Recipe: Easy Refried Beans

Refried beans are one of my top go-to recipes, mostly because you can just add a tortilla or rice, a bit of cheese, hot sauce, and maybe some roast veggies, and boom, there's dinner. They're cheap, easy, and pretty much always sound good. Everyone should have a recipe like this up their sleeve.

This recipe doesn't call for actually frying the beans, but they are still very delicious. It's hard to go back to canned beans after this!

Easy Refried Beans

(Inspired by 100 Days of Real Food)

Supplies:

Large slow cooker (the recipe can be halved for smaller crockpots)

Potato masher (can also use a fork)

Large bowl

4 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed and sorted

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder, or more to taste*

2 Tablespoons onion powder, or 2 onions, roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

dash of other seasoning, if desired (coriander is delicious, as are chili powders)

12 cups water

*NOTE: If you don't have any of these spices on hand, you can replace all of them with a taco seasoning mix. Just be sure to note whether or not the mix has salt, and adjust accordingly.

Throw all the ingredients in a crockpot and turn to HIGH. Cook on high for about 8 hours, then check to make sure the beans mash easily with a fork.

When the beans are done, drain the excess liquid into a large bowl, then start mashing the beans with the potato masher. If the beans look too dry, add some of the liquid back in.

I like to put these into quart mason jars with about an inch of headspace at the top, label them, and pop them in the fridge. When they are completely cool, I put the extras in the freezer, where they keep well until I'm ready to thaw and use them.

Serve with rice or tortillas and enjoy!

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