How to Make Heart Healthy Refried Beans

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By Kristina N
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Pinto Beans Cooking in a Crock-pot

Many heart healthy Mexican food dishes will use fat free canned refried beans in recipes. However, you can make your own refried beans by simply using dry Pinto Beans. It is so simple to make, and you can freeze the completed refried beans for future recipes. You'll never want to buy canned refried beans again. You will need to prepare one day ahead to make this recipe.

By making your beans with dry beans you lower your sodium, fat, and increase vitamins and minerals naturally.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

dry pinto beans,2-1 pound bags
2 onions, diced
salt and pepper
crock pot
water
strainer

Step 1

The night prior to cooking:

Place dry pinto beans into a kitchen strainer and rinse well with cool water. Beans often have small bits of dirt in the bag.
Step 2

Place the rinsed beans into a large cooking pot and fill your pot with water. Make sure your water covers the beans 4 inches (or more) above the beans. Place a lid on the beans and place on an unused stove burner over night.
Step 3

The next morning:

Pour your soaked Pinto Beans into the strainer and rinse again.
Step 4

Place your rinsed and soaked Pinto beans into your large crock-pot. Fill the crock-pot with enough water to just cover the beans. Add the diced onion, and salt and pepper (approximately 1 tsp of each). Cook on low 8-9 hours or on high for 6 hours.

When the beans are almost soft all the way through, mash them with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. It's okay to not have all of the beans completely mashed.
Step 5

Serve beans on tortillas topped with diced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, salsa, and fat free sour cream.

Dip blue chips into mashed beans for a healthy treat. Top the beans with reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese or other toppings.

Freeze your cooked and cooled beans for future recipes such as tostadas, chicken and brown rice enchiladas, or any recipe that requires canned refried beans.