These Vegan Refried Beans are one of the best delicious side-dishes as they are so quick, easy, and packed with flavour, whilst being incredibly wholesome, gluten-free, and a no-oil recipe. Although, refried beans can also be the star of the dinner table and what could be a more delicious way to celebrate a special occasion, Mexican festival, a summer party, or even for a movie night or games day meal, than a tasty fun refried bean bar with various sides and tortilla chips.
This is truly the best and easiest vegan refried beans recipe as one of my kids will testify, as they could literally eat it by the bucket-full!
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Origin of refried beans
In traditional Mexican cooking, refried beans are known as "frijoles refritos," which translates to "well-fried beans." The beans are typically cooked with onion, garlic, and spices, then mashed and fried in oil or lard until they are crispy and golden brown. The fried beans are often served as a side dish or used as a filling for tacos, burritos, and other Mexican dishes.
The origins of refried beans can be traced back to ancient times in Central and South America, where beans were a staple food for many indigenous cultures. The Aztecs and other Mesoamerican cultures cooked and mashed beans into a paste-like consistency, which they then fried in oil or fat to make them more flavourful and easier to digest.
The Spanish conquistadors who arrived in the region in the 16th century also adopted the practice of frying mashed beans, and brought the recipe back to Europe with them. The dish eventually spread to other parts of the world, including the southwestern United States, where it became a staple of Tex-Mex cuisine.
Tex-Mex is a blend of Texan, from the Tejanos people of Texas, [whom are descended from Hispanic settlers], and Mexico cuisine. The ingredients for refried beans are slightly different depending on the region but the basic preparation remains similar.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need for our refried beans are: 3 cans of beans or 4 ½ cups of cooked beans, the water from the canned beans or the water used for cooking the beans, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, liquid aminos or soy sauce, ½ a vegetable stock cube, nutritional yeast flakes, and an optional extra - liquid smoke. Depending on your ingredients, you may or may not need to add salt and pepper - often, this recipe is seasoned enough as it is.
For our vegan refried bean recipe, you can use any cooked beans such as kidney, pinto, black beans, cannellini beans, or borlotti beans. You can use a single type of bean, especially pinto beans, or a mixture of two or more different types, such as a 5 or 7 bean mix.
We particularly enjoy using dried pinto beans, which we cook in a pressure cooker before using in the recipe. Pinto beans are creamy and have a nice flavour, though canned beans work perfectly well too. We've even used canned mixed beans and canned bean salad with bits of diced bell pepper and corn, and the refried beans were still just as tasty.
Our easy refried bean recipe requires no oil or fat, as the flavours from the seasonings—garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast flakes, liquid aminos or soy sauce, and half a vegetable stock cube—are more than enough to create delicious, plant-based refried beans.
This recipe is seriously tasty and extremely quick and easy to prepare. You might find yourself eating the refried beans by the spoonful directly from the refrigerator. One of my kids can't seem to get enough and is always asking for more refried beans, so we usually have a batch in the fridge every few weeks, but they rarely last past the first day.
For useful information on cooking dried beans using a pressure cooker, stove-top, or slow cooker, be sure to check out the recipe notes and FAQ section of our Red Beans and Rice recipe.
How to prepare
It's so easy preparing these refried beans, as its just a case of adding the ingredients to a pan, gently boiling for 10-15 minutes, and the bean mixture will thicken up beautifully.
Step 1: First add the cooked beans, nutritional yeast flakes, smoked paprika, garlic powder or granules, onion powder, liquid aminos or soy sauce, and bean cooking water or canned bean water to a pan.
Step 2: Give it all a good stir and then bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently as it will become thick.
Step 3: Add salt and pepper to taste if necessary - it may not need any.
Step 4: Mash the beans with a potato masher to your desired consistency. We like to keep some beans whole. Stir the mashed beans well.
Serving suggestion: Enjoy with salad, tortilla wraps, vegan sour cream, rice, or quinoa, and any other fillings you like for easy homemade burritos or tacos.
We enjoy quick pickled red onion rings with our refried bean burritos and we have an easy recipe for pickled red onions in our Italian Bread Salad recipe.
Recipe notes
Storing
Store the refried beans in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Refried beans can also be frozen in a freezer-proof container for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and give the beans a good stir before using.
Reheating
Serve chilled or gently reheat in a pan, adding a little splash of water to prevent the beans from sticking, as they will be very thick. Alternatively, you can reheat the refried beans in a microwave. Stir after heating for a minute; it will likely take 2-3 minutes to reheat, depending on your microwave.
FAQ'S
Refried beans are perfect for gluten-free diets with a few considerations such as using a gluten-free stock cube or powder and if replacing the amino liquids with soy sauce, choose gluten-free Tamari soy sauce or go for coconut aminos. Liquid smoke is usually gluten-free but always check your labels.
Any of your favourite Mexican dishes will pair well with refried beans such as tortillas, enchiladas, quesadillas, tostadas, Mexican or Spanish rice, burritos, tacos, as well as baked potatoes especially sweet potatoes, potato fries, chips or wedges, crispy salad, roast veggies, steamed veggies, corn cobs, vegan coleslaw, potato salad, crusty bread, or flatbreads.
Liquid aminos is a popular ingredient in vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian cooking and is a type of seasoning made from soybeans. Liquid aminos are made by fermenting soybeans with a culture of friendly bacteria and enzymes, which breaks down the proteins in the soybeans into amino acids. The resulting liquid is then strained and bottled as a condiment that is quite strong flavoured so a little goes a long way and can transform meals with its deep umami flavours.
Liquid aminos are typically gluten-free, but it's important to check the label and ingredients list to confirm. While soy sauce is traditionally made with wheat, which contains gluten, liquid aminos are often made with soy beans and without wheat and so are usually labelled as gluten-free.
However, some brands of liquid aminos may contain small amounts of gluten due to cross-contamination during processing so if you're sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease, it's always best to check the label and look for products that are certified gluten-free.
Although the refried beans are perfectly seasoned and do not require any other flavourings added, a few additions can provide extra tasty textures and elevate the refried beans even more.
A few suggestions:
* cooked sweetcorn
* diced, cooked bell peppers
* cooked onions or garlic
* top with sautéed or fried onions, or pickled onion slices
* cooked mushrooms
* chopped spring onions [green onions or scallions]
* pieces of cooked vegan bacon or vegan sausages
* roasted cherry tomatoes
* few drops of hot sauce
* sprinkle of shredded vegan cheese
* top with shredded vegan cheese and place under a grill [broiler] to melt
* a swirl of vegan sour cream
* toss over some crushed tortilla chips
* garnish with chopped coriander [cilantro]
* slices of fresh chilli
* canned jalapeños
* paprika powder
* red chilli or red pepper flakes
While traditional refried beans are typically made with lard, it's not essential to use oil or lard to make them. The name "refried beans" can be a bit misleading, as the "refried" term in the name comes from a mistranslation of the Spanish term "frijoles refritos," which more accurately means "well-fried beans" rather than "refried."
The basic process for making refried beans involves cooking beans until they're soft (this often involves simmering them in water with some spices and onion), and then mashing them until they reach the desired consistency. To get the creamy, smooth texture that's characteristic of refried beans, some type of fat is often added during the mashing process.
However, with some type of bean especially pinto beans its easy to achieve the creaminess and easy mashing as pinto beans are naturally creamy and soft, and using some of the bean cooking water or canned bean water to the refried beans helps with achieving the creamiest refried beans.
Including a small amount of vegetable stock cube or powder can also compensate for the flavour that the oil or fat would bring to the finished refried beans.
The most commonly used beans for refried beans are pinto beans as they have a great flavour and texture. Pinto beans are creamy, mild, and have a texture that mashes well, which makes them perfect for refried beans.
Black beans can also be used for a earthy flavour and darker colour, however, you can actually use any kind of beans for refried beans depending on your preference, including kidney beans, haricot beans or navy beans, cannellini beans, or even chickpeas. Also a mixture of different types of beans produces a delicious refried beans especially if pinto beans are also included.
In many traditional recipes, the beans are first cooked with onion and other spices until they're very soft. Then they're drained (save the liquid!), and mashed or blended until smooth. The smooth bean paste is then fried with a bit of oil or lard, and some of the cooking liquid is added back in to get the desired consistency.
However, for our plant-based and vegan adapted refried beans recipe, oil or lard is not necessary as the refried beans are packed with flavour.
For a useful guide on cooking dried beans at home on the stove-top, slow cooker, and pressure cooker [my favourite option!] do have a look at the recipe notes and FAQ section on our Vegan Red Beans and Rice post.
There are so many tasty ways to repurpose refried beans other than simply eat them which is also highly recommended as refried beans are so delicious eaten by the spoonful directly from the refrigerator.
A few ideas:
1. Quesadillas: Spread a layer of refried beans on a tortilla wrap, top with vegan cheese, cooked vegetables, and salsa, and top with a second tortilla wrap, cook each side in a non-stick skillet or fry pan until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the filling hot.
2. Nachos: Layer tortilla chips with refried beans, vegan cheese, diced tomatoes, jalapeños if liked, and coriander [cilantro] for a delicious snack or appetizer or starter dish. The nachos could be briefly air-fried or baked just until the cheese melts.
3. Loaded Potato Wedges: Alternatively, use the refried beans in our Loaded Potato Wedges recipe, which is similar to nachos but uses potato wedges instead of tortilla chips. You can replace the ordinary potatoes with sweet potato wedges if preferred. The refried beans can also substitute for the black bean filling in the loaded potato wedge recipe. Additionally, this recipe includes an easy homemade guacamole recipe.
4. Breakfast burritos: Spread refried beans on a tortilla, add scrambled tofu or scrambled chickpeas, and top with salsa, avocado or fresh tomato and cucumber, and perhaps coriander for a delicious refried beans breakfast burrito.
5. Tostadas: Top a crispy tortilla with refried beans, shredded lettuce, avocado, salsa, hot sauce, and any of your favourite burrito fillings. Tostadas are like a crispy open sandwich.
To bake a corn tortilla wrap or ordinary tortilla wraps so that it is crispy add the wraps to a baking tray in a single layer. You can either brush a little oil over each wrap or omit the oil. The oil will help crisp the wraps. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 180 Fan, 200C, 400 Fahrenheit, or Gas 6. Flip the wraps over and bake for another 5-7 minutes but the exact times will depend on your oven so do keep a close watch on the wraps as they may go too brown rather quickly. Once the crisp wraps are cool enough to handle load them up with your favourite Mexican toppings and fillings for tasty home-made tostadas.
6. Vegan chilli: Add refried beans to your favourite cooked vegan chilli recipe to add extra flavour and texture. We have a delicious slow cooker Vegan Black Bean Chilli recipe that would be delicious with a side of refried beans or a scoop of refried beans stirred through. Our meat-free chilli recipe also includes an easy guide on making the best fluffy quinoa.
7. Bean dip: Mix refried beans with vegan cream cheese or salsa, to make a tasty bean dip, or simply have the refried beans as they are for a tasty dip along with some crisp tortilla chips.
8. Refried Bean Vegetable burgers: Mix the refried beans with cooked chopped vegetables, shape into patties and bake, pan fry or grill for a tasty and protein-packed veggie burger. You may need to add a little bit of flour so that the burgers hold their shape firmer.
Alternatively have a refried burger similar to our vegan Sloppy Joe Burger, by simply adding hot or chilled refried beans to a bread roll or burger bun and fill with your favourite burger condiments.
9. Grilled cheese toasties: Fill two slices of bread with refried beans, vegan cheese, ketchup, salsa or thin slices of fresh tomato, and toast until the toast is crisp and the cheese bubbly and melted. Alternatively, use the refried beans as a delicious sandwich filling.
10. Tacos: Spread a layer of refried beans on a tortilla wrap or crisp taco shell, add your favourite fillings and toppings such as rice, quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, spring onions [scallions], thin shredded cabbage, grated vegan cheese, avocado, salsa, vegan sour cream, and perhaps some hot sauce for a quick and easy taco night.
11. Soup topper: Add a scoop of refried beans to our easy Loaded Taco Bean Soup.
12. Salad bowls: A dollop of refried beans is the perfect accompaniment to a delicious bowl of fresh vegetables, grains such as couscous, millet, quinoa, or rice, Crispy Tofu Bites, and various sauces and salad dressings.
13. Tex-Mex pizza: Add spoonfuls of refried beans over your favourite pizza before cooking, add a dash of extra smoked paprika over the pizza, as well as a good sprinkle of oregano.
14. Carrot-hotdog topping: Refried beans are a tasty topping for these delicious home-made carrot hot-dogs.
15. Vegan pate: A little dish of refried beans with a few crisp Scottish oatcakes is a tasty starter dish, side dish, or quick snack.
A refried bean bar is the perfect summer time meal, Mexican themed or birthday party dinner, that can be as small or as big as you like. My family loves a small refried bean bar for our movie nights.
Here is a quick guide to get you started:
1. Make the Refried Beans: You could prepare several batches of refried beans and perhaps have a spicy refried beans, an extra cheesy refried beans, and a vegetable packed refried beans which has cooked diced bell peppers, sweet corn, etc., mixed through. Or just prepare several batches of the basic refried bean recipe.
2. Accompaniments: Offer a variety of options like tortilla wraps or taco boats (soft or crunchy), tortilla chips, Mexican rice, quinoa, cornbread, baked potatoes, carrot hot-dogs, and salad greens for those who prefer a burrito bowl or taco salad.
3. Offer a Variety of Toppings: The fun part of a refried bean bar is the variety of toppings. Here are some suggestions:
* Grilled or roast vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, courgettes [zucchini], aubergine [eggplant], mushrooms, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, etc.
* Fresh vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocados
* Salsas of various heat levels, from mild to hot
* Vegan coleslaw
* Potato salad, with a bit of mild chilli powder stirred through
* Guacamole or diced avocado
* Vegan cheese, nutritional yeast flakes
* Fresh coriander [cilantro], spring onions [green onions], chives, or other herbs
* Lime or lemon wedges for squeezing on top
* Jalapeño slices for those who like a little heat
* Corn kernels, grilled corn, mini corn cobs, baby corn cobs
* Chopped olives
* Pickles
* Sauces/Dressings: Provide a few sauce options such as salsa Verde, salsa, hot sauce, vegan sour cream, vegan mayonnaise, etc.
4. Drinks: Consider serving a variety of drinks, like fruit infused water, fruit juice, plant-based milk, aguas frescas [Mexican soft drink], iced tea or coffee.
Refried beans can absolutely be the star of the show or dinner table! Serve a big bowl of delicious vegan refried beans with all your favourite salad pieces, pickles, vegan cheese, vegan sour cream or mayonnaise, salsa, guacamole, rice, quinoa, tortilla wraps, crisp taco shells, etc, and create the best plant-based refried bean burritos or tacos ever!
More vegan Mexican recipes
We love the fresh ingredients and all the smoky, spicy, savoury, herby, citrusy and sweet flavours that Mexican food offers so my family is always enjoying vegan adaptations as I discover amazing traditional dishes.
A few of our favourites are this Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup and this easy Mexican Noodle Soup with black beans and corn, and my kids love this Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole which has the most delicious Nacho Cheesy Topping.
And finally this Loaded Taco Bean Soup is perfect for an easy Taco Bar at home party as guests can simply load up their favourite taco toppings directly onto the thick beany soup goodness.
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
The Best Vegan Refried Beans [No-oil recipe]
Equipment
- non-stick sauté pan, skillet pan or deep frying pan
- mixing spoon
- Potato masher or fork optional
Ingredients
- 720 grams mixed beans, cooked [Use three 400-gram (14 oz) cans of beans, drained, which will provide around 600-720g (4 ½ cups) of cooked beans. If using dried beans, cook about 2 cups. Instead of mixed beans, you can use one type of bean, such as pinto beans.]
- 375 millilitres bean water [Use the canned bean water or the cooking liquid from pre-cooked beans. However, if the canned water contains added salt, you may prefer to use plain water. Add more water if required.]
- 2 teaspoons onion powder [or granules]
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder [or granules]
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika [or sweet or ordinary paprika]
- 1 tablespoon liquid aminos [or 2 tablespoons of soy sauce]
- ½ vegetable stock cube [or ½-1 teaspoon of vegetable stock powder or paste]
- 25 grams nutritional yeast flakes
Optional addition (add at end of cooking)
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
Instructions
- Add the cooked beans, onion and garlic powders, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast flakes, stock cube, and bean water to a non-stick pan. If you are replacing liquid aminos with soy sauce, add two tablespoons of soy sauce, as it is not as strong as liquid aminos. Mix well and bring the bean mixture to a gentle boil.720 grams mixed beans, cooked, 375 millilitres bean water, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon liquid aminos, ½ vegetable stock cube, 25 grams nutritional yeast flakes
- Lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the refried beans are nice and thick. Stir frequently, and add a few extra tablespoons of water if required.
- Mash the refried beans, or mash just half of the beans and keep some whole for texture. If you cooked your beans in a pressure cooker, they might already be very soft before adding to this recipe, so mashing may not be required. Some people, like my family, enjoy more texture, so sometimes we don't mash the beans at all.
- Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste, although the beans may not need any. Add more nutritional yeast flakes if desired. Also, mixing 1-2 teaspoons of liquid smoke through the beans after cooking is especially tasty and very much liked by my kids. However, if you used smoked paprika, this ingredient may not be needed.2 teaspoons liquid smoke
Notes
- Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not an exact calculation as ingredients vary.
- Refried beans can be prepared gluten-free by using Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos and choosing a gluten-free vegetable stock cube or powder. Although you may be able to feed gluten-free liquid aminos. Liquid smoke is usually gluten-free but always check your labels.
- Store refried beans in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Serve chilled or warmed through.
- Place in a pan, add a tiny splash of liquid if needed, and gently heat through stirring all the time. Or reheat within the microwave.
- Check out the recipe notes and FAQ sections above the recipe for useful information including how to repurpose refried beans, additional ingredients to add to refried beans, how to plan a refried bean bar, etc.
- Pinto beans make the best creamiest refried beans, but a mix of other beans including pinto are also delicious.
Nutrition
Comments
Prepared our Vegan Refried Beans recipe? We would love to know how you got on with the recipe so do drop us a comment below and click the star ratings. We appreciate all your feedback. Thanks so much! All the best, Jacq x
Patricia says
Can part of the recipe be frozen for use later?
Jacq says
Hi Patricia, I haven't frozen the refried beans but I don't see why they couldn't be frozen for a few months once cooked and cooled. Thaw the refried beans before reheating. Jacq x
Dannii says
Refried beans are a must in tacos and this vegan version sounds delicious.
Jacq says
I so agree! Tacos and refried beans are a delicious combo 🙂
Sue says
I'm always looking for new ways to get more beans in my diet, love these!
Jacq says
Awesome1 Refried beans are the perfect way to enjoy more beans 🙂
Kate says
LOVE refried beans and eat them all the time, but had never thought of making my own - thanks for a great recipe!
Jacq says
Your welcome! Making your own is so much more enjoyable and tastier. And if you use already cooked beans it is so quick to prepare a batch 🙂
Katherine says
Oooh this is a flavor bomb! And so easy too.
Jacq says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the refried beans. They are certainly a flavour bomb and super quick and easy. Great for a side-dish if your a little stuck on what to make and don't have much fresh ingredients in 🙂
Lauren Mullaly says
What a great recipe to veganize! Can’t wait to make again
Jacq says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the refried beans 🙂
Allyssa says
Loved this bean recipe! Thanks a lot for sharing this, it's really tasty and easy to make! Loved it!
Jacq says
Glad you loved the refried beans. This recipe is my sons favourite he literally eats several bowlfuls in the one sitting! 🙂
Jo says
I always eat this as a spread, SO delish!
Jacq says
Yummy! So do I. And my son loves these refried beans spread on a tortilla wrap with salad and veggies added for school pack lunch. So good!
Sandhya says
Love refried beans.. They are so good grilled with cheese in sandwiches.
Jacq says
Absolutely! Refried beans make amazing cheese toasties 🙂
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain says
Vegan refried beans? This sounds amazing! What an amazing idea - love how savory it sounds
Jacq says
Thanks! These re-fried beans are amazingly savoury with deep umami flavours. This recipe even wins over those who are not that keen on beans 🙂
Shinta says
Love the depth of flavor in this recipe. I am not going to be making refried beans any other way! So good!
Jacq says
Thanks so much! The umami flavours in these refried beans are so moreish! Just ask my son he can't eat enough of them!!!