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

FAQs

What can I add to canned refried beans? ›

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.

You can add crushed whole seeds (coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, etc.), woodsy herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage), red pepper flakes, crushed garlic cloves, and of course salt and pepper.

For that reason, most of our Test Kitchen recipes call for draining and rinsing canned beans, which can also help remove the metallic flavor sometimes found in cans. It's an added step that takes less than a minute but improves the flavor and texture of your finished dish.

Milk makes refried beans creamy

This liquid can help make your beans smoother and taste richer. Once the beans are tender, it's time to fry them. Garlic is cooked in the oil and then the beans are added. The beans are mashed, and this is where the milk comes in.

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!

Add olive oil or a bit of lard, some diced onion, cumin, chili powder and cayenne. And some cut up peppers if you want. You can also mix it some different beans as well, but beans are expensive where I am so I usually don't. I use the cans then add either enchilada sauce or chicken broth and heat in pot.

Frijoles are eaten with almost every main course alongside arroz. In many Mexican restaurants in America, refried beans are served with a layer of melty, gooey, shredded cheese on top.

Ingredients for a creamy refried bean dip typically include refried beans, sour cream, cheese (such as cheddar or Monterey jack), and seasonings (such as garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder). Optional ingredients may include diced tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro.

What thickens refried beans? ›

If you prefer thicker beans, there's a simple solution to boost flavor, add moisture, and thicken refried beans. Cream cheese is the not-so-secret weapon for making refried beans a yummy side dish to accompany rice, or a versatile taco or nacho topping.

Do not feed your dog refried beans. They are very high in fat, which can trigger pancreatitis in dogs. Refried beans also contain garlic and other spices such as cumin, chili powder, and salt that are harmful to pups.

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.

Try adding spices and herbs such as paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, epazote (a Central American herb similar to oregano), or cilantro. They all offer a traditional Latin American taste that takes refried beans to the next level.

As such, all types of refried beans provide plenty of polyphenols. Eating more beans, including refried beans, may help reduce your risk of constipation, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Early research suggests that beans may likewise safeguard against age-related illnesses.

Cream Cheese Is The Simple Addition For Thicker Refried Beans.

But most people can enjoy more beans with less gas with the help of these tips: Soak beans overnight in water, then drain, rinse and cook in fresh water. This decreases the oligosaccharide content. Cooking the beans in a pressure cooker may reduce the oligosaccharides even further.