Skip the can and make these authentic and easy slow cooker refried beans instead! This hands-off recipe made with simple ingredients is packed with flavor, and easy to just dump and go. Pair with Instant Pot Spanish Rice and Homemade Tortillas for your next burrito night!
In my opinion, crockpot refried beans ALWAYS taste better.
While canned refried beans are fine in a pinch, nothing beats the flavor of home-cooked. It’s worth it to skip the store-bought for this healthier version of Mexican refried beans!
This crockpot refried beans recipe DOES take all day long to cook, but it’s so easy to make! You simply dump your ingredients in the slow cooker and go about your day while the beans soak up all that yummy flavor into every little ounce.
SLOW COOKER REFRIED BEANS
Besides the fact that slow cooker refried beans are absolutely delicious, here’s why you should make them:
- Taste authentic
- Made with simple, real food ingredients
- Homemade
- Freezer-friendly
- Hands-off: just add all the ingredients to the crockpot and go!
- Budget-friendly: Dried beans are one of our frugal favorites.
- Pair well with other meals and sides
EASY REFRIED BEANS RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- Dry Pinto beans. Most recipes for refried beans are made from pinto beans for that authentic Mexican flavor. But you can make refried beans with black beans also!
- Onion + Jalapeno. For flavor and a bit of a kick!
- Garlic + Salt + Pepper + Cumin. These spices are a must! If you use canned pinto beans for this recipe, you may want to decrease the salt.
- Water (up to half of the water can be substituted with chicken broth)
Note: Some people like to add chili powder to their refried beans recipe, especially when making bean tacos, but I didn’t for this recipe. But you certainly can customize this recipe as you go, especially if you are freezing portions for future meals.
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HOW TO MAKE REFRIED BEANS
Step 1. Place all the ingredients in a large slow cooker. I have this 6-quart slow cooker and highly recommend it!
Step 2. Cook on high for 8 hours if using dry or soaked beans (reduce the cooking time to 4 hours if you use canned cooked beans).
Step 3. Once tender, drain as much water as you can from the beans and temporarily set aside.
Step 4. Using an immersion blender, mash the beans until desired consistency, adding cooking liquid (bean broth) as needed. If you want your beans to be thick, use very little liquid. If you like the beans to be thinner, add more liquid. You can use a potato masher instead for chunkier texture refried beans, or alternate batches in a blender, although a blender may need more liquid.
Step 5. Serve your homemade refried beans hot or prepare them for storage in airtight containers.
REFRIED BEANS FOR THE FREEZER
It’s so easy to freeze refried beans. And they hold up really well for future meals. I suggest freezing in ½ cup portions in silicone muffin liners in a muffin tin. Using this method, it’s EASY to:
- Measure
- Reheat
- Store long-term
Once the refried beans are frozen, pop them out of the muffin liners and store refried beans in a resealable freezer bag.
You can also measure 1 to 2 cups into resealable sandwich bags, flatten them out after sealing, and freeze them that way to take up less space.
To reheat, thaw the refried beans in the refrigerator overnight, and heat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a bit of water or chicken broth until heated through.
HOMEMADE REFRIED BEANS RECIPE TIPS
Want to customize these homemade refried beans?
- Use chicken stock or chicken broth. Substitute chicken broth for up to half of the water in the recipe. I wouldn’t go any more than that though, otherwise, you’ll lose the bean flavor. We make homemade chicken broth in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot!
- Make it mild. Substitute a 4 oz can of diced green chilies instead of the jalapeno. You can also keep the jalapeno for flavor but remove the membranes and seeds first for less of a kick.
- Make it hotter. Keeping the membranes and seeds of the jalapeno will definitely make it hotter. You can also add a second jalapeno pepper or choose a hotter pepper altogether like a ghost pepper. As a general rule of thumb, the more wrinkly the pepper is, the hotter it is.
- Use different beans. Like refried black beans? Swap them for the pinto beans and you have an entirely new, yet delicious, recipe.
- Soak beans. I’ve made this recipe with beans soaked overnight (to reduce the gaseous aftermath) and with freshly rinsed dry beans. You can’t go wrong either way, so do whatever you prefer.
TO SERVE SLOW COOKER REFRIED BEANS
Need some Mexican food meal ideas to put these slow cooker refried beans to good use? How about…
- Burritos, quesadillas, or tostadas made with Homemade Tortillas
- Topped with Slow-Cooker Shredded Chicken, cheese, and Homemade Salsa
- Whip up a batch of Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice and have a beans and rice dinner! You can also sprinkle your refried beans with extra cilantro and fresh lime juice for even more yummy goodness.
- Make loaded nachos with all of your favorite nacho toppings or use your refried beans as a bean dip for your tortilla chips.
I love refried beans as a side dish with:
REFRIED BEAN RECIPE FAQS
Why are my refried beans watery?
Set aside most of the cooking liquid before blending, and only add back a little bit at a time. Try using a food processor or immersion blender for this refried bean recipe. A traditional blender will need more liquid to operate correctly, which means thinner refried beans.
Are refried beans junk food?
Not these homemade refried beans! They’re made with simple, real food ingredients and lots of flavor. Skip the preservatives and high sodium content you get in a can and make this easy refried bean recipe instead.
Can I convert this recipe to make Instant Pot refried beans?
Yes, you can convert this crock pot refried bean recipe! Here’s how to convert slow cooker recipes to cook in the Instant Pot for when you forget to soak the beans overnight or start them early! A pressure cooker is my kitchen lifesaver!
What is the best way to make refried pinto beans from scratch?
In the crock pot, of course! It’s so easy! I suggest soaking your beans overnight in a large pot. It’s the best way to ‘de-gas’ the beans and is good for those who have a sensitive digestive system.
MORE EASY BEAN RECIPES
- Slow Cooker Beans
- Spicy Citrus Black Beans
- Instant Pot Beans
- Our Favorite Beans and Rice Recipe
- Instant Pot White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale
- Black Bean Brownies
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Slow Cooker Refried Beans
Skip the can and make these authentic and easy slow cooker refried beans instead! This hands-off recipe made with simple ingredients is packed with flavor, and easy to just dump and go. Pair with Instant Pot Spanish Rice and Homemade Tortillas for your next burrito night!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 5–7 cups 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Slow Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry pinto beans, thoroughly rinsed OR soaked overnight using this method, OR 6 cans cooked pinto beans, drained and rinsed 3 times
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 jalapeno, top cut off and quartered
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 9 cups water (up to half of the water can be substituted with chicken stock)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a large slow cooker. I have this 6 quart slow cooker, but I wouldn’t use anything smaller than a 4 quart.
- Cook on high for 8 hours if using dry or soaked beans. Cook on high for 4 hours if using canned beans.
- Place a colander over a stock pot and drain as much water as you can from the beans.
- Using an immersion blender (or potato masher, or alternating in a blender), mash the beans until they reach your desired consistency, using some of the cooking water to help thin. Remember that you can always add more water to thin, but you cannot make them thicker again.
- Serve hot, or prepare for storage.
Notes
Adapted from allrecipes.
- Make it mild. Substitute a 4 oz can of diced green chilies instead of the jalapeno. You can also keep the jalapeno for flavor but remove the membranes and seeds first for less of a kick.
- Make it hotter. Keeping the membranes and seeds of the jalapeno will definitely make it hotter. You can also add a second jalapeno pepper or choose a hotter pepper altogether like a ghost pepper. As a general rule of thumb, the more wrinkly the pepper is, the hotter it is.
- Use different beans. Like refried black beans? Swap them for the pinto beans and you have an entirely new, yet delicious, recipe.
Nutrition
- Calories: 333
I’m so glad I tried this recipe first. I have an hour of cooking time to go and I just took out a few spoons of beans to check the tenderness. I was reading other reviews while the beans cooled and I was so glad that you had them cook on high. I had read other recipes where the beans were still hard when cooked on low. The taste is so wonderful!!! Never again will I use the canned stuff. I didn’t have a jalapeño pepper, but this still had a nice kick. Also, I used a bag each of red and black beans as it is what I had.
These came out unbelievably good! I omitted all chili’s because my kids AND husband are extremely sensitive to spice. In fact next time I make this recipe I will reduce the amount of pepper because they still complained it was spicy 🤣.
I love that these are vegan. Until these I’ve always needed butter or lard to make decent refried beans. I added two cups of homemade vegetable stock in place of some of the water/chicken broth.
I will definitely be making these again. From a Crock-Pot ! Delicious refried beans that are completely plant based. Woohoo. Thank you for the delicious recipe, it couldn’t be easier .
Thank you for sharing, Cara!
Incredible! Thank you so much! Perfect and so much better than canned!
Hello Donna!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this bean recipe. Thank you for posting. 🙂
There are not enough words to say how delicious these are. I had a lot of broth, but my bag of pinto beans was only 14oz, and that’s ok, as I like my refried beans a little loose. I did drain A good bit of the juice and will cook A pork roast in it tomorrow. I didn’t have a jalepano so I used a can of diced chilis, and a bit more pepper. Gave it a nice little kick. This is definitely going to be my go to recipe for refried beans. So so flavorful. Thank you for this recipe!
Sue,
You’re so very welcome. We are so glad that you love it! 🙂
What is the conversion for instant pot?
Hi Felisha!
I haven’t done refried beans in the Instant Pot; However, here is a link for my Instant Pot beans recipe. https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/instant-pot-beans/
You can prepare the beans in the instant pot, and then mash them or use an immersion blender just as you do with the slow cooker refried beans. Hope this helps! 🙂 Let us know how it turns out.
This might be a stupid question, but if I use canned beans, I omit the water/chicken broth correct? Or should I still add some.
Hi Sara, We recommend draining and rinsing your beans off. (Doing that gets rid of the some of the lectins which makes them more easily digestible.) Then add all the water/broth as suggested.
I’m making a double batch and it calls for 18 cups of water…is that correct?? My Crock Pot is almost full with 8 cups!! 😱 Thank you!
Hi Alyson,
The beans do soak up a lot of water and you want them to be covered the entire time. Go ahead and fill your Crock Pot to the fill line (near the top) and set a timer to check it halfway to make sure it’s all still covered with water. If needed, add some more water to it so none of your beans dry out. Let us know how it goes!
Absolutely fantastic, Tiffany! Thank you for this. I only made two little tweaks – doubling cumin and halving black pepper. Seriously – these taste BETTER than traditional refried beans.
Cannot thank you enough! Love your site and love your mission. Homemade is so much less expensive and so much better. :0-)
I am so excited that you ove this recipe so much!!! =) <3
Absolutely delicious! Both my husband and I thank you for this recipe. Followed your recipe to the T. Again, absolutely delicious!
Hello Kelly,
We’re so happy that the recipe was a hit! Thank you for sharing.
I have struggled making dry beans in a crock pot or stove top. seem no matter how long I cook them they stayed hard. But I had two bags of pinto beans from a food pantry and I figured I would make refried beans. I found your recipe and it worked like a charm. I think cooking on high was the key I think most recipes tell you to cook on low. I did find it needed much more seasoning, but that’s often a personal preference. I did not have jalapeno peppers so I just used a bell pepper and onions but I took some of those out before I use the immersion blender because the onions were super strong. I added a few back in as I blended the beans. Thank you again for this recipe It worked beautifully and I just might use this as a base for all my dry beans to be cooked.
These refried beans were so easy and delicious! I used 1 tsp jalapeno paste instead of fresh. I also added a can of ro*tel when I blended them. Just enough spice.
I saw a comment about how not to waste the bean broth…I freeze it (safely!) and use it as a base to my beef stew!
Is it really 8 hours on high? This is my first time making these and I just want to make sure. Thanks!
Tiffany,
Thank you for sharing such a super easy recipe. Your recipe is written well and as a visual learner your video is helpful too. I’m taking them to a Taco Bar themed Christmas party tomorrow. They taste wonderful and smell amazing, but might be too spicy for some. Oopsie! Probably should have removed the seeds from jalapeños.
Adding your recipe to my Pinterest board! 😋
Great beans! Served these for our Small Group tonight and everyone gave them rave reviews. My husband said I shouldn’t ever buy canned refried beans again! Question: do you have any suggestions for reusing the drained liquid? Mine was more thick than a stock, but I wonder if it could be repurposed in some other dish??
I’m so glad everyone loved them, Amy! If you want to repurpose the liquid, I would suggest adding some to a dish that you are okay having the pinto bean flavor. Something to consider though, is that the enzymes that cause digestive issues are in the water, so if you add it to another recipe, you might have some unexpected farts. 🙂
Hello,
I have been making my beans for years almost exactly like your recipe except I have always cooked them on low for 8 hours. Does cooking on high cause the water to dry up faster? I would be afraid to do it while I’m at work all day.
Hi Kathleen! I haven’t had any issues with the beans drying up in 8 hours when cooked on high. 🙂
If I cook this in an Instant Pot would I still use 9 cups of water?
Yes! Beans expand quite a bit as they cook. Reserve the water as you drain though, in case you want your beans to be thinner in the end. 🙂
Tiffany,
I have the same crock pot as your. If I double the recipe, will it still fit in the 6 qt. crock pot?
Ooh, it’ll be close Paula. You could probably 1.5x the recipe and have room, but if you doubled beans AND water, you’ll be awfully close to the top! You can 2x in an 8 quart IP though!
I am cooking a pot right now. I made some variations due to my cupboards and tastes (dislike cumin).
I didn’t have any jalapeños, so I used about a quarter cup of chili paste with garlic (my family LOVES spicy foods), a half bulb of garlic, a large minced onion, garlic powder, onion powder, a dash of liquid smoke, a can of tomatoes and green chilies, and a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar to breakdown the enzymes that cause gas. 🙂
As this is essentially the same ingredients I use to “Doctor” canned beans when in a pinch, I am excited to see how slow cooking them will be. Once they have been cooking for an hour, I’ll add salt to taste.
Now for the long wait!
I hope the slow cooking infuses the flavors like they do for the recipe as written Kitty. You have some delicious sounding subs going on there!
This dish looks soooooo deliciously good. I wish I could eat that right now!
I just got done making a double batch and I find them amazing. I used a large jalapeno with the seeds and membrane removed and I used only 2tsp of pepper. I cooked them on high for 4 hours and then low for 2 hours (my crockpot cooks hot or quickly, not sure). I did not pre-soak my beans but they still turned out wonderful and I will definately be making these again!
I am wondering if anyone has ever saved the juice from their beans to help season the next batch. I will try it and try to update if is works well or not. I am thinking if it is a good batch of beans (to me that means the jalapeno didn’t have any extra hidden spice to it. LOL) then to use the juice would be a good benefit to spicing it for next time…maybe; maybe not but worth a try.
These were amazing! Don’t think I need to try any other recipe. Served them to guests as burritos in a flour tortilla with lettuce, salsa, sour cream, jalapenos, onions and cheese. Everyone loved them! Thanks for the recipe. Have frozen the leftovers in burrito sized portions for later.
YAY! I’m so glad you liked this recipe Anne. Your burritos sound delicious!!
I love to support local and this time of year I buy a bunch of dried beans for the year from a local farm stand here in Maine. I usually cook them up with some molasses, brown sugar, and bacon or salt pork-Mmmmm!!! I just stumbled across this recipe and would love to try it, but the stand doesn’t sell pinto beans! You’ve suggested using other beans, so I’m curious on your suggestions as to what type to try 1st;) They usually carry Jacob’s Cattle, yellow eye, red eye, pea, and kidney
We’re not very adventurous when it comes to beans, but any white bean would be my second choice. We use garbanzo in dessert hummus, white in a few baked goods and black often as well.