refried beans

I’ve posted this recipe before, but I wanted to share it again (with fresh pictures) for freezer week! This is another of my favorite recipes to have in the freezer at all times. I love that it’s so easy to throw the beans together in the morning, and then they cook all day and smell amazing. Plus, the recipe makes a ton, so it’s only a little work for a lot of payout. We use refried beans in so many things… burritos, tostadas, nachos, as a side dish, even just as a snack with tortilla chips! My super picky five year old Abby is completely obsessed with these beans, and wishes she could have them for every meal. I usually get about three pints of refried beans from a pound of dried beans, which means they are very economical compared to store-bought refried beans. Plus they taste amazing! Give them a try!

Refried Beans
Budget Bytes

1 pound dry pinto beans
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium jalapeño, diced small, seeds removed.
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 cups water
2 teaspoons salt

Rinse beans with cool water. Place in a slow cooker. Add onion, jalapeño, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and black pepper. Pour water over the top. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours. (The longer they cook, the easier they will be to mash.) After the beans are cooked, remove as much water as possible (I usually get about one cup of liquid out) and reserve in a small bowl or measuring cup. Mash the beans (I use an immersion blender) and add the reserved liquid as needed. Make them a little thinner than you like them, because they will thicken as they cool. Add the salt, and mix well (you can add more to taste if you need to). Serve warm.

To freeze the beans, I ladle them into containers while they’re warm and let them chill overnight in the fridge. The next day, I label the containers with the date and contents, and then freeze. To thaw, I either  put them in the fridge overnight, or thaw using the defrost setting on the microwave. Depending on the texture, I sometimes add a little chicken broth or milk to thin them out a little after thawing. If they’re too runny, I find that just slowly simmering them on the stove for a few minutes gets rid of the extra moisture. Enjoy!