Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe

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Slow Cooker Refried Beans are the simplest way to make rich and hearty refried beans at home – they are worlds above their canned counterparts. Homemade refried beans are great for anything from Taco Tuesdays to the side dish for a chicken dinner!

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Easy Crock Pot Refried Beans Recipe

Today I’m working with Hurst’s Beans and I’m so excited about it. This will be the first of four recipes I’m making with their simple, inexpensive, and always tasty dried beans.

Homemade refried beans are amazing. I started making them more and more in the last year and my whole family is hooked. The fact that you make these beans in the slow cooker (no soaking needed!) really makes this an easy dish. I started adding beans to our diet in the last few years for a few reasons – they are inexpensive but full of great fiber and vitamins and minerals. I’m all about the meatless meal as often as I can, and beans are a real budget-stretcher. I know I’m not the only one who’s working hard to make healthy meals without breaking the bank. So with those motivating factors, I’ve gotten quite good at making some really delicious but simple whole food bean recipes my family loves, and slow cooker refried beans top that list!

Refried beans are a great way to either stretch the meat in your tacos or eliminate it all together. When the beans are this full of flavor, you don’t even miss the meat! We use these refried beans to make normal tacos, in salads, on nachos for lunch, in “crispy burritos” for quick meals, and on tostadas. I even serve them as a side dish to roasted vegetables and grilled pork chops. They are so delicious you can eat them on their own.

The perk of using the slow cooker to make this recipe is that you don’t have to soak the beans or babysit a pot of beans while it’s cooking. Just set it and forget it! This recipe is easily adapted to dietary needs too! Vegan or vegetarian? Great! Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. This dish is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and just about all the other things free. There’s so much to love about it.

Slow cooker refried beans are the simplest way to make rich and hearty refried beans at home - they are worlds above their canned counterparts.

I’m so excited to be working with Hurst’s Beans today. Hurst’s is a 4th generation family-owned company that is based out of Indiana (I was raised in Indiana and consider myself a Hoosier through and through), and they’ve been a brand that has been in my cupboard, my mom’s cupboard, and my grandma’s cupboard for years and years. I grew up loving the 15 Bean Soup Mix, and their products are ones I use and know well. I’m so excited to be working with them today. They grow their beans in the US and Canada (yay!). And my two-cents on their “flavor packet” – I normally avoid this kind of thing, but Hurst’s flavor packets really are just seasonings in a convenient little package. They are gluten-free and vegan and have no added MSG. This is a great brand, and I can’t wait for you to bring them into your own kitchen if you haven’t already.

Tips and Tricks for Making Slow Cooker Refried Beans

  • No need to presoak your beans! Hooray! Just toss everything in and let it cook, cook, cook. I have this slow cooker and love it!
  • I used a potato masher to mash my cooked beans into refried beans. This left little chunks of beans which were great. If you are after a super smooth refried bean, you can always add your cooked bean mixture to your blender or food processor (working in batches as needed) to process to your desired consistency.
  • Pinto beans are the most common and traditional bean to make refried beans with, but don’t let that hold you back. I have made refried beans with white navy beans as well as black beans before and they were all delicious, though the appearance does change.
  • Use these on Chicken Tostadas in burritos and more! Don’t forget the best blender salsa (a great winter recipe because it uses canned tomatoes).
  • This recipe freezes great! Just pop your prepared refried beans into a freezer safe container, label, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. This recipe also doubles really well, so make a double batch and plan on stocking your freezer. Cook once and eat twice!
Slow cooker refried beans are the simplest way to make rich and hearty refried beans at home.

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Photo of Slow Cooker Refried Beans

Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Melissa Griffiths
  • Total Time: 8-9 hours 5 min
  • Yield: Around 4 cups 1x

Description

Slow Cooker Refried Beans are the simplest way to make rich and hearty refried beans at home – they are worlds above their canned counterparts. Homemade refried beans are great for anything from Taco Tuesdays to the side dish for a chicken dinner!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bag Hurst’s Beans pinto beans (20 ounces)
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 13 jalapeño chilis, stemmed, deseeded, and minced
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 6 cups good quality chicken or vegetable broth, plus more as needed
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • Juice from one lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste (at least 1 teaspoon)

Instructions

  1. Place the Hurst’s Beans pinto beans in the bottom of your slow cooker and sort for any debris. Add onion, jalapeño, garlic, and cumin to your slow cooker. Add the vegetable or chicken broth and stir to combine.
  2. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 8-9 hours.
  3. I like to see if my beans need any more cooking liquid at about 7 hours in. Feel free to add a 1/2 cup as needed through the end of the cooking time.
  4. After the cooking time, use a potato masher to crush the beans to make a traditional refried bean texture. If the texture is too dry, simple add a little more stock.
  5. Add the cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Adjust the lime juice, salt, and cumin to taste. Serve warm (can be left in the slow cooker on warm for up to 2 hours). Store any extras in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

  • Like a super smooth refried bean? Skip the potato masher and process the beans in a food processor or blender, working in batches as needed.
  • Double and freeze extras for later.
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 8-9 hours
  • Category: Side
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: Mexican

I’m telling you what. Even if you aren’t a “bean person,” you will love these! My kids gobble them up, and everyone who tries them is always shocked at how flavorful and delicious they are. I can’t wait for you to try them!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hurst’s Beans. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Bless this Mess possible.

About Melissa

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5 Comments

  1. I love these beans! Tacos and beans for dinner tonight with plenty of leftovers. I’ll dehydrate or freeze dry(whichever machine is available first) the leftover beans for quick and easy taco nights down the road. I didn’t add any cilantro because I forgot to buy it. This recipe helps make my life simpler 🙂






  2. These seem like a perfect addition to our taco Tuesday!! Thanks for sharing, i never no what to do with beans or what brand to get.

  3. With no added oil, I can dehydrate some for instant backpacking meals…THANKS! We love beans…appreciate the heads up on a reputable bean company! I will look for them on my next shopping trip. Happy day!