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    Home » Taco night

    Homemade vegan refried beans

    Updated: Apr 20, 2025 · Published: Feb 20, 2019 by Cadry Nelson · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 4 Comments

    Jump to recipe Watch video
    Text overlay: Vegan refried beans. Blue bowl with refried beans, topped with shredded non-dairy cheese.

    Vegan refried beans are a cozy & satiating side dish alongside rice. They’re a tasty burrito filling. Or eat them on their own with chips as a dip!

    Add jalapeño slices, non-dairy cheese, or hot sauce to increase the yum factor. Vegan & gluten-free.

    Vegan cheese shreds on bowl of refried beans by salsa and chips.

    Refried beans are endlessly warming & cozy.

    The creamy texture has a mild, savory flavor that works so well as a side dish or as an addition to a burrito.

    Or when you need something snackable, a bowlful of refried beans with non-dairy cheese on top makes for an excellent partner to that bag of tortilla chips in the cupboard.

    Before I went vegan, refried beans used to be a regular order of mine at Mexican restaurants. However, these days I usually have to skip them, as they’re often made with lard. Womp, womp.

    (You can occasionally find vegan refried beans in restaurants, though. Just be sure to ask when placing your order.)

    Luckily, it’s not hard to make them at home.

    Grab some pinto beans, onions, garlic, and spices. And you’re practically there.

    (For a change of pace, make refried black beans instead!)

    I like to make mine on the not-too-spicy side. That way I can add extra dashes of hot sauce & jalapeño peppers at will. It’s also handy if you’ll be serving it to people who prefer things on the milder side.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Why readers love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step instructions
    • Make it your own
    • Serving ideas
    • Storage instructions
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why readers love this recipe

    5 stars

    “I usually buy refried beans, because making it myself always seems too daunting, but you’ve made it so easy. And it’s so much better than canned!” – Dianne

    Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

    Labeled refried bean ingredients.

    Oil: You’ll need a neutral flavored cooking oil to sauté onions and garlic. Avocado oil is my go-to.

    If you prefer to keep this dish oil free, sauté in a Tablespoon of water instead.

    Onions: Yellow onions are my favorite here, but red also works.

    Garlic: Freshly minced garlic has the best flavor. But if you prefer, it can be replaced with ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder. If using powdered, add it at the same time as the other seasonings.

    Pinto beans: Canned pinto beans are a convenient pantry staple. But if you’d prefer to use pinto beans that you’ve cooked from dried ahead of time, that works too.

    Seasonings: Ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.

    Ancho chili powder is made with just one ingredient – dried poblano peppers. It has a wonderful full-bodied flavor.

    Ancho chili powder can be replaced with standard chili powder. But keep in mind that chili powder blends vary from one to the next, and may include varying amounts of cayenne.

    Step by step instructions

    This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

    Onions and garlic sauteing in pan.

    Sauté onions and garlic in oil.

    Once they are translucent and fragrant, you can add the remaining ingredients to the skillet.

    Pinto beans cooking in water and spices.

    Add water, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.

    Once the water is at a simmer, lower the heat.

    Allow the beans to absorb and cook off most of the liquid.

    Saucy pinto beans in skillet.

    When there are roughly a couple Tablespoons of water left in the skillet, it’s time to mash them.

    (Just eyeball the liquid amounts. If you misjudged and end up with watery beans, you can just cook them a little longer once they are blended to make them denser.)

    Refried beans in a food processor.

    My favorite way to blend them is by transferring the beans to a food processor. Process until smooth, or leave it somewhat chunky if you prefer.

    Immersion blender smashing pinto beans in skillet.

    However, if you’d rather, you can easily blend the beans in the pan using an immersion blender, potato masher, or even a fork! It’s rustic, but it works fine.

    If some of the beans are left whole as you’re mashing, that just adds extra texture. Make them as smooth or chunky as you like.

    Make it your own

    Pale blue bowl with creamy vegan refried beans and shredded non-dairy cheese. In the background, peppers, cabbage, and salsa.

    You can make these refried beans your own by varying the ingredients or amounts:

    • Instead of using pinto beans, make black refried beans instead.
    • Make them oil-free by replacing the one teaspoon of oil in this recipe with a splash of water. Then saute the onions and garlic in that instead.
    • For extra tang & heat, add a splash of brine from a jar of pickled jalapenos to the beans before mashing them.
    • For even more heat, saute finely diced jalapeno pepper with the onions and garlic.
    • Make a double batch. Refried beans store well in the refrigerator or freezer and are terrific for re-purposing and meal planning.

    Serving ideas

    Sliced avocado, salsa, chips, and refried beans on table.

    Of course, you can enjoy refried beans on their own, right out of the bowl.

    Or use them in these other tasty dishes!

    • They are a must in vegan 7 layer dip
    • Slather them on vegan tostadas
    • Add dollops to breakfast nachos
    • They make an excellent “glue” on double decker tacos
    • Serve them as a side dish with jackfruit carnitas or vegan chicken tacos
    • Slather them into a vegan quesadilla
    • Add them to an Austin-style breakfast

    Storage instructions

    Store vegan refried beans in a covered container in the refrigerator. They will keep 3 to 5 days.

    Or store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. Then thaw in the refrigerator when you’re ready to use them.

    If the refried beans have dried out in the refrigerator, add a splash of water and stir before popping them in the microwave to reheat.

    Vegetarian refried beans in blue bowl.

    If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!

    📖 Recipe

    Vegan refried beans in blue bowl topped with shredded non-dairy cheese.

    Vegan refried beans

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 4 votes
    These cozy refried beans make for a very tasty lunch. Add jalapeño slices, non-dairy cheese, and/or hot sauce to amp up the yum factor. 
    Makes about 1 ¼ cup refried beans (enough for 3-4 burritos).
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan
    Keyword: comfort food, meatless

    Ingredients

    • 1 teaspoon avocado oil or your preferred neutral flavored oil
    • ½ cup chopped onions yellow or red
    • 1 to 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 ½ cups pinto beans or 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed
    • ¾ cup water + a few Tablespoons more if necessary
    • ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • Ground pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Bring a large skillet to a medium heat. Add oil to the skillet and sauté onion and garlic a few minutes, until fragrant and translucent.
    • Add pinto beans to the skillet along with water, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
    • When the water begins to simmer, lower the heat and continue cooking for about 15 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed, except for a couple of tablespoons.
    • Now it's time to mash the beans.
      My favorite way to mash them is in the food processor. Carefully transfer the beans to a food processor. Turn the processor to high, and blend until smooth. Or set it at low, and just go for a few seconds until it's broken up but somewhat chunky. (If you miscalculated and the beans are too runny, transfer them back to the pan to cook off some liquid. If the beans are too thick, add a splash of brine from a jar of jalapeno peppers or water.)
      If you don't have a food processor, leave the beans in the skillet. Then use a fork, potato masher, or immersion blender to mash the beans until smooth. If the beans are too dry, add water by the tablespoonful until they are soft and smooth like mashed potatoes, but not too watery. If the beans are too liquidy, keep cooking until they reach your preferred texture.
    • Taste for salt and add more if necessary. Top with any of your preferred optional toppings.

    Watch how to make it

    Notes

    Storage instructions: Store vegan refried beans in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. They will keep 3 to 5 days.
    Or store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. Then thaw in the refrigerator when you’re ready to use them.
    If the refried beans have dried out in the refrigerator, add a splash of water and stir before popping them in the microwave to reheat.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1.5mg

    Content updated January 29, 2024. Original recipe posted October 2015.

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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, recipe creator, and photographer behind Cadry’s Kitchen, and the author of Living Vegan For Dummies, 2nd Edition. Since launching her blog in 2009, Cadry has been making plant-based cooking approachable, and reimagining classic comfort foods. Her work has been featured in NBC News, Buzzfeed, Yahoo, Parade, VegNews, and more. She regularly appears on local TV shows, demonstrating to a broad audience how easy vegan cooking can be.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    1. David

      March 04, 2019 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      Love the pics on this post!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        March 07, 2019 at 6:24 am

        Aw, you’re too kind!

        Reply
    2. Dianne

      March 02, 2019 at 10:12 am

      5 stars
      You turned me on to ancho chili powder a few years ago, and I haven’t looked back since.

      I usually buy refried beans, because making it myself always seems too daunting, but you’ve made it so easy. And it’s so much better than canned!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        March 07, 2019 at 6:23 am

        That’s so nice to hear, Dianne! And I’m glad you’ve become a lifelong ancho chili powder fan. It’s a staple in my kitchen for sure.

        Reply

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