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READY IN 20 mins

Buffy's Refried Beans

Read Reviews (54)

"These smooth and creamy beans make a tasty side for any Mexican dish." — Buffy Whitney

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Original recipe makes 6 servings Change Servings

1/2 cup lard
3 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

salt to taste
1 cup water

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Directions

Melt the lard in a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat; when the lard is hot, add the beans. Stir constantly while cooking until the beans reach a paste-like consistency. Season with salt. Reduce heat to low and stir in the water. Simmer and stir until the beans cook down to your desired consistency.

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PREP 5 mins
COOK 15 mins
READY IN 20 mins

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I am sure many other reviewers will mention the various ways to cut the fat, but lard is the deal-breaker that makes authentic refried beans in Tucson, AZ. I have used this recipe before and I like it, although I also add wads of fresh chopped garlic and 1 tablespoon of cumin once the beans cook down a bit. Big deal: make sure you slowly add HOT water (better yet: HOT chicken broth) when cooking beans; it significantly cuts down on the potential starchy-bland flavor that can occur (got that advice from a Mexican cooking pro). Finally, for you sodium watchers...as this recipe cooks down, the salty taste will become more prominent. Add salt in 1/4 teaspoon increments near the end of cooking; let it "meld" and taste often. Cook as slow as possible. This is not a recipe that you throw together, as simple as it looks. But if you are wanting authentic tasting frijoles, without soaking (and slow-cooking) dried pinto beans for hours...this is darned close to the real thing!

—ellie may

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Mar 09, 2012

A little too muc lard for me, will cut that back next time.

—Joyce Adkins

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71 Ratings

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Jun 10, 2009

I used the general guidlines from this recipe to make refried beans from fresh cooked pinto beans that we had for dinner tonight. I used 45 oz of fresh cooked beans without broth (I cook my pinto beans in chicken broth with a ham bone for flavor). I ran them through my food processor to make them smooth and mixed them in with the 1/2 cup of butter (instead of lard). I cooked them to the paste consistency as stated, added the salt and then mixed in 1 cup of broth from the beans (still warm from cooking them). I then cooked it down to the desired consistency and froze them in 8 oz portions for later use.

—Andrea

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Mar 25, 2009

This is a good simple recipe that holds true to refried beans. I didn't have lard on hand so I used butter. I've watched women make refried beans in the villages of Mexico with just plain old vegetable oil, so that is an option in a pinch too. When I cooked these I mashed them with the back of the spoon to expedite the process. Super easy & tasty! To give them a little more flavor without adding texture, I added a couple spoons of the watery juice from some salsa. **update** I tried again with lard, like the butter version better. Also, a pinch of episote helps to make it a little more authentic tasting. Salt IS important. I made Texas style baked beans for my DDs B-day one year and all the neighbor kids thought the silly gringa mixed up the sugar with the salt, LOL!

—Rolling Alaskans

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Sep 29, 2009

These are the best homemade refried beans ever! I happened to be cooking bacon for another use, so I used half butter, half bacon grease (no lard on hand). And, I used the liquid from the beans instead of water. Very few dishes in my kitchen escape without garlic, so a good heaping Tbsp. of minced garlic and a small can of diced green chiles sauteed in the bacon grease before adding the beans worked perfectly. And, I topped the beans with grated Pepper Jack cheese. Mmmm.... My family is still shocked that they are getting real refried beans, not out of a can, at home! We even like these better than our favorite Mexican restaurant's. Thank you Buffy.

—DECAFinNW

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Mar 10, 2011

Hurray for lard! This recipe is awesome--exactly what i was looking for in the middle of a blizzard when my pantry was nearly bare. The only thing i suggest is to start with dry beans. Soak overnight and slow-cook until soft, then use in place of the canned beans. You'll need a bit more salt or other seasoning, but you'll save yourself some money as well as unnecessary preservatives.

—hippie_mama

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Jul 11, 2010

I love refried beans. I tried making them from scratch with dried beans from another recipe on this site. They took all day and they tasted nothing like the ones from the restarants. This tastes JUST LIKE the beans in the Mexican restaurants. With that being said. I scaled the recipe down to just me. With one can of pinto beans. I also used oil and not lard like a lot of posts listed. And, I used about a tablespoon or so. I heated the oil. While heating I opened and drained the can of pinto beans. Then I mashed the beans once I added them to the hot oil. With the oil you will not need any water. If you add it do it a teaspoon at a time. And, with the beans even drained they are loaded with salt, so it is not even needed. Only 5 minutes to restarant beans. Nice!

—Blender Woman

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Nov 23, 2009

I have made this a few times now. Started with the basic recipe and in the end have made a couple of changes. The first is to replace the water with chicken broth. Added 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. I serve it topped with shreaded mexican blend cheese, a little taco sauce, and diced green onions. I will not buy canned refried beans again.

—Rick

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Nutrition

Calories
282 kcal
14%

Carbohydrates
22.7 g
7%

Cholesterol
16 mg
5%

Fat
18.3 g
28%

Fiber
6.9 g
27%

Protein
7.2 g
14%

Sodium
504 mg
20%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Buffy's Refried Beans

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 282
Calories from Fat: 165

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 18.3g 28 %
Saturated Fat 6.9g 35 %
Cholesterol 16mg 5 %
Sodium 504mg 20 %
Potassium 362mg 10 %
Total Carbohydrates 22.7g 7 %
Dietary Fiber 6.9g 27 %
Protein 7.2g 14 %
Sugars 0.3g
Vitamin A 0 %
Vitamin C 2 %
Calcium 8 %
Iron 22 %
Thiamin 15 %
Niacin 14 %
Vitamin B6 7 %
Magnesium 15 %
Folate 50 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.