Refried beans can be super heavy, even though they are quite yummy when served with traditional Mexican and Southwest dishes. Believe it or not, most refried beans are not necessarily vegetarian or vegan. It has to do with the way they are prepared. Most traditional recipes call for lard, and sometimes bacon fat. Plus, a lot of traditional refried beans have cheese. Not vegan! Barely vegetarian – and can be super fattening!!! However, never fear, there is always a healthier, more plant-based approach to making these beans.
This recipe is super simple, and super satisfying! The key is how you spice it up. You can prepare your beans from scratch, or use organic canned beans – either way it works. For this recipe, I used canned beans. Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 T coconut oil, or avocado oil
- ½ cup finely chopped yellow or white onion (about ½ small onion)
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 2 cans (about 15 ounces each) pinto, black, or mixed beans, rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked beans
- ½ cup vegetable broth or water
- 2 T chopped fresh cilantro or dried (you can substitute with parsley if cilantro is not available)
- ½ medium lime or lemon (about 1 T juice), to taste
How to Prepare:
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onions, minced garlic, and salt. Cook until onions have softened and caramelized.
- Add beans and broth, as well as the remaining spices. Stir and cook until beans appear tender.
- Reduce heat to low. Using either a potato masher or back of a fork, mash up most of the beans, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Continue cooking beans, stirring often, until slightly bubbly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Add additional seasoning if necessary. Stir in a splash of broth or water if beans appear dry. Ready to serve.
This recipe makes about 4 to 6 servings, and can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve beans with tortillas, as a dip, side dish, or spread. Hope you enjoy this recipe, and share your comments below.
Till next time!
Peace! 🙂
Vega-Riffic Recipes 