the crockpot. The other great thing about making your own refried beans is you can control how mashed they are and how thin they are. I like mine mashed with some chunks. Then I made them fairly thick. However, if I was going to use them on nachos, I would make them a thinner consistency. These were well worth the extra effort. Love ‘em! I like the refried beans with some cheese melted on top along with some diced green onion, then served with tortilla chips.
Crockpot Refried Beans
- 3 cups of dry pinto beans (rinsed)
- 1 onion, diced
- 9 cups of water
- 5 t salt
- 1 3/4 t pepper
- 2 T minced garlic
- 1/8 t ground cumin
- Put all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for about 8 hours.
- After they are done, drain all of the liquid out and SAVE THE LIQUID!!
- Mash beans with a potato masher or whatever you mash with. Add liquid, a bit at a time, to desired consistency, but remember you want them a little runny because they thicken over time. (makes about 6 cups)
My whole family loved these! So simple and soooo delicious!
I just wanted to see if you meant to put 5 t salt or if that’s a typo. I made them with the five teaspoons and they are so salty I’m gonna have to make a plain batch without salt to cut it down by half. I think using half the salt or even less would be sufficient. Did you find them too salty?
I’m so excited to try these!! I have never made my own, but my dad calls me “Little Mexico” because I love refried beans! They are so expensive though! this would be way more affordable for my family as much as we love to eat them! Thank you!!
looks good but add a pinch of epazote for a more authentic flavor!
I’ll be trying these soon! Your photo is great. (I found your site via your photo on foodgawker.)
This is a great idea! I can’t wait to try it!
I made these! They were loved by my whole family! I made a lime rice, your beans served with chips and salsa and it was a complete meal for us. I love your site. It is one of my go to places on a daily basis. Thank you.
I also diced jalepenos to mine! Gives them excellent flavor!
We ate at a famous Utah Mexican place last night, and I loved their refrieds. I thought “I should make these”! Maybe now I will!
Thanks so much! I loved refried beans and can barely handle the can taste. I will try these soon! We love eating bean burritos. @susieqtpies at Scraps of Life
oooh I’m excited to try this! Thanks! And I like how you always have a nice picture of the food. do you take those yourself?
I love re fried beans but hate the can stuff. This would be a great thing to make and forget about it. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Beautiful! I will be making this very soon. Thanks so much for the recipe !
Oh I love refried beans and have loved them since I first tried them as a kid. Everyone thought I was weird when I would eat it plain. This looks REALLY good!
I have made my own refried beans. My family loves them! They freeze EXTREMELY well, so you can make a big batch and freeze them in smaller portions that you would use for one meal.
Thanks for the recipe. I think I will try yours next time, because your spices are different and sound YUMMY!
These beans look absolutely perfect!! I like the recipe I use for my refried beans if I want them in 2 hours, but I will try this recipe when I have a bit more time and have other things to do. It looks absolutely perfect!
I’m so glad to have this recipe! I have only recently started doing any kind of beans “from scratch” and I will definitely try this. Thanks!
I love these beans! My mom made them all of the time when I was growing up…Next time you make them throw in one of the small cans of diced chilis. You’d think it would make them too spicy, but they are actually just perfect
These look (and sound) so delicious! Too bad I’d be the only one who ate them (hubby doesn’t really go for refried beans)
Nope. No Soaking, that is the beauty of it!
Do you need to soak the beans over night first?
Oh, I am SO glad that you shared this recipe with us! I can’t wait to try these! I try to make as many things from scratch as I can and I’ve never tried to make refried beans yet, but I’ve always wanted to. This is going onto our menu for next week for sure! Thanks!
This is such a healthier way of making them! We usually fry them in pork fat till there a little crispy, and mixing them and smooshing on the side of the part mashes them and makes them creamy. I will have to try your way though!!
Thank you! I’ve been wanting to make refried beans but was told you had to fry them. It sounded like way too much work, but this is perfect.
I would think they would freeze fine.
Sounds great! Say you don’t need all six cups, do refried beans freeze?
I’ve been wanting to make my own refried beans for YEARS! My Dutch husband looooooves them so much and I was especially glad to find them when we lived in the Netherlands but, in trying to be frugal, I took a can of brown beans and smooshed them up for him .. with nothing with it ’cause I didn’t know what to add to them. This will be so easy to make and I bet he’ll be in heaven having something so tasty!