Name: Frijoles Negros Refritos
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 100 grams lard (about ½ cup); 200 grams chopped white onion (about 1 cup); 12 grams garlic cloves, minced (about 3); 2 dried arbol chiles; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 6 cups cooked black beans, divided; ½ cup bean cooking liquid, broth, or water, plus extra for thinning

Why This Recipe Works

Refried beans might be one of the most misunderstood foods in Mexican cooking. They’re not actually fried twice. The word “refritos” comes from “refreír,” literally meaning “to fry again,” but in practice meaning “to rework” in fat after being cooked.

Good refried beans should feel rich and deeply savory but still taste unmistakably like beans. Depending on the region or the cook, they can be made from pinto beans or black beans, and their texture can range from silky-smooth to rustic and chunky.

Here we use black beans, combining them with onion, garlic, and chiles slowly cooked in lard until the aromatics are golden and fragrant. Because the recipe has such a short ingredient list, caramelizing the onions is important in giving the beans delicious base notes. We mash the beans until creamy, glossy, and spreadable enough to drag across a warm tortilla. The humble dish will quietly steal the show on the table.

Before You Begin

In place of dried beans cooked from scratch, you can use 4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, draining and reserving their canning liquid to use in place of the bean cooking liquid. If using water, you may need to add more salt to taste.

Instructions

Heat 100 grams lard in Dutch oven over medium heat until melted and shimmering. Reduce heat to medium-low then add 200 grams chopped white onion and cook until beginning to brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add 12 grams minced garlic, 2 arbol chiles, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and cook until onion and garlic are golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add 3 cups black beans and use potato masher to mash until fairly smooth with some small bits remaining. Add remaining 3 cups black beans and mash until mostly smooth. Add ½ cup bean cooking liquid and cook until beans are creamy, thickened, and warmed through, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting consistency with extra cooking liquid if needed. Season with salt to taste and discard chiles before serving.