The Easiest Refried Black Beans

Easy refried black beans made in under 15 minutes with canned beans are a weeknight staple to go with all of your Mexican food favorites! (vegan, gluten-free, nut-free)

If you love refried beans, rejoice! These refried black beans are so simple to make and so delicious! We've been making them on a weekly basis in our house as a quick side to go with all of our favorite weeknight dishes.

I came up with these refried black beans for Queen C. She absolutely loves beans, and she gobbles down mashed beans in the blink of an eye. I buy canned black beans in bulk at Costco, so I decided to make them into some refried beans that the whole family would love, and that I could whip up easily on a weeknight to go with dinner.

How do you make refried black beans?

These refried black beans are incredibly easy to make. Simply pour the beans into a saucepan, mash them to your liking (I use a potato ricer), add a few spices, and simmer until they are warm and thickened. The whole process takes 15 minutes or less - perfect for when you have a little one who is hungry, cranky, and whining at you to pick her up.

Feel free to use pinto beans if that's what you prefer. You can also use beans cooked from scratch if you have them. Adjust the seasoning to your taste, especially the salt since canned beans can have varying levels of salt. If you'd like to make a bigger batch, this recipe can easily be doubled.

What do I serve with refried black beans?

The thing I love about these beans is that they are so versatile! Use them as a quick side dish with grilled dishes (like my green chile chicken or margarita chicken!) or tacos, use them in burritos, quesadillas, or bowls, put them on tostadas or nachos, or serve them with egs. There are so many different ways to use them!

If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating in the comments!

The Easiest Refried Black Beans

Print Recipe

Easy refried black beans made in under 15 minutes with canned beans, are a weeknight staple to go with all of your Mexican food favorites! (vegan, gluten-free, nut-free)

• Author: Kaleigh
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Total Time: 10 min
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: side dish
• Method: stovetop
• Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tsp olive oil (can also use avocado or canola oil)
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• Up to ¼ cup water
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• Salt, to taste
• Juice from ½ lime

Instructions

1. Heat oil over medium-low heat in a saucepan. Add beans and mash with a potato masher or fork.
2. Stir in spices, lime juice, and desired amount of water. I start with about 2 tablespoon and add more if needed as the beans cook.
3. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, or until heated through and your desired thickness. Add more water as needed to thin out, if you'd like.
4. Serve hot.
5. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator 3-5 days.

Keywords: refried black beans, easy black beans