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    Home » Sides

    Vegan Refried Beans

    Published: Jul 13, 2022 Updated: Jul 13, 2022 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Vegan Refried Beans

    These vegan refried beans are quick and easy and simply loaded with flavor. Perfect as a side dish or dip, or spread on your tacos, burritos and quesadillas. Ready in 25 minutes!

    Vegan refried beans in a black bowl with a spoon.

    I was a little worried about photographing this recipe because, truthfully, refried beans aren’t the most beautiful looking dish you’ve ever seen. But my fears were soon allayed; a bit of cilantro brings the whole thing together in terms of looks (and also taste).

    But no matter how refried beans look, one thing is for sure, they taste amazing. They are also extremely versatile and can be used as a dip, topping or spread. They also work extremely well as a side for all your Mexican-inspired recipes too.

    And if you’re wondering: aren’t all refried beans vegan? Then the answer is no. They are not. They commonly contain lard, which is animal based fat, so they’re not even vegetarian.

    But no worries, they are SO easy to make that there is no need to buy them ready-made. And honestly the homemade version is just so much tastier too. It’s well worth the 25 minutes it takes to make them from scratch.

    And if you love these beans you’ll also love our vegan baked beans so check those out too.

    Ingredients For Refried Beans:

    Ingredients for vegan refried beans.

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    • Lime juice – should be freshly squeezed for the best flavor.
    • Pinto beans – we used two 15-ounce cans of pinto beans (drained) for ease and simplicity. If you don’t want to use canned beans, then you can cook them yourself and use 3 cups of cooked pinto beans. 
    • Red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper – adds flavor and a touch of heat, but it’s just a touch. Feel free to omit them though if you don’t want any heat at all.
    Vegan refried beans in a black bowl with a spoon.

    How To Make Vegan Refried Beans

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Heat a skillet or pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and chopped onions and sauté until the onions are softened.
    Chopped onions and oil added to pot and sautéed.
    • Add crushed garlic, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and cumin. Sauté with the onions for a minute until the spices are fragrant.
    Crushed garlic and spices added to pot and sautéed.
    • Add pinto beans and water and stir in.
    Pinto beans and water added to pot and mixed.
    • Cover the pan and let them cook for 5 minutes.
    Covering the pot and letting the beans cook for 5 minutes.
    • Reduce the heat to low and remove the lid. Use a potato masher to mash up the beans until you reach the desired consistency – you can leave it chunky, or mash them very well for a smooth consistency.
    • Let the mashed beans cook for 2-3 minutes more, stirring regularly.
    Mashing the beans with a potato masher.
    • Remove from the heat and add chopped cilantro, sea salt and lime juice. Taste test and add more salt if needed. If it seems too dry, add a little water and mix in.
    Chopped cilantro, sea salt and fresh lime juice added to pot and mixed in.
    • Keep them covered until you’re ready to serve.
    Vegan refried beans in a pot with a wooden spoon.

    Serving Suggestions

    These vegan refried beans can be served either hot or cold. They make a great dip. They are also great as a side dish for any Mexican recipes, spread on sandwiches or wraps, spread onto your vegan tacos, burritos, quesadillas or fajitas or as a topping for your vegan nachos.

    Vegan refried beans in a black bowl with a spoon.

    Storing Instructions

    Keep them stored in a covered container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

    They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Vegan refried beans in a black bowl with a spoon.

    More Delicious Bean Recipes

    1. Vegan Baked Beans
    2. Vegan Pinto Bean Soup
    3. Vegan Black Bean Soup
    4. Vegan Black Bean Burgers
    5. Vegan Black Bean Brownies
    6. Avocado Corn Black Bean Salad

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Vegan refried beans in a black bowl with a spoon.

    Vegan Refried Beans

    These vegan refried beans are quick and easy and simply loaded with flavor. Perfect as a side dish or dip, or spread on your tacos, burritos and quesadillas. Ready in 25 minutes!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 256kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
    • ½ Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, Finely Chopped
    • 2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
    • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
    • ⅛ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin
    • 2 (15-ounce) Cans Pinto Beans Drained, or 3 cups Cooked Pinto Beans
    • ½ cup Water (120ml)
    • ¼ cup Cilantro Chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
    • 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice Freshly Squeezed
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Heat a skillet or pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and chopped onions and sauté until the onions are softened.
    • Add crushed garlic, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and cumin. Sauté with the onions for a minute until the spices are fragrant.
    • Add pinto beans and water and stir in.
    • Cover the pan and let them cook for 5 minutes.
    • Reduce the heat to low and remove the lid. Use a potato masher to mash up the beans until you reach the desired consistency – you can leave it chunky, or mash them very well for a smooth consistency.
    • Let the mashed beans cook for 2-3 minutes more, stirring regularly.
    • Remove from the heat and add chopped cilantro, sea salt and lime juice. Taste test and add more salt if needed. If it seems too dry, add a little water and mix in.
    • Keep them covered until you're ready to serve.

    Notes

    1. Pinto beans – we used two 15-ounce cans of pinto beans (drained). If you don’t want to use canned beans, then you can cook them yourself and use 3 cups of cooked pinto beans. 
    2. Red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper – adds flavor and a touch of heat, but it’s just a touch. Feel free to omit them though if you don’t want any heat at all.
    3. Storing: Keep them stored in a covered container in the fridge for 4-5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 603mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 143IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Candace says

      November 19, 2022 at 3:19 am

      Very tasty!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 19, 2022 at 1:25 pm

        Thanks Candace!

        Reply

    Comment Policy: Your feedback is really appreciated! Please do us a favor and rate the recipe as well as this really helps us! The most helpful comments are the ones that give useful feedback for others who might make the recipe, tell about substitutions you made or adjustments you made and how it turned out, or assisting other commenters. Rude or insulting comments will not be accepted.

    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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