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    Home / Side Dish / Refried Beans

    Refried Beans

    Pinto beans slow-cooked until tender, then mashed and fried with a touch of lard or oil until creamy and rich.

    ⏱ 10 minPrep time
    🔥 15 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 Side DishCategory
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    Creamy refried beans topped with queso fresco and cilantro

    Refried beans are the creamy, savory side of every Tex-Mex plate — pinto beans simmered with onion and garlic, then mashed and fried in bacon drippings until thick and velvety. ‘Refried’ means ‘well-fried,’ and that’s exactly what makes them good.

    Chef Emily presents Refried Beans

    The creamy side of every Tex-Mex plate

    Pinto beans simmered with onion and garlic, mashed and fried in bacon drippings — refried beans, the classic side.

    Tex-Mex recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes, then the garlic for 1 minute.
    2. Add the beans, cumin, chili powder, and liquid. Simmer 5 minutes.
    3. Mash the beans to your preferred texture, adding liquid as needed.
    4. Season with salt and pepper.
    5. Top with cheese, if using, and serve warm.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Bacon drippings are traditional and make the difference — use them if you have them. Mash to your preferred texture, from chunky to silky.

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    Recipe details

    Prep10 min
    Cook15 min
    Servings6
    CategorySide Dish
    PublishedAugust 16, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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