Living in Texas has shown me the wonders of refried beans. Up until this point in my life, my primary reference was the stodgy, miscellaneous bean matter that emerges from a can in one solid brick. Minimally seasoned, mostly homogeneous, I never saw the appeal. Was it the adult equivalent of baby food, delivering nutrition with no teeth required? Mercifully, the real deal is anything but a culinary compromise, cementing its place in American foodways for many centuries to come.
Once Bitten, Twice Fried?
Pinto beans are the most common legume to be refried, thanks to their abundance, affordability, and creamy texture that breaks down easily with the lightest touch. Frijoles refritos were born in Mexico and contrary to common belief, mean “well-fried,” not “re-fried” beans. The idea is to stew them until they give up on individuality, fusing together as one. Like most marvelously simple dishes, the key ingredient is time.
What if there was a way to speed up the process without sacrificing flavor, texture, or nutrition, though? Sure, you could employ the handy old pressure cooker, or start with canned beans to begin with, but I believe I’ve found an even better shortcut. It’s time for red lentils to shine.
Paint The Town Red
I’ve never met a red lentil that wanted to stay whole. Instantly blending themselves into a rustic mash without even a passing glance pass from the immersion blender, they’re ideal for creating quick, creamy refritos on the fly. Moreover, their mild, earthy sweetness readily melds with savory aromatics, smoked paprika, and a touch of lime. Thickening into a supple, savory spread that clings beautifully to tortillas, toast, or whatever vehicle happens to be nearby, it’s remarkable what a few spare pantry staples can do.
Love Your Legumes
If you, like me, are late in discovering the joys of a proper refried bean, figuring out what to do with them is the biggest barrier to legume enlightenment. You can very happily eat them straight out of the pot, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t look for inspiration further afield. I can only scratch the surface on the multitude of possibilities:
- Side dish: When the budget is tight, you really can’t beat a meal of brown rice and refried beans. You could serve them alongside any sort of Mexican or Tex-Mex specialties too, from enchiladas to rellenos.
- Dip: All you need to do is add tortilla chips and boom, you’ve got bean dip! Take a step further by mixing in vegan sour cream, salsa or pico de gallo, and top with vegan cheese and/or cilantro for more festive fare. Don’t forget that 7-layer dip is always a possibility, too.
- Nachos: Instead of dipping your chips, dollop the refried lentils right on top. This has the added benefit of being able to justify drowning your troubles in gooey queso while still getting a healthy serving of fiber and protein.
- Tacos, burritos, and quesdillas: Leverage your refritos as the featured protein or let them support another main player in any of your favorite tortilla-based meals. A good bean and cheese burrito is the gold standard for a drunken late night snack, if you ask me.
These are the absolute basics, the classic examples that will never steer you wrong. That said, I’ve seen refried beans used in more imaginative creations like pizza, lasagna, dumplings… We’d be here all day if we kept talking about further adaptations.
Cut Out The Cans
I’m still loathe to buy a can of refried beans. As emergency rations, they excel. For daily subsistence, even on a budget or tight schedule, we can do better. Refried red lentils are my new ride-or-die staple food.
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