I started making refried beans in the crockpot a couple months ago and I’m so head over heels for this version that I’ve begun eating them 1-2 times per week. I’ve only ordered bean and cheese burritos at restaurants maybe twice in my entire life but making them at home with these beans has made me slightly obsessed . They are so good! I don’t think there’s a week that’s gone by that I haven’t had at least two bean and cheese burritos in the last couple months and I’m still not sick of them.
These beans are a lot better than store-bought–so good that you could just use it as a dip for tortilla chips as-is. I actually just eat them with a spoon sometimes. :) Besides the wonderful flavor & the ease of preparation, they’re also fat-free, high in fiber and a good source of protein. You can’t go wrong!
Crockpot Refried Beans
Printable recipe
3 cups dry pinto beans (rinsed)
1 onion, diced
2 T minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 t ground cumin, divided
9 cups water
Put all the ingredients in a crockpot, using only 1 teaspoon of the cumin, and cook on high for about 8 hours. After they are done, drain all of the liquid out into a bowl. Set the liquid aside–do not discard.
Mash beans and add the reserved liquid, a bit at a time, to desired consistency. They will thicken over time so add more liquid than you think you need, making them a little runny. Stir in the remaining teaspoon cumin and serve.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These freeze extremely well, just put them in an airtight container and when you’re ready for them, defrost overnight at room temp or 2 days in the fridge before using. If they get too thick after refrigerating, just stir in some water when you reheat them.
Makes about 6 cups
Nutrition Info (per 1/2 cup): 67 calories; .3 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 704 mg sodium; 13 g carbs; 4 g fiber; 4 g protein.
Recipe source: adapted from Real Mom Kitchen
To heck with fussy bean burritos with rice and all kinds of other add-ins. My favorite bean burritos are the simplest: I sprinkle some mild cheddar in the middle of a flour tortilla, plop some beans on top, roll up and microwave for a minute or until hot. Now that’s the best 2-minute dinner I’ve ever had!
Veronica's Cornucopia 
This is low calorie and will aid in my diet, right? :-P Maybe I’ll just make a smaller portion of it. :-)
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Actually, it is! You know I’m working on losing weight and when I make bean and cheese burritos, I use 1 flour tortilla (150 cals), about 1/3 cup of beans (45 cals) and at most 1/4 cup of cheese (120 cals). It’s about 310 calories and is quite filling. Veggies on the side!
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My wife is having a bridal shower for our daughter next week, and she decided on a Mexican theme- so earlier this week she asked me to find a refried bean recipe- and viola’, here it is! Seriously, I cracked up when I saw this-like how does she know I need this recipe??? Thanks V!
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It must be that foodie psychic connection–this kind of thing happens a lot! Congrats on your daughter’s upcoming wedding!
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Time for a discussion of amino acids dear V. Essential amino acids that is.
Rice and Beans is not only a flavor profile it is a way to get complete essential protiens to sustain life. When the term essential is used it refers to the protiens (amino acids) that one must ingest from outside sources to sustain life.
Your body manufactures most protiens from other protiens, but there are a number than it cannot synthisize and must obtain from other sources. The lack of a certain amino acid or two might seem insignificant but will lead to protien deficient conditions such as Beri Beri or Kwashikor.
Combining legumes with grains offers a complete protien. One can live on Rice and beans. One cannot survive on just rice or just beans. Together each supplies the missing protiens of the other and offer compleat nutrition.
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How interesting! But I really HATE rice in a bean burrito (despite having made it this way before). Thanks for letting me know–that gives me a good excuse to serve green rice on the side!
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Mmm… the bean burrito with that yummy melted cheese look so good!!!
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I printed this recipe and will make it in the coming week. The burritos look delicious and super easy…I love easy! And I love crockpot cooking :) Thanks V!
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I’m the same way! Crockpot cooking is the bomb.
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This looks awesome! Sure beats the canned kind!! :) I don’t have a slow cooker though. How can I make this?
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Hi Esther! Here’s how you can make them on the stovetop: rinse the beans and soak them in 9 cups of water, in the pan you’ll be cooking them in, overnight (or boil them in the water for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let stand for an hour for a quick soak). Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain them, reserving the liquid, mash them, adding liquid as needed, then stir in the remaining 1 tsp cumin. Voila–stovetop refried beans!
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Veronica – love it! Definitely making this for next week – a perfect bean and cheese burrito! And I just found the best soft tortillas -only 81 calories each! :D
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Your burrito looks incredible! Especially the melted cheese oozing out…yum! I’ve made refried beans before but only using canned beans, so I will absolutely have to try this method!
I forgot to tell you, pictured in my Greek-Inspired Omelet post was the pita I was telling you about. I should have cut it open to show the texture inside — so light and fluffy! (I use Wegman’s brand multigrain pitas.)
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I figured that was the pita bread you mentioned. Wish we had some good pita bread here. There probably is in ethnic markets but I haven’t scoured them yet.
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Veronica stop this! I can’t cook fast enough to keep up with you!
Kidding aside, I am so making this recipe a regular part of my life
Laura
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I’m just trying to catch up with you! ;)
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I’ve tried refried beans before…I bought a can, and then had to throw half away because I didn’t really know what to do with it, and I dislike burritos. What other ways are there to use refried beans, besides huevos rancheros?
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Aha–you’re in luck b/c I’m planning to post two recipes using refried beans! Tostadas & 7-layer dip. The dip is really great for parties–it makes a huge pan and it has layers of refried beans, mashed avocado, tomatoes, taco-spiced sour cream, cheese, olives, & green onion. YUMMY!
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This is pretty interesting! Most of the crockpot recipes I make are beef and pork (lately I’m making chicken, too, but my kids are not really into poultry). I think I’ll be trying this for sure, more like a breather from red meats, lol! I really love using my crockpot, last week I made crockpot lasagna and it’s really good.
Thanks for sharing this recipe by the way.
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Now that is a wonderful looking burrito. Healthy too.
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I know a comment on this is a bit belated, but I think I’ve found the reason why I’ve held off on buying beans lately ;). Anyway, I had a question about the salt. I tend to try to scale that back as much as possible, especially since I am a salsa fiend and that can be quite sodium heavy. Have you tried this with less salt? Do you think it would interfere heavily with the finished product, in terms of appropriate cooking? Thanks! I just tried your no bake cookie bars and they were a hit at my house! The person who liked them the most said he’d had them before, but not that recipe. That’s why I’m hunting through your archives, finding other must-try recipes ;).
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It’s funny you should mention the salt! The original recipe called for FIVE teaspoons (that’s a tablespoon plus two teaspoons-) which I found to be intolerably salty. Even this recipe seems just a little on the salty side for me as I’m more sensitive to salt than most people I know, so I’ve started using just two teaspoons instead. Lessen the salt as much as you want–it won’t affect anything besides the sodium content–cooking time will be the same. I’m glad you liked the cookie bars–we’re fans here too. :)
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I specifically went to the store today to buy dried pintos just to make this tomorrow! I can’t wait. I love refried beans, but I’ve never made them. So excited!
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Yay! Hope you love them. :)
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