Honey & Habaneros
Prep Time: 90 min | Cook Time: 20-30 min | Serves: 4-8
Jump to RecipeThere’s just something comforting about a warm bowl of refried beans. They’re rich, creamy, and full of flavor. They’re a must-have for tacos, tostadas, and burritos—but don’t stop there. One of my absolute favorite ways to enjoy refried beans is to turn them into a Refried Bean Soup. It’s spicy, cheesy, and soul-soothing on a cold wintery day.
Why You’ll Love These Refried Beans
Refried beans are a staple in my kitchen—like, seriously a staple. I make a big batch (usually a couple of pounds), let them cool, portion them into baggies, and stash them in the freezer. They’re perfect for quick meals and versatile enough to be a side dish or the main event.
How I Make Refried Beans
Step 1: Sort & Rinse
Start by sorting your dry beans. Remove any stones, dirt clumps, or off-looking beans. Some brands may come with a flavor packet—like a ham base—but I skip that and opt for Knorr Chicken Bouillon cubes instead. I only use one or two, depending on the batch size. It adds just a touch of savory flavor without making the beans taste like chicken soup.
Once sorted, place the beans in a colander and give them a good rinse under cold water. I like to grab handfuls and gently scrub them together to help remove any residual dust or grit.
Step 2: Soak the Beans
Transfer the rinsed beans to your pot or Instant Pot and cover with cold water—about 1–2 inches above the beans. They’ll swell as they hydrate.
- Stovetop Method: Soak overnight to reduce cooking time.
- Instant Pot Method (my go-to): A quick 2-hour soak is usually enough. No overnight prep needed!
Step 3: Season & Cook
After soaking, add:
- Water
- Knorr Chicken Bouillon
- Chopped onion
- Garlic
- Cumin Powder
- Onion Powder
- Jalapeño (or more if you like it spicy!)
Side Note: I always add extra water before cooking, somewhere around 2-4 cups, depending on how big a batch I’m cooking. This assures I get plenty of that delicious bean broth that I can use for other recipes.
Instant Pot: Pressure cook for about 10-15 minutes. You may need a few extra minutes depending on your batch size and soak time. You’ll know they’re done when you can smash a bean with your fingertip.
Stovetop: Bring beans to a light boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low-medium and simmer uncovered or partially covered. Keep an eye on the liquid—if you need to add more water, add warm water (cold water can darken the beans). Cook until soft.
Step 4: Blend & Season to Taste
Once the beans are tender, it’s time to blend. What makes my recipe different is I use butter for the fat instead of lard or bacon grease. Depending on the amount of beans you’ve made you’ll likely add about 1/4 cup of butter. The butter is going to make these beans extra rich and creamy.
To Blend:
- An immersion blender (super convenient!)
- A regular blender
- Or go old-school using a potato masher, ladle…or…I’ve even used the bottom of a coffee mug—whatever works!
- Note: Traditionally, refried beans are made by heating a fat source—usually lard—in a skillet and then adding the cooked beans to “refry” them. I’ve skipped that step entirely. After testing it both ways, I found it didn’t make enough of a difference in flavor to justify the extra effort.
Pro Tip: Sometimes I like to reserve a cup or two of whole beans before blending. After blending the rest to a somewhat smooth texture, I stir the whole beans back in just for a bit more texture.
Taste and adjust:
- Add salt if needed—after adding bouillon.
- Not spicy enough? A little cayenne pepper adds heat without changing the flavor.
Storing for Later
I always make extra and freeze the leftovers. I portion them into gallon-size freezer bags, lay them flat to remove air, then freeze. This method saves space and helps them thaw quickly when you’re ready to use them.
Whether you’re spooning them into tacos, making a pot of chili, or whipping up a bowl of creamy Refried Bean Soup, having homemade refried beans on hand is a total game changer. Give them a try—you’ll never go back to canned!
Got Questions?
I’m always happy to help! Whether you’re new to the kitchen or just need a shortcut, don’t hesitate to reach out. I love talking food and finding smart ways to make life (and dinner) a little easier. 💬💕
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Honey & Habaneros!
Homemade Refried Beans (Freezer-Friendly!)
Course: Spicy u0026amp; BoldDifficulty: Easy4
servings2
hours22
minutes525
kcalCreamy, buttery, and full of spicy flavor, these refried beans are the perfect freezer-friendly side dish or base for countless meals.
Ingredients
10 cups water (for soaking beans)
7 cups water (for cooking in pressure cooker)
10 cups water (for stovetop directions)
2 lbs dry pinto beans
1 medium yellow onion – rough chopped
4-6 cloves garlic
1 fresh jalapeno
1 cube Knorr Chicken bouillon
3-4 tbsp chili powder – if you want more spice
go with 4 tbsp2 tbsp cumin powder
1 1/2 tbsp onion granules
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup butter
Cayenne pepper to taste – optional
Directions
- Start by emptying the pinto beans onto a clean countertop. Sort through the beans looking for stones, mud clots, and even beans that are less than perfect.
- Once the beans are cleaned, slide the beans into a collander and do a quick rinse with cold water. I’ll pick up handfuls of beans and grind them together to act something like a scrubber.
- After the beans are rinsed, put the beans in the container you’ll use for cooking them and add enough water to cover the beans, plus an additional 1-2 inches of water above the beans. Let soak for at least 2 hours if you’re using a pressure cooker (I look for the beans to start splitting open). The longer the soak, the shorter the cooking time.If you’ll be using the stovetop method let the beans soak for at least 8 hours, I always just soaked them overnight.
- After soaking the beans, drain them in the collander and rinse one more time
- Return the beans to the pot they’ll cook in and add the additional water, again being sure there’s an extra 1-2 inches of water above the beans.
- To the pot add the onion, jalapeno, garlic, cube of chicken bouillon, chili powder, cumin, onion powder and black pepper.
- If you’re using a pressure cooker, put the lid on it and set the timer for 15 minutes on high. Do a quick release when done and check to see if the beans have softened enough to blend. If they need to cook longer, you can start at say 5 minutes on the timer and check how tender the beans are after the 5 minutes. The beans should be tender now depending on how long of a soak they got.
- For stovetop method you’ll follow the same steps above except once you have the onion, jalapeno, garlic, cube of chicken bouillon, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, and black pepper in the pot, start to cook over a medium-high heat just until a boil starts, then turn the heat down to a medium-low heat, covering the beans. Keep an eye on the water/broth level and add warm water as needed. Cook until the beans are tender.
- Once the beans are soft/tender add the butter and stir. Next, remove some of the bean broth and set aside. Using an immersion blender, blender or by hand mash the beans until a smooth consistency. If the beans are too thick, add a bit of the bean broth until the desired consistency is achieved.
- If you want to season the beans with some shredded cheese this is when you would add 1-2 cups of shredded cheese and stir until it melts and combines with the beans.
- Once the beans are smooth, taste and determine if there is enough salt and spicy-heat. Add salt and cayenne to taste. If you decide you want to pick up the flavor of the beans a little more you can always add a bit more chicken bouillon.
- Serve with a handful of shredded cheddar cheese and warm tortillas.
Notes
- Note: Prep and cooking times vary depending on the method you choose. Prep and cooking time can be between 2hrs – 14hrs.
- Calories noted are a minimum and also vary depending on add-ins/toppers.