Every time I eat refried beans out of can, I think about how salty they are. I love them, and I do love salt, but they are really too salty. When I was pregnant I couldn’t even really eat them and now I still don’t really enjoy them for this reason. Is that hormonal?
Hormones are so weird.
Anyways, I’m eating refried beans that slid out of a can, in the shape of a can (gross!), thinking…I could totally make these myself. Why have I not done this?
Before you go crazy on me, I know these aren’t traditional refried beans. No bacon fat here, but there is still a ton of flavor and you can eat them without guilt! Or add some more cheese and sour cream to your taco instead. Whatever makes you happy. I added a hearty amount of cumin for flavor, but I also added a touch of smoked paprika to give that smokey bacon flavor. I also threw in some red pepper flakes for heat.
Did I mention I made these in the slow cooker? You don’t even need to soak the beans.
PS: I looked up canned refried beans online…I don’t have any in the house but the stats I found online said that one serving contains 1069mg of sodium. Ummm…yeah…that’s a lot.
Let’s review.
- Less sodium.
- Not out of metal can. Let’s be honest, it looks like dog food coming out of that can.
- Fat-free.
- Easy to make.
- Significantly better on the budget.
- Freezes so that you always have it on hand.
What are you waiting for? I’m never looking back.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds dried pinto beans (approximately 5 cups), rinsed and sorted
- 1 medium to large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons of salt (more to taste)
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 9+ cups of water
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on high for 6-8 hours or until beans are soft and mash easily. Add more water if necessary during cooking. I added two cups about 2/3 of the way through cooking because it was looking dry. It doesn't hurt to have extra water, but you don't want them to dry up.
- Reserving the liquid, strain the beans out into a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher. Add the reserved liquid until you reach the consistency you desire. Serve, or cool completely and freeze in portions appropriate for your family.
Notes
These do taste significantly less salty than the canned version. Make sure to check for seasonings and add salt as desired. We are trying to cut down on sodium around here so you might want to add more salt. You can also increase/decrease red pepper flakes based on your love of spicy foods.
Verdict: I love these! The flavor isn’t identical to the canned variety but I think it is even better! Tons of flavor from the spices, you won’t miss the fat or the sodium.
Husband’s take: He hasn’t actually had these yet. I tried a few spoonfuls, but I froze the rest for future taco nights.
Changes I would make: None.
Difficulty: So. Easy.
My little helper.
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, who knew it was so easy! This is my kind of low maintenance side dish
Very cool. I can honestly say I’ve never bothered to think to make these from scratch. Love this!!!
Ok – I just love this post – I was cracking up when I saw your facebook post about being supermom! You’re adorable! I had no idea these were so easy to make HEALTHIER! Must.Tell.Hubby.
I love this idea of throwing the beans in the slow cooker. Awesome recipe!
Okay seriously. All over it. In it. Under it. And between it.
oh my gosh Rachel I love you for this. forever thankful. i LOVE refried beans. love love. And this light version? I MUST MAKE! I didn’t know they were so easy!
So I can eat MORE, right?
i never considered making my own refried beans. ever. as much as we eat them, i just popped open my can from the pantry and we were all set. thanks so much for this. substantially more healthy, i know every ingredient going in AND cooked in a slow cooker? you rock.
I’ve always wanted to make my own refried beans… These look so fabulous!
I am not a fan of refried beans, but my husband is. These would be great to make for him, and freeze in small portions. Great idea!
These look seriously amazing! For some reason I didn’t think I “liked” refried beans for the first 20 years of my life. Now I’m obsessed! The fat-free version sounds even better!!
GIMME! Dude, I love refried beans. I hate the fact that the canned version has mega sodium…BUT! This dip looks epic! Can’t wait to try!
wow i never thought about making these ever! I know the canned ones are so high in sodium, will have to make these soon and i loved how these dont need to be soaked either! your little helper is too cute
these look awesome! i’ve tried making refried beans on the stove and wasn’t a fan. gotta try the crockpot version
Love it! Thanks!
Just curious if you thought about doing humus this way using chickpeas? Do you think it could work?
I think you could absolutely cook the beans this way if you wanted to not use canned chickpeas. Then, I’d probably cool them completely before proceeding as usual. Does that make sense?
Thanks Rachel, that makes perfect sense!
Mmmmm! I am a big fan of anything that can go in the slow cooker these days… And, of course, anything healthy is also a good option since my pre-pregnancy clothes are still a bit tight. Adding these to the Super Bowl menu at my house.
I am so making these! I love refried beans and the ones that are in the can scare me. I love your idea of freezing them!
I think the exact same thing when I’m eating them out of the can! And also way grossed out by their can shape. Cannot wait to make these…they look WAY better than anything you could buy from the store.
Like I said on Facebook, I’m seriously impressed with how you were able to make refried beans look appetizing! Great food styling & photography!
A few friends have raved about how great homemade refried beans are. Doing it in the slow cooker? I’m all over it! Can’t wait to try them!
ooooo…I love refried beans and slow cooker. .love that you can freeze these to use on future mexi nights!
I’m thinking you wouldn’t even have to mince the garlic. It would cook into mush with the beans. Did I say “mush”? That’s not a very appetizing word, is it?
Thanks for the great idea. As you know, I’m a fan of refried beans. I usually get the fat free vegetarian kind but didn’t realize that they had tons of sodium. They sneak that into everything…
I like that you don’t have to presoak the beans.
I would make one suggestion…soak the beans overnight or do a quick soak (cover beans with water 1 inch higher than beans, boil 2 minutes, turn heat off, cover with a lid and let sit 1 hour, rinse in cold water). This will remove any unpleasant intestinal side effects you may have. I have cooked these beans both ways and trust met taking an hour to de-gas the beans was well worth it!
I didn’t know that soaking them de-gassed them. Interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Mexican food has got to be my favorite type of ethnic food to eat out! Fresh tortilla chips and salsa, tableside guacamole, and refried beans always make me giddy. I know – refried beans?? Most people pass on them…even turn their noses up at the blob of brown goop on their plates but I love, love, love refried beans! I’m not sure I can explain why but they are definitely a side dish I’ve been wanting to make at home for a long time, especially since I love making bean and cheese burritos on high fiber tortillas for my work lunches with the leftovers from the canned refried beans we buy from time to time. I guess I never really knew how incredibly easy they are to make at home until I tried them out recently.
Wow made these and they were so good and my husband said they were seasoned just right. Thanks for the recipe. By the way I am thrifty veggie mama’s mama:)
So glad you liked them! Nice to meet you thrifty veggie mama’s mama! I love Jamie.
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