21 Recipes With Canned Refried Beans  - Megan vs Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

How do you upgrade a can of refried beans? ›

I like to sprinkle in some taco seasoning, but you could add whatever spices you like — garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder are all good calls. Then, you mash the beans up directly in the pan and add just a little bit of vinegar at the end to really make the beans sing.

If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat. Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.

Final Thoughts. Refried beans are a nutrient rich food! They provide plenty of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. People who are at higher risk for heart disease may want to watch for the saturated fat content, but the average person can fit them into an overall healthy diet with minimal problem.

If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat. Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.

Learn why straining and rinsing your beans is an important step—plus other ways to make the most of your legumes. Katlyn Moncada is the associate food editor at BHG.com, sharing food news and tutorials on becoming better home cooks.

Refried beans are not cooked twice; they are only cooked once. According to the book "American Regional Cuisine" by The Art Institutes, this misnomer results from the fact that that the prefix "re-" means "very" in Spanish, but Americans misunderstand it to mean "again".

Refried beans are healthy because they are high in protein, fiber, minerals, and other nutrients and they may help you lose weight. Refried beans are a delicious and versatile dish that appears on the menus of many Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. You can also easily make this meal at home or buy it in a can.

If you're looking for a restaurant-quality refried beans recipe, you trust us when you say you have found it. We love to serve the beans right out of the skillet, garnish with crumbled Cojita cheese, or shredded mozzarella.

Swap The Seasonings – Use your favorite seasonings to flavor these creamy refried beans. Try bacon grease, chili powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, chicken broth, chili pepper, lime juice, cream cheese, taco seasoning, and more to make the best refried beans to serve with your next Mexican meal.

Beans (legumes) cause gas because they contain a particular type of sugar, called oligosaccharide , that the human body cannot fully digest.

Why are Mexican refried beans so good? ›

Lard – Here's where the secret ingredient comes in. Use lard to add a rich, savory thickness to the beans, or, use bacon fat like I do. Leftover bacon fat is extremely rich in salty, savory goodness, and it adds an entirely new depth of flavor to these Mexican refried beans — I can't recommend it enough!

Beans are hard to digest due to two compounds - Lectins and oligosaccharides. Most beans contain plant compounds called lectins, a family of proteins known for targeting sugars in the body. High-lectin foods can cause gas, bloating, and cramping. These can include beans, legumes, grains, and nightshade vegetables.

Are refried beans diabetic friendly? Beans are also known as superfood for diabetics. Studies show that adding beans to the diet help manage blood sugar levels better than many other starchy foods.

Generally speaking, refried beans prepared with animal fats tend to be high in unhealthy cholesterols and saturated fat. However, preparing refried beans with a small amount of oil (such as olive oil) can keep your beans relatively free from fat and bad cholesterol.

Roast those Beans!

Another fabulous way to crisp up some canned beans (in addition to pan-frying them) is to bake them! As with pan frying them, thoroughly pat dry the beans to remove any liquid. Toss drained/rinsed/dried beans with a bit of olive oil (or avocado oil) and your favorite seasonings.

Old El Paso Traditional Refried Beans create a delicious base for any Mexican food or tasty side dish. Made with just the right amount of spices, these canned beans are ready to add to tacos, burritos, nachos or any Mexican dish. Simply heat them up in the microwave or on the stovetop and enjoy. Tonight, we taco!

Uses for Refried Beans

They're so good that I like to eat them with tortilla chips as a bean dip. You can also use these protein-rich, vegan refried beans inside tacos, enchiladas and burritos. Spread them on the inside of a quesadilla or on top of a tostada. You can't go wrong!

Heat the beans on the stove over medium low heat, stirring frequently, for about 3-4 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Taste the beans and adjust the seasonings, as needed. Serve hot with Mexican rice, on nachos, tacos, tostadas or with any TexMex meal. Or, serve cold as pinto bean dip with chips.