Refried Black Beans Recipe

This supremely simple refried black beans recipe is the key to easy dinner ideas: just spread in a tortilla and top with veggies for a quick taco night!

When I first started cooking, my expectations for the process were 100% unrealistic. I thought 10 minutes in the kitchen could generate a deliciously fresh and seasonal dinner (and no mess to clean up afterward). Wrong. My first few years in the kitchen were spent realigning my view of “quick and easy” with the limitations of cooking.

Alex and I spent years of cooking and testing shortcuts and came to a few conclusions. First of all, even the quickest and easiest of recipes require actual labor—and cleanup. Next: easy is not necessarily quick, nor is quick easy. And finally, if you’re not used to it, fitting cooking into your life really is not easy. However, once you get the hang of it, it’s relatively simple. Pretty simple, in fact: and we’ve written a book called Pretty Simple Cooking to explain that more. And to illustrate this concept: our simplest refried black beans recipe. (Keep reading.)

Want to try pinto beans? Go to Homemade Refried Beans or Instant Pot Refried Beans.

How to make refried black beans

The difference between easy and simple? In our minds, an easy refried black beans recipe would be something like dumping a can of beans into a blender with garlic powder and blending for 30 seconds. Tasty, maybe, but lacking a little integrity in flavor. A simple refried black beans recipe, on the other hand, requires mincing real garlic and simmering it with beans in olive oil with a bit of the can liquid for about 15 minutes. It requires mashing down the beans with the back of your spoon. And what results is a silky, savory bean mixture that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours—and it’s absolutely worth the minimal time and effort.

Another theme of our pretty simple cooking approach is that “simple” requires a little bit of savvy. It’s understanding that prepping a few items the night before can make for a dinner that comes together in minutes. It’s working on “project” type recipes on the weekends or your days off, and then eating them throughout the week. It’s having a few cans of beans in the pantry and a couple tortillas in the refrigerator for those nights when you have no energy to cook. Just a bit of planning ahead can make the cooking process truly simple.

How to serve this refried black beans recipe

This refried black beans recipe is one we’ve been making for quite a while. The amount of flavor coaxed out in just over 15 minutes is notable. Just like your favorite belt, they accessorize with anything: they’re an especially great side to go with tacos.

You can also use them as a filling for these Refried Bean Tacos and these Homemade Sopes! Once you’ve mastered these refried black beans, there’s really no recipe needed. Simply combine with a tortilla, some chopped veggies, and a sprinkling of shredded cheese and you’ve got weeknight tacos. Or serve them alongside scrambled eggs with salsa for a hearty savory breakfast.

The book: Pretty Simple Cooking

A version of this refried black beans recipe is featured in our cookbook, Pretty Simple Cooking, named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks and best healthy cookbooks of 2018.
Click here to order Pretty Simple Cooking!

Looking for easy recipes?

As noted above, there are few truly easy recipes—but there are plenty of pretty simple ones! Outside of this refried black beans recipe, here are a few of our favorite easy recipes for weeknight dinners! And if you’re looking for bean recipes, head over to our Best Bean Recipes.

• Eggs with Chive Blossoms
• Tex Mex Migas
• Mushroom and Brie Quesadillas
• Simple Black Beans and Eggs + Creamy Polenta
• Easy Vegetable Fried Rice
• Easy Pita Pizzas
• Greek Salad
• Quick Cuban Black Beans
• Easy Vegetarian Recipes for Beginners

This recipe is…

This refried black beans recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, plant-based, and dairy-free.

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