It’s quick and easy to make healthy, home-made refried beans from your home pressure-canned beans.
This method has the bonus of being fat-free, too, making them even healthier! There’s nothing stopping you though from adding a bit of fat if desired, but with this technique, it’s not required. The thick, creamy stock from the beans in the jars gets incorporated into the bean mixture, giving them a rich, satisfying mouth texture.
We use either pressure-canned kidney beans or pressure-canned pinto beans, canned according to USDA directions. You can use either, or a mixture of both.
This recipe calls for a litre / quart of canned beans in total: you can cut the recipe in half if you wish by just using a half-litre / pint jar.
This recipe uses:
The recipe
Yield: 8 x ½ cup servings
Refried beans from home canning
Ingredients
- 1 litre home-canned kidney beans (1 quart. Or pinto)
- 3 tbsp refried bean seasoning mix (or seasoning of your choice; see suggestions below).
- lime juice (or lemon juice, fresh or bottled)
Instructions
- Empty jar contents into frying pan, liquid and all (to be clear, do not drain.)
- Mash with potato masher.
- Season as desired.
- Simmer over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, uncovered, until thick.
- Stir in 1 to 2 tbsp lime or lemon juice (fresh or from bottle).
- Serve hot, or use as directed in your recipe.
Nutrition
Recipe notes
We use a cast iron frying pan, but use whatever heavy skillet you have.
You want a low-to medium heat.
We use a wooden flipper to stir and scrape the beans with.
The citrus juice is optional but really makes a taste difference. (Fresh washed and chopped coriander leaves aka cilantro can also be nice if that is your taste and you have any to hand.)
Don’t worry about how much liquid is present in the pan when you start; some will be absorbed into the bean mixture and excess will be simmered off.
If you wish, you can of course stir in some bacon fat, grated cheese (such as cheddar or Monterey Jack), etc.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge and use up within 3 to 5 days, or freeze.
Seasoning
If you don’t already have your own preferred seasoning for refried beans, you may wish to try this. (Halve the amounts if you are halving the recipe!)
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt or salt sub
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cocoa (optional)
How much salt you will want to add will completely depend on how much salt you add to your jars of beans while canning or if you can them salt free even!
If you have tomato powder on hand, consider adding a tablespoon or two of that.
If you make refried beans a lot, then considering making up this DIY Refried Bean Seasoning Mix.
Source
In-house.
Nutrition
Per ½ cup / 90 g:
- 112 calories, 2 mg sodium
* Nutrition info provided by https://caloriecount.about.com
C
Have you ever pressure canned re fried homemade beans?
Thank you.
Healthy Canning
A special lab-tested recipe would be required to actually can refried beans owing to the thick density of it. Freeze them instead.
Susan in Las Vegas
Under the heading “The Recipe”, it says the yield is 8 people. Soylent Refried Beans?
Healthy Canning
LOL. Fixed, thanks :}
Paula Briones
This recipe is perfect! Thank you.