Slow Cooker Refried Beans
147 Comments Jun 09, 2019
Updated Oct 16, 2024
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Slow Cooker Refried Beans are easy to make and turn out ultra-creamy with butter as the secret ingredient. Great as a side dish or alone!
This recipe for Slow Cooker Refried Beans is one of the first recipes I learned how to make in my slow cooker. It is such a great side dish, and it makes a ton of beans.
Table of Contents
- How to make Slow Cooker Refried Beans
- Should I soak my beans overnight?
- How long to cook:
- Adding butter to make refried beans:
- How to make refried beans smooth:
- How to thicken too runny refried beans:
- Are your beans too thick?
- Here are other great bean recipes here on the blog:
- Slow Cooker Refried Beans Recipe
How to make Slow Cooker Refried Beans
You will need these ingredients:
- Pinto beans
- Sweet yellow onion
- Chicken bouillon cubes
- Garlic cloves
- Cayenne pepper
- Water
- Salted butter
My method to add an amazing caramelized onion flavor to the beans is to brown thick sweet onions slices in a skillet.
My mom gave me a vintage Mexican cookbook and it used this method for their refried beans and it really does add so much flavor.
Should I soak my beans overnight?
You do not need to soak your beans overnight. If you cook the beans long enough, they cook up perfectly tender.
If you are adamant about soaking the beans you can, and use this same recipe, the cooking time is the same.
How long to cook:
Cover and cook the beans on the high setting for 5-6 hours or on the low setting for 10 hours.
Adding butter to make refried beans:
I add a stick of butter to my refried beans for flavor. Slow cooker refried beans don’t actually get refried in a pan rather they just get blended up. Adding the butter gives the flavor of the classic stove-top refried beans without the mess and work of frying.
How to make refried beans smooth:
For
Don’t
How to thicken too runny refried beans:
- Leave the lid off and let the moisture evaporate off.
- OR Make a cornstarch slurry with a small amount of cold water and cornstarch. Stir into the beans.
Are your beans too thick?
Save the extra pinto bean broth from cooking, these juices are great for adding back into the beans and smoothing them out. If you did not save these, add a splash of water and stir.
If you happen to own two slow cookers, this recipe for Slow Cooker Refried Beans goes excellent with my Chicken Enchilada Casserole. If I am going all out, I will make this Spanish Rice Recipe from Lil Luna too.
Here are other great bean recipes here on the blog:
- Slow Cooker Refried Black Beans
- Slow Cooker Lima Beans
- Slow Cooker 15 Bean Buffalo Chicken Soup
- Slow Cooker Ham and Beans
- Slow Cooker Pinto Beans and Beef
- Slow Cooker Spicy Pinto Beans
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Slow Cooker Refried Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb. pinto beans
- 1 sweet yellow onion
- 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
- 4 chicken bouillon cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 6 cups water
- 1/2 cup salted butter, (wait to add this at the end)
Instructions
- This is a no soak recipe! The beans cook up perfectly without soaking. If you feel you must soak the beans overnight you can still do this recipe, but the cooking time remains the same.
- Slice the onion into 4 large slices. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat add the cooking oil. Add the onion slices and brown them on both sides.
- Sort the beans, discard any rocks or dirt clumps. Rinse the beans and add them to the slow cooker. Add the cooked onions on top of the beans
- Add the chicken bouillon cubes, garlic and cayenne powder. Pour over the water.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours or on low for 10 hours.
- When the cooking time is done ladle off about half of the pinto bean broth, save this broth just in case you need to add more liquid back.
- Add the stick of butter into the beans. Using an immersion blender blend the beans until smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can mash with a potato masher. Add the reserved broth if the beans seem too thick.
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- Using saute setting brown the onion in oil. Add remaining ingredients except for the butter. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Follow the remaining instructions above.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
First Published 11/10/2013
Updated 06/09/2019
This is the second time I’ve made these and they are SO delicious! So much better than canned refried beans (and I love canned refried beans). These just take the beans to a whole different level. And it’s so EASY! Sarah – thank you for sharing this recipe, it’s a keeper!
Hi!
Any instructions on canned beans? Thanks!
If you want to make refried beans from canned beans, I personally would smash them in a skillet and add butter and cook them until hot.
It helps to add chicken bullion too if you are doing canned.
LOVE this recipe! I’ve made these beans weekly for almost a year now and my family can never get enough. I follow the recipe as is, it’s perfect every time. I make a lot of slow cooker meals but this is my tried and true, never fails, go-to. I have doubled, even tripled the recipe and it works perfectly! Truly magical!
How would you reheat this if making them in advance?
I would reheat them in a pan on the stove top, you may need to add a touch of water.
AMAZING, no fail recipe!! I make this in double batches and freeze part. Any dish made with refried beans is elevated with these tasty homemade babies! I recently added them to a potluck seven layer beans dip and everyone raved about how good it was. I am making birria tacos today and can’t wait to pair these with the meal. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve made this 3 times now and it consistently has been great. I use vegetarian (Better than Bouillon) and only about 2/3-3/4 of the stick of butter. Really great taste and easy to make. Freezes too!
? The recipe says 10 servings but what is the serving size, in case i overlooked it. Thanks
I do not measure that, I apologize.
I’ve made this recipe dozens of times and it’s an absolute favorite. I’ve shared it so many times I’ve lost count.
Don’t ever soak the beans even though it might be counterintuitive. If you do then you’ll have to guess at how much water to use.
Daaaaang! Just finished this recipe! WOW! it’s the bomb. Beans came out perfect, and if anyone wants to make their own Sonoran tortillas, I also made these to accompany the beans…https://ladyandpups.com/2021/05/13/paper-thin-soft-chewy-sonoran-style-flour-tortilla/
I feel like I struck gold today with these two recipes. THANK YOU
I will try those tortillas!
This is a HIT! A KEEPER. I’ve been in constant pursuit of beans that taste similar to the ones from the Mexican restaurant near me. Tried all kinds of canned beans, from down right pitiful to “close, but no cigar”. But these are it! The base flavor is excellent the way the recipe is written. And depending on what one is going for, adding a pinch of cumin, or salt, absorbs into this really really good! When trying to ‘doctor up’ canned recipes, any additional seasonings just lay there.
I made a bunch and want to correctly freeze it for the upcoming weeks. Never say never, but after this, I never want to buy canned beans again. Oh, I read over another recipe, from affiliates of a well known recipe person, and the ingredients and method did not look as favorable as this one, and the one comment did say it was bland. So you outdid yourself here!
Great to hear Anita! This is probably my most made recipe (for me). Thanks so much.
Could I add one Jalepeno pepper to the recipe ?
Yes, I think that would be great.
I was looking for a low sodium refied bean recipe and this fit the bill perfectly. Used no sodium chicken stock and just added a bit of salt. These beans turned out great. This will be my go to recipe from now on. The onions and butter make them so tasty!