This Is The Key To Getting Perfect Texture When Making Refried Beans

Refried beans are hearty, full of protein, and easy to make, like our one-pot Instant Pot refried beans recipe. However, there's a key to getting the perfect texture when making this dish. According to Ronaldo Linares, private chef and media personality, your refried beans must be creamy. To achieve that, he advised cooking them until they are "very soft" before mashing them. "That is one of the more important components in making this dish. You need the beans to be creamy and just a few whole for that texture many love in refried beans," Linares explained to Tasting Table.

The beans we cook to make refried beans are usually pinto beans. If you use dried pinto beans to make refried beans, you will first have to soak the hard beans in water, then cook them over the stovetop until softened, which can take about 2 hours. Canned pinto beans, one of the 12 canned beans you should keep in your pantry, require less time over the stovetop to soften to a desirable texture. And if you use a pressure cooker, you'll cut the cooking time significantly — about 45 minutes instead of a few hours. Once the pinto beans are tender and soft, drain them and mash them with a fork.

If you don't have the time to spare to soften pinto beans and make the creamiest refried beans from scratch, don't fret. It's completely fine to use canned refried beans. If you're worried your canned refried beans won't taste as good, we have a few creative solutions for you. 

First, mix in some sour cream to make refried beans smooth and creamy. You can use this trick with refried beans you make from scratch, or canned ones. Not only will the sour cream make your refried beans smoother, but the dish will be richer too. Once your smooth and creamy refried beans are cooked to perfection, don't forget to season them. Squeezing in fresh lime juice is a great way to add flavor to refried beans, especially the canned version. Cooking your pinto beans with broth instead of water will also add amazing flavor, and your pinto beans will get just as soft.