Transform Canned Refried Beans into Creamy, Restaurant-Worthy Refried Beans

With just two easy additions, you can make a can of refried beans taste like you’re eating at your favorite Mexican restaurant.

Mexican food is far and beyond my MOST FAVORITE food. I never seem to tire of it. When you ask someone what their favorite restaurant is, they usually say one that is really special, like for a birthday or something. Not me. I always say my favorite little Mexican place. It’s a great place to eat and drink. The food is delicious, the drinks are cold, and the chips and salsa are made from scratch.

(plus I don’t have to dress up if I don’t feel like it, no judging, just good food.)

Refried beans are a staple of Mexican cuisine. At restaurants, they are served smooth, creamy, and full of flavor. But canned refried beans often end up a thick, pasty glop lacking the creamy decadence of restaurant refried beans. With a few easy tricks, you can doctor up canned refried beans to taste as delicious as refried beans made from scratch.

Why Canned Refried Beans Lack Creaminess

Refried beans get their name because they are beans that are fried, mashed, then fried again. Traditional homemade refried beans start with dried pinto beans that are soaked, cooked until tender, then mashed and fried in fat to develop a creamy, unctuous texture. The starch in the tender cooked beans breaks down into a smooth puree.

Canned refried beans skip most of these steps. The beans are pre-cooked and pre-mashed before canning. But the high temperatures of canning degrade the starch preventing it from thickening into a smooth puree. The small amount of fat or oil in canned refried beans also contributes to their pasty texture. With the right techniques, canned beans can be transformed into smooth creamy refried bean goodness.

Tips for Making Canned Refried Beans Creamy

With a few easy steps, you can make canned refried beans as smooth and creamy as homemade:

Thin the beans – Adding liquid thins out the gloppy texture of canned beans Try broth, milk, cream or even just water.
Add fat – Cooking the beans in bacon drippings, oil or butter adds creaminess.
Puree with cream cheese – Blending in cream cheese or sour cream makes beans ultra creamy.
Simmer – Letting beans simmer allows flavors to meld and starch to further thicken.
Finish with acid – A splash of lime juice at the end brightens flavor.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Heat fat: Heat 1-2 Tbsp bacon drippings, oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. If avoiding fat, heat refried beans directly.
Saute aromatics: Add minced garlic, onion, jalapeño, and spices like cumin and let cook 1-2 minutes.
Add beans: Add canned refried beans and stir to combine with aromatics and fat.
Thin beans: Pour in 1 cup broth, milk, or cream for each 15-oz can of beans. Stir until incorporated.
Puree: Stir in 2-4 oz cream cheese, Mexican crema or sour cream until fully blended and smooth.
Simmer: Let beans simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and slightly thickened.
Finish with lime: Stir in juice of 1/2 lime and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish: Top with shredded cheese, salsa, cilantro before serving.

Tips for Ultra Creamy Beans

For even creamier beans, use half & half or heavy cream instead of broth or milk.
For a shortcut, blend beans and liquid in a food processor or blender until smooth.
For thicker beans, blend in more cream cheese, mascarpone or sour cream as needed.
Letting beans simmer longer allows more starch to breakdown for creamier texture.
For super smooth beans, puree cooled beans in a blender then reheat gently.

Recipe Ideas for Creamy Refried Beans

With canned beans and a few extra ingredients, you can make restaurant-quality refried beans at home. Here are some delicious ways to use them:

Stuff into burritos or tacos
Use as a dip with tortilla chips
Layer into nachos or Mexican pizza
Top chips and salsa
Fill empanadas or pupusas
Mix into quesadillas
Serve with fajitas or enchiladas
Spoon into tamales
Use in chilaquiles or huevos rancheros
Fold into a quesadilla

So don’t settle for boring canned refried beans. With a few easy steps, you can make them just as smooth, creamy and crave-worthy as any Mexican restaurant. ¡Buen provecho!

how to make creamy refried beans

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When I go to a Mexican restaurant, the refried beans are so creamy and taste so much better than the canned ones. But did you know it’s really, really easy to make the ones in a can taste like the ones in a restaurant? That’s “fácil” in Spanish.

I used to have a friend many years ago that was Mexican, and she was a fantastic cook. She told me that adding milk to the canned beans was her mom’s secret, and that works, too. But I have to say that adding sour cream makes them even better! It gives them a little tang and makes them smooth and creamy.

This is one of my MOST POPULAR recipes on my site. It happened almost instantly. No one can say no to something so easy! With just three things, you can make a bowl of restaurant-style refried beans in no time. Top them with cheese, like we do, to make them even better!.

I’ll Drink to that!

Using this recipe, you can quickly turn these beans into a Restaurant Style Bean Dip!

Serve them up as a side dish or with a bowl of chips for dipping. Either way, it’s a “ganador” (WINNER) of a recipe! I always buy the Old El Paso Fat-Free Refried beans, they always turn out perfectly, and they are lower in fat and have loads of fiber! You can even use fat free sour cream and make these even more guilt free!

Love MEXICAN like I do? I have TONS of MEXICAN RECIPES to share with you. I hope that you will stay and browse a while.

When you’re done there, you can pop over to my MEXICAN RECIPE Pin Board on Pinterest for more great recipes!

Ready? Let’s cook!

how to make creamy refried beans

HOW TO MAKE REFRIED BEANS EXTRA CREAMY AND DELICIOUS: Simple Down Home Recipe

FAQ

Why do restaurant refried beans taste so good?

Why Do Restaurant Refried Beans Taste So Good? Most authentic Mexican restaurants use lard in their refried bean recipes which adds another layer of flavor and helps achieve the ideal creamy texture.

What can I add to refried beans to make them smoother?

Include a dollop or two of sour cream The sour cream makes refried beans smooth and balanced, offering richness to the earthiness of the beans. For every 16 ounces of canned beans, you’ll want to add around ⅓ to ½-cup of sour cream.

Are you supposed to add milk to refried beans?

You’ll see in the recipe below that I add milk, not water, to my refried beans. It’s just enough to give them a creamier texture and a richer flavor. If you prefer non-dairy, just swap out the milk for water or even chicken or vegetable broth.

How do I thicken my refried beans?

If your beans are still too watery after prolonged cooking and mashing, consider adding a thickener like cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or arrowroot. To do this, first, make a slurry of equal parts thickener and water, then slowly add it to your refried beans. They should thicken considerably.

How do you make restaurant style refried beans?

Get creamy Restaurant Style Refried Beans by adding a few ingredients to canned refried beans! These easy refried beans are the perfect side dish, great on tostadas, Mexican Pizzas, tacos or burritos, and even a tasty dip! In a small saucepan or skillet melt crisco or bacon grease over medium high heat.

How to make canned refried beans taste like restaurant style?

You can learn how to make canned refried beans taste like restaurant style with just a few little secrets. The best way to make canned refried beans taste like restaurant style beans is to thin the canned beans with cream. Add extra spices cooked in fat and garnish with cheese, cilantro, and jalapenos.

How do you make refried beans taste good?

Taco or Hot Sauce – So much taste and a dash of heat give the refried beans a flavor like nothing else. Shredded Cheese – This is a must on everything right! Every dish should have a little cheese! and canned refried beans (of course)! It really is as simple as melt, dump and stir.

Can you add more ingredients to refried beans?

You can add three extra ingredients to canned refried beans to make them perfectly creamy for use as a dip, side, or filling for Bean Burritos and Chicken Tacos! Gotta Love Cheesy Beans!