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This Slow Cooker Refried Beans recipe is so easy to make! It’s the perfect addition to – or side dish for – all of your Mexican dishes.
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Slow Cooker Refried Beans
If you’ve followed Love Bakes Good Cakes for any length of time, you know I’m a big fan of Mexican and Tex-Mex food. I’m not saying I could be … okay, I am saying …. but I think I could easily be bribed with street tacos, tamales, or any other array of Latino fare.
One of my favorite things about living in the Phoenix area is the easy access to authentic Mexican food. It’s everywhere and I **LOVE** it. Brian doesn’t even need to ask me what I want for dinner when we go out – he knows it’s forever and always to a local Mexican joint. The ones that are more off the beaten path have been my favorites.
I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot when I find those few places that make real, from-scratch, authentic refried beans. You can taste the difference. Mmmmmm! Just give me a big ol’ spoonful and I’m good!
I am convinced that the simplest dishes, with the most common and basic ingredients, always seem to taste the best. Don’t you think so?
So, this Slow Cooker Refried Beans recipe although not entirely “authentic” – is completely awesome! You won’t even miss the “refry” or the lard. And the best part?! Your slow cooker pretty much does all of the work!
These Slow Cooker Refried Beans make a great side dish for all of your Mexican dishes. They’re also great in some of our favorite dishes, like Bean Burritos, Burrito Supremes, 7 Layer Burritos, layered in a Mexican-style Lasagna, used as a dip for tortilla chips – or anywhere else you would normally use refried beans! One of my absolute favorites is to add a bit to our taco meat to make it stretch a bit further and to help cut the cost of using so much meat. Meat is expensive, y’all!
We freeze 2 cups (16 oz.) portions for later use. It’s equivalent to a small can of refried beans. To use, completely thaw in the refrigerator then reheat or use in your favorite recipes as the recipe calls for.
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Slow Cooker Refried Beans
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 – 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 ½ quarts hot water
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Turn the heat setting to HIGH, cover, and cook for 4 hours.
- Turn the heat down to LOW and cook for an additional two hours.
- Strain away the liquid into a bowl, and pour the beans into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (this is an easy way to mash the beans). Mash with a potato masher or mix on medium speed in the stand mixer, adding liquid back into the beans 1/4 cup at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Discard remaining liquid and add more salt or cumin to beans if needed.
- Serve and store any leftover refried beans in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze.
Notes
- Always rinse and inspect dried beans before using to look for rocks and other foreign materials.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! I made your crockpot ‘refried’ beans today and all I can say is YUM YUM! SO easy ! Very easy to make it as tasty as you like. I did wash and brought them to a boil and then turned them off to soak overnight, Then I rinsed them and made them per your recipe. It cut the total cook time by 1.5 hours.
Thank you for sharing! 🌷
Please clarify if your pinto beans were dry or soaked overnight or canned, thank you!
Dry beans. They will need to be picked over and rinsed before use.
These were incredible! This was my fist time making refried beans and they are so good I can’t even express. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
These are the best beans I’ve ever made. They were so easy and more flavorful than any restaurant’s beans. My whole family loved them. Thanks so much for the great recipe!!
Everybody knows you don’t salt the beans until they are done
I have always started salting my beans when they start cooking and then at the end if they need it.
It looks so good and delicious and nutritious.
I tried these a few weeks ago and they were DELICIOUS. Simple, clean flavor. They lasted a long time in the fridge, too, at least 2 weeks! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I did not know you could make “refried” beans that aren’t fried!
It looks so good~ Can’t wait to try it! Thank you for sharing!
I can’t wait to try these!! I LOVE LOVE Mexican food too. What are some of your favorite restaurants in Phoenix?
This is the best way to make beans at home by far! Now I’m hungry for tacos and nachos and enchiladas and burritos and…