Refried beans

A smooth, dense paste where beans melt on the palate. The scent of rendered lard and sautéed onion brings a rustic depth to this staple of Mexican cuisine.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 80 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 526
• Protein: 26 g
• Carbs: 61 g
• Fat: 17 g

Ingredients

• 500 g Red bean ( soaked overnight )
• 1.5 L Mineral water
• 60 g Lard
• 1 piece Yellow onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 1 piece Hot chili pepper optional ( whole )
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 250 g Pinto beans ( soaked overnight )
• 1 tbsp Epazote ( chopped )

Instructions

1. Cooking the beans

   Submerge the red beans, pinto beans, and epazote in mineral water with the whole chili. Bring to a boil then lower the heat. The beans are ready when the skin bursts and the flesh mashes easily between two fingers.

2. Aromatic base

   Melt the lard in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Add the yellow onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent and begins to lightly brown on the edges.

3. Frying and mashing

   Add the drained beans (keep the liquid) to the hot fat. Mash them with a potato masher or a fork directly in the pan. Stir in the cumin and grey sea salt.

4. Reduction

   Pour in a bit of the cooking liquid. Stir constantly until the paste thickens and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the skillet. The texture should be smooth and creamy.

Chef's tips

• Never throw away the bean cooking water; it contains all the starch needed to bind the paste.
• For a smoother texture, you can use an immersion blender, but the authentic method remains manual mashing to keep some texture.

Storage

Keeps for 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Add a splash of water before reheating in a saucepan.