Fiesta Refried Beans

Name: Fiesta Refried Beans
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 3 to 4 dried chiles colorados (a.k.a. New Mexico chiles, California chiles, dried anaheim chiles, stemmed and seeded); 1 recipe Frijoles de Olla (made with pintos); 3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce; 3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil; 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Chihuahua, asadero or Monterey Jack cheese (or melty cheese of your choice); 1/2 pound Mexican chorizo or longaniza (peeled, coarsely chopped (optional))

Frijoles de Fiesta

Recipe Yield

8 servings

Cooking time

30 minutes

Rate this recipe

4.34 from 6 votes

Ingredients

3 to 4 dried chiles colorados a.k.a. New Mexico chiles, California chiles, dried anaheim chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 recipe Frijoles de Olla made with pintos
3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Chihuahua, asadero or Monterey Jack cheese or melty cheese of your choice
1/2 pound Mexican chorizo or longaniza peeled, coarsely chopped (optional)

To Prepare

Place the dried chiles colorados in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until softened and plumped, about 10 to 12 minutes.
In batches, puree the cooked beans and 2 cups of their cooking liquid, the rehydrated chiles and the chipotle chiles in adobo.
Heat the lard or oil in a large casserole or sauté pan set over medium heat. Once hot, add the bean puree, cook for about 15 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan as it thickens. Stir in the cheese and continue to cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the beans have thickened into a soft puree and the cheese is completely incorporated and melted.
If adding chorizo, in a small pan set over medium-high heat, cook the chorizo or longaniza until brown and crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Top the beans with the chorizo or mix it in.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

Comments

42comments inFiesta Refried Beans

Rocio

Feb 18

Dear Pati,
on the episode of the Fiesta beans you made burritos with meat and red sauce. I am trying to find the full episode on you tube but cant find it. My questions is; what is the recipe for the burritos?

thanks

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Mar 08
  
  Hi Rocio! You can watch the full episode on my website here: https://patijinich.com/video/episode-905-flour-power/ And here is the recipe for the burritos: https://patijinich.com/carne-con-chile-burritos/ Enjoy!
  
hgm905@yahoo.com

Feb 07

I prepare this recipe of fiesta refried beans and they taste delicious!!! I added longaniza and the refried beans are even better!
Thank you so much.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Mar 13
  
  Such a great idea, yummy!
  
Matt P.

Jul 04

These are really good! We have to substitute vegan cheeses in my house, but any melty mild “cheese” alternative seems to do the trick and add some creaminess. Also they are great even before the cheese goes in, if you need to avoid dairy or want to make a dish with a little less fat. (Though if you want to do that you probably won’t add the chorizo like we did!)

We used an immersion blender in the cooking pot to avoid making a few more dirty dishes and that worked as well as a food processor because the beans were well cooked and soft when we got to that point.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jul 20
  
  Thanks for all the insights Matt, glad you adapted these beans to your needs and likings 🙂
  
Cree

Jun 07

Can the recipe be substituted with pinto beans from a can?

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jun 13
  
  Worst case scenario, yes 🙂 However, try to by whole beans and refry them yourself, the recipe will be much better.
  
Trisha

May 03

I’ll make these beans for May 5th.
Thank you,

1. Pati Jinich
  
  May 17
  
  I hope you liked them Trisha!
  
Cathee

Aug 08

Made this last Tuesday for our taco Tuesday night. Tweaked it a bit as forgot to get dried chilies and the chilies in my garden were not ready either. I used the potato masher to mash up the Frijoles de Olla. Used bacon fat for sautéing the chorizo and I added chopped onions. Fried the brand in more bacon fat, mixed all together and was so amazing. With the chorizo and the cheese, the salt content was perfect. I did add black pepper at the end, as I was lacking the heat from peppers. I have been instructed to make this agin on Tuesday. Lol That you for your awesome tastes recipes!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Aug 15
  
  Such a great way to twist this recipe Cathee, thanks for sharing your way to prepare the beans. Keep cooking and having fun 🙂
  
Teresa

Jul 11

Hello, love your show! Is this recipe for 1 lb of pinto beans or how much pinto beans?

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jul 21
  
  Yes Teresa, the recipe is for 1 lb of beans or about 2 1/4 cups. Enjoy 🙂
  
David

Jun 04

Why not canned beans? I have inconsistent luck with dried not rehydrating and exclusively used canned.

What is wrong with me?

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jun 12
  
  If you really prefer canned beans, go ahead David, no need to stress about it 😉
  
James Howes

May 20

Refried beans recipe sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try it! Bean recipes taste so much better with lard. I’m 75 so I have to watch lard..what a shame. Any suggestions?

1. Pati Jinich
  
  May 23
  
  Just use your favorite vegetable oil James and enjoy!
  
Anonymous

May 19

Pati –

I have yet to try your new refried beans….but I will. I have to tell you though that my family loved your Sanborn’s Swiss Enchiladas!! They were so, so good! I especially liked the tomatillo salsa and think I could just eat that by itself. So glad to have you and your recipes in the picture!!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  May 23
  
  Awesome! So glad you liked the Enchiladas, and the beans will be the perfect side for them 🙂
  
Darla

May 19

Where would I find the frijoles recipe??

1. Pati Jinich
  
  May 23
  
  This recipe calls for Frijoles de la Olla made with Pintos, here is the recipe for you Darla, enjoy! https://patijinich.com/frijoles_de_olla/
  
Claudia Wylie

May 01

These are the best refried beans I ever ate. I have made them three times, and eat them on everything. The first time I made them I put the whole can of chiles in adobo sauce into my blender. Wow! Way too spicy, but the flavor kept us coming back for more. Now I only use 1 chili and add the sauce from the can by the teaspoon to taste. My family loves these beans😍

1. Pati Jinich
  
  May 10
  
  Wow, one whole can!!! So glad you reduce the amount of chipotle so you can taste the beans better. SO happy you guys like these beans. Hugs to the whole family 🙂
  
Mike

Feb 28

Patti,

Love your show and the recipes. I have cooked all of my life and cooked professionally in high school and college but never did much more than fajitas or enchiladas when it came to TexMex / Mexican food. Your, chuck roast taquitos, carne asada tacos, brisket burritos, and these refried beans are fabulous! I love the various salsas and techniques. My friends think I may be from Mexico!
Thanks for teaching an old dog new tricks!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Mar 07
  
  Mike! So glad to read you have been trying my recipes and having fun, yay! Thank you 😉
  
Alkuds Jwayyed

Feb 08

Hi Pati!
I love , love your show! I made these refried beans to accompany the Carne con chili burritos! Both recipes were delicious! My family loved the beautiful meal.Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us all. God Bless You!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Feb 10
  
  My pleasure! So glad to know everyone approved and enjoyed 😉
  
Heather

Jan 26

Hola! 🙂 I am new to from scratch Mexican Cooking. I made these to go accompany another one of your recipes, chimis. I normally don’t care for Re friends and give away my to the other half. But these were full stop delicious! Thank you for showing me how to make refried beans I actually.. love!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 31
  
  So happy to read this Heather, super yay!!! Enjoy the beans from now on 🙂
  
R. Ruiz

Jan 15

Patti, usually when I make Chile Colorado of any sort, I also strain it. Getting rid of the tiny pieces Chile skin. This recipe doesn’t call for it. Should I do it on this recipe also. If not why?
I love your show, and all your recipes.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 16
  
  Hola, in this recipe the chiles are pureed together with the beans, so straining is not a good idea. If you like to puree the chiles before, strain them and then mix with the beans is fine, but since these are refried beans and are supposed to be lumpy, it is really not a big deal if you have little pieces of chile in the mix 😉
  
Donna Price

Jan 13

The best Refried Beans we have ever eaten. Easy to follow directions and lots of delicious flavor. My husband usually passes on the beans, but not any more. Perfect compliment to your Carnitas recipe. Made a complete and wonderful meal.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 16
  
  Awesome! So glad to hear your husband loved the recipe as well Donna, thank you guys!
  
Stewart L

Nov 14

Amazing recipe. So tasty – smokey, rich, and, creamy. Excellently side dish. I love making your recipes because they are as good as the best restaurant recipes, but, when I make it I know what ingredients were used, and I trust they are healthy and good for you.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Nov 22
  
  Gracias for the feedback Stewart, yay!
  
Peggy Plumley

Nov 07

Where can I find the recipe for Frijoles de Olla?

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Nov 11
  
  No problem Peggy, here is the recipe for you 🙂 https://patijinich.com/pati_2020/frijoles_de_olla/
  
Cherie Smith

Nov 07

Where have you been my whole live. I love Mexican food, your recipes are easy to follow and delicious!!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Nov 11
  
  Thanks so much Cherie, so glad you found me 🙂 I am also on FB, IG, Twitter, Pinterest and some selected episodes of the Show and some recipes on Youtube!
  
Anonymous

Nov 05

They look amazing like everything else that you prepare

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Nov 06
  
  Thanks so much 😉

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