• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Girl Heart Food®
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Favourite Recipes
    • Mains
    • Easy Dinner Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Weekend Eats, Game Day Treats & Apps
    • Handheld Bites
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Sides
    • Sauces, Condiments & Spreads
  • About & Contact
    • Work with Girl Heart Food
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Favourite Recipes
    • Mains
    • Easy Dinner Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Snacks & Apps
    • Handheld Bites
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Sides
    • Spread & Condiments
  • About & Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Sides » Vegetarian Refried Beans Recipe

    Vegetarian Refried Beans Recipe

    May 20, 2020 By Dawn - Girl Heart Food 12 Comments

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    • Email
    • Mix
    Jump to Recipe
    Round dish of vegetarian refried beans garnished with fresh cilantro and next to two halves of a cut lime.

    These vegetarian refried beans are incredibly easy to prepare and so delicious! Flavoured with lots of seasonings (like chili, chipotle powder, cumin and oregano) and green chiles, they make for such a hearty, budget-friendly meal.

    Close-up of the right-hand side of a dish of homemade refried beans garnished with fresh cilantro.

    Hi friends!

    Remember those pinto bean fritters I shared a little while ago?

    Well, today I have another easy pinto bean recipe that is a favourite in our home: vegetarian refried beans!

    Ditch the canned stuff and make your own homemade refried beans (super quickly, may I add).

    Once you do, there’s no going back. You’ll always want to have a batch of these on hand because they’re so versatile and so tasty.

    Hubby even sneaks into the fridge and grabs a spoonful right out of the bowl and enjoys as is!

    Why These Vegetarian Refried Beans Are So Great!

    • They come together in about 20 minutes
    • Pretty inexpensive to make
    • You can customize to your taste with optional add-ins
    • Can be enjoyed as is or in other recipes
    • Of course, they taste delicious!

    How To Make It

    Full details on how to make refried beans are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

    1. Cook your minced onion in a little oil and butter until softened.
    2. Add minced garlic and give that a little cook.
    3. Stir in cooked pinto beans and seasonings. Cook for a minute or so to get those spices goin’.
    4. Pour in broth and green chiles.
    5. Cook for a little until everything is heated through.
    6. Turn off heat and add butter.
    7. Squeeze in some fresh lime juice.
    8. Give everything a little mash until you’ve reached the consistency that you enjoy best.
    9. Enjoy!
    Collage of steps to make refried beans from scratch.

    Hungry for more? Subscribe to the Girl Heart Food Newsletter!

    Pan of refried beans being mashed with a potato masher.

    What Type of Bean Should I Use?

    Pinto beans are the bean of choice for refried beans.

    I used dried pinto beans and prepared them per package instructions before using them. Alternatively, you can use canned pinto beans (just rinse and drain before use).

    Clear glass bowl of cooked pinto beans.

    Can I Use Another Bean?

    Absolutely! Try refried black beans or use white kidney beans or red kidney beans.

    Close-up of refried pinto beans with some cilantro on top.

    More Flavour Add-Ins

    Customize your vegetarian refried beans to how you like ’em! Some delicious add-in options are:

    • Bell pepper
    • Jalapeno pepper
    • Shredded cheese for yummy cheesy refried beans (talk about good!)
    • Chopped green onion
    • Minced cilantro

    What Are Refried Beans Used For?

    • Build your own bowl! I love having a base of rice, a big scoop of refried beans and all the garnish, like avocado (or homemade guacamole), corn and pretty much whatever you like.
    • Tacos
    • Burritos
    • Wraps
    • Quesadillas
    • Tostadas
    • Nachos
    • Layered dip
    • Sandwich (use as a spread)
    • Simply use as a dip as is with your fave tortilla chips
    • For breakfast with eggs and toast

    Stay tuned for an upcoming recipe using refried beans!

    Round dish of vegetarian refried beans garnished with fresh cilantro, and next to two halves of a cut lime.

    Can I Make These Vegan?

    Yep! Replace the butter with oil or simply use vegan butter instead of regular.

    A large stainless steel spoon dunked into some creamy refried beans.

    More Tips & Variations

    I used dried pinto beans (which I cooked). There was no salt added to them until they were used to make the refried bean recipe. If you opt for canned pinto beans, you may want to reduce the salt added. Plus, everyone has a different preference for seasoning. Salt to taste.

    Change up the spices to how you like ’em! Like more cumin? Add more! Prefer a little less? Reduce it.

    If you don’t need these to be vegetarian refried beans, you can cook everything in a little bacon grease.

    Hope you enjoy this vegetarian refried bean recipe as much as we do!

    If you make these refried beans, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed!

    Let’s Be Social!
    Follow Girl Heart Food on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter for all the latest delicious eats! Oh, and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter!

    Round dish of homemade refried beans with a large spoon scooping some up.

    Vegetarian Refried Beans Recipe

    Dawn – Girl Heart Food
    These vegetarian refried beans are incredibly easy to prepare and so delicious! Flavoured with lots of seasonings (like chili, chipotle powder, cumin and oregano) and green chiles, they make for such a hearty, budget-friendly meal.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 8 servings (½ cup), approximately
    Calories 173 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 cups cooked (or canned) pinto beans , drained and rinsed (about 2 (19-ounce) cans)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , divided
    • 1 yellow onion , peeled and minced
    • 4 cloves garlic , minced
    • 1.5 teaspoons chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or smoked paprika)
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin (or to taste)
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste. See 'Notes' below)
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • ⅔ cup low sodium vegetable broth
    • 4.5 ounce can chopped green chiles (or 127 gram can)
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice (from about 1 lime)

    Instructions

    • In a 12-inch pan (I used a non-stick pan) over medium heat, add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.
    • Once butter has melted, add minced onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
    • Add garlic, give it a little stir, and cook 1 minute.
    • Add cooked (or drained and rinsed canned) pinto beans, chili powder, chipotle powder, cumin, oregano, salt (see 'Notes' below) and pepper. Stir and cook for a minute or so to get those spices going.
    • Add broth and chopped green chilies, stirring to combine everything. Bring to a medium-ish simmer and cook 5 to 8 minutes to heat through.
    • Turn off heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and juice of one lime. Mash until you've reached your desired consistency. Enjoy! Yields about 4 cups of refried beans.
      Note: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat when ready to enjoy.

    Notes

    • I used dried pinto beans (which I cooked). There was no salt added to them until they were used to make the refried bean recipe. If you opt for canned pinto beans, you may want to reduce the salt added. Plus, everyone has a different preference for seasoning. Salt to taste.
    • You can reheat refried beans in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a splash of water or broth (to loosen or thin them). The amount of liquid added may vary, depending on the quantity of refried beans you are reheating and the consistency you like best. Cook until they’re heated through.

    Nutrition (ESTIMATE ONLY)

    Calories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 8gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 377mgPotassium: 424mgFiber: 8gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 301IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 2mg

    Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.

    Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.

    Keyword pinto bean recipe
    Tried this recipe? Snap a pic!Mention @dawn.girlheartfood or tag #girlheartfood

    © Girl Heart Food.  All images and content are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. Please do not use any images without prior permission.  Please do not republish this recipe.  If you want to reference this recipe, link directly back to this post. Thank you.

    Previous Post: « Sardine Pasta (with sun-dried tomatoes & spinach)
    Next Post: Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie (with banana) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marissa

      May 24, 2020 at 4:56 pm

      5 stars
      These look awesome, Dawn! We love homemade refried beans and typically make them with bacon great – looking forward to trying your vegetarian version!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        June 04, 2020 at 12:32 pm

        Thank you, Marissa! Hope you enjoy.

        Reply
    2. Valentina

      May 24, 2020 at 1:02 am

      5 stars
      This is exactly the type of thing I like to have at the ready all the time. As you noted, there are so many (delicious) uses for them. My 14-yr-old has recently declared himself a vegetarian, so the more vegetarian recipes the better. 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        June 04, 2020 at 12:30 pm

        Me too!! Thanks Valentina! Hope you all enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop

      May 22, 2020 at 10:11 am

      5 stars
      Nothing better than homemade! These beans look so creamy and packed with spice. Making your own is so much cheaper and tastier. I love that these can be frozen too. Time for some burritos!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        June 04, 2020 at 12:30 pm

        I agree!! Thank you, Kathy! Indeed it is!

        Reply
    4. Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers

      May 21, 2020 at 11:13 am

      5 stars
      Nice! I love re=fried beans. Such a great side dish for so many meals 🙂

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        May 21, 2020 at 4:17 pm

        Me too! Thank you, Jennifer.

        Reply
    5. David @ Spiced

      May 21, 2020 at 9:24 am

      5 stars
      Talk about a versatile recipe! I love using refried beans in my quesadillas, but I usually just buy a can from the store. Now I’m wondering why I don’t make my own instead – I bet these taste SO much better than the store-bought versions. Thanks for sharing, my friend. Hope you have a great weekend on tap!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        May 21, 2020 at 4:17 pm

        Thank you so much, David! They’re so easy and so tasty!! Have a great weekend too. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Matt - Total Feasts

      May 21, 2020 at 7:52 am

      5 stars
      So, I love refried beans. Especially in my burritos. We’ve been playing around with more veggie-based meals in our house, so I cannot wait to try this next taco night!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        May 21, 2020 at 4:16 pm

        Yay! Hope you enjoy, Matt!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Profile picture of Dawn from Girl Heart Food.

    Hi and welcome to Girl Heart Food! I’m Dawn and I’m so happy you stopped by. I LOVE to cook and share my recipes. I’m obsessed with cheese, fresh veggies and homemade nut butters. Being in the kitchen is my happy place. Hope you find something that inspires you to get into the kitchen too.

    More about Dawn →

    Currently Trending

    • Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas
    • Old-Fashioned Cabbage Rolls (inspired by Nan)
    • Buttermilk Fried Crispy Chicken Burger
    • Cheesy Ground Turkey Quesadillas (with black beans)

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Press

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails & updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Girl Heart Food

    Copyright © 2015 Girl Heart Food

    GIRL HEART FOOD® is a Registered Trademark.

    USE OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF ITS PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF USE.