21 Recipes With Canned Refried Beans  - Megan vs Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to canned refried beans? ›

If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat. Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.

If you want a thicker refried bean, then use less water. If you want thinner beans, then you will use more broth. Save the leftover bean broth and use it to stir into your leftover beans. As they sit in the refrigerator and chill, they will thicken.

You can add crushed whole seeds (coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, etc.), woodsy herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage), red pepper flakes, crushed garlic cloves, and of course salt and pepper.

You can amp up the spice by adding more hot sauce, or tone it down by adding less — whatever your family prefers! Dice onion and add to the refried beans for more flavor. Add a dash of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt. Garnish with cilantro to improve refried beans taste.

Fat and seasoning: Refried beans typically start with cooking beans in fat, such as lard, bacon fat, or vegetable oil. This fat adds richness and flavor to the beans.

Frijoles are eaten with almost every main course alongside arroz. In many Mexican restaurants in America, refried beans are served with a layer of melty, gooey, shredded cheese on top.

Milk makes refried beans creamy

This liquid can help make your beans smoother and taste richer. Once the beans are tender, it's time to fry them. Garlic is cooked in the oil and then the beans are added. The beans are mashed, and this is where the milk comes in.

Yet, since refried beans often contain added fat and salt, they may be higher in calories, saturated fat, and sodium than other beans. These factors may impair your weight loss goals, raise your risk of heart disease, and increase your blood pressure levels.

What is the white stuff on refried beans? ›

It is not uncommon for refried beans to have a white layer on top, which is usually caused by the beans being fried in lard or other fat. The white layer is typically made up of proteins and other components that have been released from the beans during the cooking process.

If you prefer thicker beans, there's a simple solution to boost flavor, add moisture, and thicken refried beans. Cream cheese is the not-so-secret weapon for making refried beans a yummy side dish to accompany rice, or a versatile taco or nacho topping.

Raid your cupboard and experiment with flavoured pastes: sundried tomato, chipotle chilli, even curry pastes can bring beans to life, give it a go and find your own favourite combination.

Traditional seasoning meats such as salt pork, bacon, and ham are what provide that savory, meaty flavor in a pot of simmering beans.

Cream cheese is the not-so-secret weapon for making refried beans a yummy side dish to accompany rice, or a versatile taco or nacho topping. The dairy in cream cheese not only thickens refried beans to a creamier consistency — cream is in the name — but it also incorporates the rich, silky flavor of dairy.

Many recipes ask you to drain and rinse canned beans, but in this case, that liquid sort of replicates the starchy cooking broth you'd get if you had boiled the beans from dry. It helps make the final product thick, creamy, and luscious.

But most people can enjoy more beans with less gas with the help of these tips: Soak beans overnight in water, then drain, rinse and cook in fresh water. This decreases the oligosaccharide content. Cooking the beans in a pressure cooker may reduce the oligosaccharides even further.