Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (2024)

4.69 from 114 votes

ByTrisha HaasPublished: Updated:

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Slow Cooker Refried Beans are a flavor-filled Mexican Side Dish that you never knew was SO easy to make. A perfect homemade addition to any plate, you won’t believe how easy it is to whip out the crock pot, kick the can aside, and make your own refried beans.

Even better than a restaurant, you will be able to taste the LOVE in this recipe.

Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (1)

Homemade Refried Beans

Did you know you can make your own homemade refried beans with nothing more than a few ingredients and a slow cooker? Yes!

Perfect to feed a crowd and can free, these refried beans are not only a side dish but a delicious appetizer dip (just add chips or baked taquitos!) as well.

A true dump and go recipe, these beans are not at all spicy hot and provide a great basis to additional additives like jalapenos and tons of garlic.

It’s totally OK to get creative with your flavors!

Video of Recipe

I also included a video, made at a later day, on how easy it is to make the beans. They were SO hot when the recipe was done, I had to wait till the next day to film the results because it kept steaming up my camera. That means the beans in the video had less moisture than when I made them to eat as they sat overnight. You can easily adjust your water and how much moisture your beans have by the tips below.

Slow Cooker Refried Beans

Note about making Refried Beans:

This recipe makes a lot of beans and I’m adding a note about water.

I used 6 cups of water for 6 hours of cook time. If you happen to cook them longer, add one additional cup. If you are worried about these being runny, you can drain, reserving the liquid, then mash and add the liquid back in until you reach the consistency you like. I did not do this as my 6 cups of water was perfect for these.

  • 1 bag, 16 oz, dry pinto beans
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlicSlow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (2)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Need a slow cooker?

I own this slow cookerSlow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (3) and this slow cookerSlow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (4).

Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (5)

Crock Pot Refried Beans

Place all Refried Beans ingredients into a slow cooker (crockpotSlow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (6)) and mix well.

Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (7)

Cover your ingredients and heat on high for 6-8 hours.

Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (8)

When cooking is complete and beans are soft, mash beans with a potato masher and mix well. I would not use a power mixer, it does much better as a masher.

Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (9)

Serve your homemade refried beans topped with your favorite toppings.

(Pictured with shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro)

Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (10)

This refried beans side dish goes great with any of the following Mexican recipes:

  1. Burrito Pie
  2. Mexican Chicken Chili
  3. Salsa Chicken
  4. Mexican Cornbread Casserole
  5. Enchilada Dip
  6. Queso Blanco Dip
  7. Taco Dip
  8. *NEW RECIPE* Wonton Jalapeno Poppers

4.69 from 114 votes

click the stars to rate!

Slow Cooker Refried Beans

Author Trisha Haas - Salty Side Dish


Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Slow Cooker Refried Beans are a flavor-filled Mexican Side Dish that you never knew was SO easy to make. A perfect homemade addition to any plate, you won't believe how easy it is to whip out the crock pot, kick the can aside, and make your own refried beans. Even better than a restaurant, you will be able to taste the LOVE in this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 bag 16 oz, dry pinto beans
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and mix well. Cover and heat on high for 6-8 hours. When cooking is complete, mash beans with a potato masher and mix well.

  • Serve topped with your favorite toppings.

  • (Pictured with shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro)

Video

Notes

Note about making Refried Beans:

This recipe makes a lot of beans and I'm adding a note about water.

I used 6 cups of water for 6 hours of cook time. If you happen to cook them longer, add one additional cup. If you are worried about these being runny, you can drain, reserving the liquid, then mash and add the liquid back in until you reach the consistency you like. I did not do this as my 6 cups of water was perfect for these.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Servings | Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1323mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.

Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.

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4.69 from 114 votes

Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (12)

Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you heat canned refried beans in a crockpot? ›

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to make refried beans, you may be wondering if you can cook them in a crock pot. The answer is yes! Canned refried beans can be cooked in a crock pot, and they make a great addition to any meal.

What beans should not be cooked in a slow cooker? ›

Turns out cooking dried red kidney beans and cannellini beans in your slow cooker can make you sick. Find out how to eliminate the toxin that can make you ill and how to safely prepare and cook these commonly used legumes.

How do restaurants make refried beans taste so good? ›

If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat. Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.

Do you have to boil beans before slow cooking? ›

(White Kidney Beans and Broad Beans also contain small amounts of Phytohaemagglutnin; you might also want to boil those for 10 minutes before slow cooking, especially if your stomach is sensitive.)

Will canned beans get mushy in a slow cooker? ›

Do canned beans get mushy in the slow cooker? Canned beans hold up very well in the slow cooker, believe it or not! The sauce is a perfect consistency; the flavor is excellent and only gets better with the other ingredients. It's no different than baking them.

What to add to canned refried beans to make them better? ›

You can amp up the spice by adding more hot sauce, or tone it down by adding less — whatever your family prefers! Dice onion and add to the refried beans for more flavor. Add a dash of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt. Garnish with cilantro to improve refried beans taste.

Why are my beans still hard after slow cooking? ›

If your water is acidic, the beans will remain hard. You can add some baking soda to the water to eliminate the acidity.

Can I leave beans in crockpot overnight? ›

Start the pinto beans in the morning, and they'll be ready by dinner. If you are comfortable leaving your slow cooker plugged in, you can even cook them overnight.

Which beans are not good for the kidneys? ›

Control of phosphorus often is difficult for kidney failure patients. High-phosphorus foods to eliminate include: Beans (red, black, and white) Black-eyed peas.

What does milk do to refried beans? ›

You'll see in the recipe below that I add milk, not water, to my refried beans. It's just enough to give them a creamier texture and a richer flavor. If you prefer non-dairy, just swap out the milk for water or even chicken or vegetable broth.

How do Mexicans eat refried beans? ›

Frijoles are eaten with almost every main course alongside arroz. In many Mexican restaurants in America, refried beans are served with a layer of melty, gooey, shredded cheese on top.

What makes refried beans unhealthy? ›

Yet, since refried beans often contain added fat and salt, they may be higher in calories, saturated fat, and sodium than other beans. These factors may impair your weight loss goals, raise your risk of heart disease, and increase your blood pressure levels.

What not to cook in a slow cooker? ›

​11 things you shouldn't put in your slow cooker
  1. Lean meats. ...
  2. Raw meat. ...
  3. Too much liquid. ...
  4. Delicate vegetables. ...
  5. Too much spice. ...
  6. Dairy. ...
  7. Too much booze. ...
  8. Meat that has the skin on.
Oct 12, 2022

What happens if you don't rinse beans before cooking? ›

"If you rinse your beans thoroughly, you will have a consistently flavored product, but if you do not rinse them, different amounts of salt will remain in the dish each time you cook it, and it will be hard to cook consistently," he says.

What is red kidney bean poisoning? ›

Within one to three hours of consumption of the raw beans you can experience extreme nausea and vomiting, with diarrhea and abdominal pain developing afterwards. The toxicity does not result in death and recovery is usually rather quick within three to four hours after onset of the symptoms.

How do you keep refried beans warm for a party? ›

These beans can be made up to an hour in advance and held, covered, in a crock pot on low to be ready when your guests are!

How do you reheat beans in a slow cooker? ›

Reheating leftovers in a slow cooker is not recommended. Cooked food should be reheated on the stove, in a microwave, or in a conventional oven until it reaches 165 °F. Then the hot food can be placed in a preheated slow cooker to keep it hot for serving—at least 140 °F as measured with a food thermometer.

How do you heat up canned beans? ›

Canned Beans On The Stove Top

Since they are already cooked, you just need to heat them up, which takes all but 5-minutes. Add a few flavor enhancers and dinner is served! Drain and rinse the beans (remember, that's optional). Place a pot on the stove and set to low or medium heat.

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