25 Creative Ways to Use Up Leftover Refried Beans and Avoid Food Waste

Need ideas on how to use up leftover refried beans? We’ve got you covered. Remember to save this post so you always have lots of ideas for how to use up refried beans. It has recipes for everything from tacos and tortas to crunchwrap supremes, Mexican pizza, enchiladas, and more.

One of my favorite ways to save money on food is to reduce food waste. They say, “Every year in the US, people throw away 92 billion pounds of food, which is about 145 billion meals.” [We] throw away over $473 billion worth of food annually. Shockingly, [we] waste 38% of all the food in America. ”.

My favorite way to cut down on food waste is to carefully plan my meals (learn How to Meal Plan to Save Money) and include at least one night of leftovers in each week’s meal plan.

Every Thursday, I empty the fridge, sort through the leftovers, and make a simple meal with them. Think of it like your own personal, fun episode of Food Networks Chopped .

My family has saved a lot of money by keeping this simple habit. It keeps food from going to the back of the fridge.

Refried beans are a versatile Mexican staple that can lend their rich, savory flavor to so many dishes. A scoop of refried beans makes tacos, burritos, nachos and more next-level delicious. But like many leftover ingredients, it’s easy to let extra refried beans languish in the fridge after taco night. Before you know it, those beans get pushed to the back and forgotten

In this article, we’ll share 25 clever and delicious ways to use up leftover refried beans With a little creativity, you can give refried beans new life while cutting down on food waste These recipes transform leftover beans from boring to brilliant, letting you get the most from your food budget.

Why Leftover Refried Beans Are Worth Saving

Before diving into recipes, let’s look at why saving and repurposing leftover beans is so valuable:

  • Saves money: Throwing away food means throwing away the money spent on buying it. Using up what you have reduces waste.

  • Reduces waste: Food waste contributes significantly to landfill trash. Doing your part by repurposing leftovers makes an impact.

  • Adds variety: With clever recipes, beans can become something new and different from your original meal.

  • Saves time: No need to open and prepare a new can of beans when you have some ready to go in the fridge.

  • Boosts creativity: Finding ways to use leftovers exercises your culinary imagination.

With a little planning, those leftover refried beans can become tomorrow’s lunches, snacks and sides. Now let’s look at 25 smart ways to put them to use.

1. Bean and Cheese Burritos

Rolling up refried beans and cheese in a warm tortilla is a no-brainer. Customize these handheld meals with your favorite burrito add-ins like rice, lettuce, salsa and more.

2. Nachos

Pile leftover beans on tortilla chips and melt cheese over the top for instant nachos. Add diced tomatoes, jalapenos, olives and guacamole for a fully-loaded snack.

3. Quesadillas

A scoop of beans and shredded cheese grilled between tortillas makes a fast and filling lunch or dinner. For heartier quesadillas, add cooked chicken, shrimp or veggies.

4. Mexican Pizza

Transform a prepared pizza crust into a Mexican-inspired meal. Spread on refried beans, top with cheese, taco meat and fixings like lettuce, salsa and avocado.

5. Breakfast Tacos

Wake up to a protein punch by folding eggs, beans and cheese into warm corn or flour tortillas. Add hot sauce for a kick.

6. Enchiladas

Mix beans with enchilada sauce and roll up in tortillas seam-side down. Top with more sauce and cheese before baking to hot, melty perfection.

7. Tamales

Make bean and cheese tamales by mixing refried beans with masa dough and steaming in corn husks. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

8. Tostadas

Pile beans, lettuce, tomato and cheese atop crispy corn tostada shells for a fresh, festive meal or snack. Drizzle with crema and hot sauce.

9. Huevos Rancheros

Serve beans smeared on tortillas and topped with fried eggs and zesty ranchero salsa for a hearty Mexican-style breakfast.

10. Chilaquiles

For the ultimate comfort food, bake tortilla chips with beans and cheese. Top with fried eggs and salsa verde for chilaquiles.

11. Mexican Twice-Baked Potatoes

Scoop out baked potatoes and mash the insides with beans, cheese and taco seasoning before restuffing the potato skins.

12. Tacos

Fill soft corn or flour tortillas with beans, shredded lettuce, cheese and other favorite taco fillings like seasoned meat or grilled veggies.

13. Tostadas

Crisp up corn tortillas in the oven or air fryer and pile on beans, fresh toppings and crema for easy open-faced tostadas.

14. Taco Salad

Transform beans into a hearty salad by combining them with lettuce, tomato, cheese, olives, tortilla chips and a drizzle of lime dressing.

15. Burrito Bowls

Build customized burrito bowls with beans, rice, salsa, guacamole, cheese and any other desired fillings.

16. Queso Dip

Blend beans with Mexican-style cheese and seasonings for an easy, protein-packed queso dip to enjoy with tortilla chips.

17. Bean Dip

Purée or mash beans with cream cheese, garlic and spices to make a hearty bean dip for snacking.

18. Flautas

Fill tortillas with beans and cheese, roll up and fry or bake until crispy. Serve flautas with guac, crema and salsa for dipping.

19. Taquitos

Make crunchy taquitos by tightly rolling bean and cheese burritos and baking until golden brown and crisp.

20. Empanadas

Mix beans with diced veggies and cheese and fill empanada dough pockets. Seal, brush with egg wash and bake until golden.

21. Potato Skins

Scoop out baked potatoes and refill skins with beans, bacon bits and cheese for loaded lefse-style potato skins.

22. Sliders/Mini Sandwiches

Pile beans, cheese and other taco toppings onto dinner rolls or slider buns for handheld bean sandwiches.

23. Tortilla Soup

Purée beans and stir them into chicken broth with sautéed veggies. Garnish bowls with crispy tortilla strips.

24. Breakfast Burritos

Wrap scrambled eggs, beans, cheese and other breakfast fillings into a burrito for an on-the-go morning meal.

25. Frito Pie

Layer beans, chili, cheese and toppings over Fritos corn chips for a quick Frito pie meal.

With a little imagination, leftover refried beans can always find new life in fun and tasty ways. What will you create?

Storing and Freezing Leftover Beans

To extend the shelf life of leftover beans, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. For longer storage, freeze beans in portion sizes. Thaw and reheat from frozen within 3 months. Get creative with your leftovers and cut down on waste!

what to do with leftover refried beans

How to Use Leftover Refried Beans

If you’ve gone through your fridge and found a Tupperware full of refried or black beans that you didn’t eat, don’t worry! I’ve come up with 25 cheap ways to use those beans up so you don’t waste food or money.

Now as you may know, an overwhelming majority of the recipes I share here are vegetarian and/or plant-based. This is because eating a plant-based diet is proven to be significantly cheaper than eating meat.

Some of the recipe ideas in this collection are made with ground beef. If you want to make the recipes for less money, just add more refried beans or cooked lentils, or use my Homemade Vegan Ground Beef or Vegan Tempeh Walnut Taco Meat instead.

You can also make the vegetarian recipes 100% plant-based with these popular swaps:

Now without further ado, here are my favorite recipes to use up leftover refried beans!

Refried beans made out of leftover instantpot pinto beans. Frijoles refritos

FAQ

Can I freeze leftover refried beans?

Can you freeze refried beans? Yes, it’s perfectly okay to freeze refried beans. According to the Freeze It blog, refried beans can last 12 months in your freezer. That goes for both canned refrieds you buy at the store and those you make yourself.

How long do leftover refried beans last in the fridge?

Open beans can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days; while it may be tempting to store them right in the can, the USDA recommends transferring them to plastic or glass containers.

What to do with leftover beans from a can?

Leftover beans make for a quick meal when wedged in a tortilla or two. Scatter a few in your quesadilla before it hits the pan, roll leftover beans up in a burrito with some cooked rice and vegetables or sluice them down the center of a sauced enchilada, top with cheese and bake until mind-blowing.

Leave a Comment