These beans are seriously addictive. I was tasting them to adjust the salt, and I kept eating them. Do not eat canned refried beans. They are the worst. You can make them in just 10 minutes of hands-on time! Best of all, they’re freezer safe, so you can have incredibly delicious refried beans anytime you want!
Preparation:
Cook:
Level: Easy
Ingredients
- 3 cups Dried pinto beans
- 12 cups Water
- ¼ cups Vegetable oil
- 5 cups Diced onion
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 8 ounces, weight Cream cheese
- 1 cup Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella
- 1-½ cup Grated cheddar (optional)
Preparation
Sort the beans by removing the stones. Rinse the beans if desired and add them to a large pot with the water. Bean soaking is not necessary! Bring to a boil and set the stove to a temperature that barely maintains a boil when the pan is covered. Boil 2 hours or until beans are very tender.
Reserve 3 cups of bean broth. Drain the remaining liquid and reserve the drained beans.
Add the oil to the pan and turn over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and heat over high heat. (I don’t heat the oil on high to avoid possible kitchen fires.) Cook the onions until lightly browned and translucent.
Add the beans, salt and 2 cups of broth to the pan. Simmer for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavor of the onion and salt to incorporate into the beans.
Add cream cheese and mozzarella. Puree using an immersion blender until beans are of desired consistency. Add more bean broth if desired for a smoother texture. I like to have whole beans in the mix so 2 cups was perfect for me.
Garnish with grated cheddar if desired. To be more fancy, transfer to a baking dish, top with cheddar and keep warm at 250ºF until ready to serve.
