Mexican-inspired · Easy
Skillet refried black beans
Canned black beans, drained and rinsed, simmered with softened onion, olive oil and cumin, then mashed into a thick, spreadable filling. Use for tacos, quesadillas, toast or rice bowls.
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Total time
- 47 minutes
- Portions
- 8
Estimated nutrition
| Nutrient | Per portion | Whole batch |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 92 kcal | 733 kcal |
| Protein | 4.3 g | 34.6 g |
| Carbs | 13.2 g | 105.3 g |
| Fiber | 4.3 g | 34 g |
| Sugars | 0.7 g | 5.4 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fat | 2.7 g | 21.7 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.5 g | 3.7 g |
| Sodium | 132 mg | 1058 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
How these estimates work
Per portion and for your whole batch. These are ingredient-based estimates, not laboratory-tested nutrition facts. Optional ingredients are excluded.
Estimate includes all drained and rinsed black beans, onion, olive oil, cumin and water, divided into eight portions. Most sodium comes from the canned beans; brands vary. Missing sugar, cholesterol and saturated-fat details use the USDA canned black bean proxy described in the nutrition notes. A filling or spread component, not a meal.
USDA FoodData Central references. Brands, food varieties, preparation and portion size change the result. Added sugars assume plain, unsweetened ingredients; for prepared breads and sauces, a range shows zero to the reference food’s total sugar because the added amount is unspecified.
Ingredients, sources & assumptions
All listed edible food and oil are counted as eaten. Cooking losses and final cooked weight are not measured. Some ingredients use a stated reference food or a proxy for a missing nutrient. No personalized dietary advice.
Beans, black, canned, sodium added, drained and rinsed · 480 g in the original batch
Missing sugar and cholesterol use generic undrained canned black turtle beans as a proxy. Missing saturated fat uses that proxy’s saturated-to-total-fat ratio applied to the drained/rinsed food’s total fat. Other primary values, including sodium, stay unchanged.
USDA food reference USDA supplementary referenceOnions, raw · 100 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceOil, olive, salad or cooking · 15 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceSpices, cumin seed · 2 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceBeverages, water, tap, drinking · 120 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceCalculation version 2. Source records and method are documented in our nutrition guide.
Nutrition guidancePer portion and for your whole batch. These are ingredient-based estimates, not laboratory-tested nutrition facts. Optional ingredients are excluded.
Estimate includes all drained and rinsed black beans, onion, olive oil, cumin and water, divided into eight portions. Most sodium comes from the canned beans; brands vary. Missing sugar, cholesterol and saturated-fat details use the USDA canned black bean proxy described in the nutrition notes. A filling or spread component, not a meal.
USDA FoodData Central references. Brands, food varieties, preparation and portion size change the result. Added sugars assume plain, unsweetened ingredients; for prepared breads and sauces, a range shows zero to the reference food’s total sugar because the added amount is unspecified.
Let’s make it
Steps at a glance 5 steps
Amounts below match your selected batch. Follow each short step, and use timers as reminders to check the food.
Equipment
Kitchen scale · Colander · Cutting board and knife · Wide skillet · Potato masher or sturdy fork · Wooden spoon · Shallow covered containers
- 1
Prepare the beans and onion
Wash hands and the onion. Drain and rinse the canned beans in a colander and weigh 480 g black beans. Peel and finely chop 100 g onion.
- 2
Soften the onion
Heat 15 g olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden. Stir in 2 g ground cumin for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 3
Simmer and mash
Add the beans and 80 ml water. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring, then mash in the pan with a potato masher or sturdy fork until mostly smooth.
- 4
Finish the texture
Stir in 40 ml water and cook 3 to 5 minutes more, stirring and scraping the bottom, until thick enough to hold soft peaks and steaming hot throughout; it firms further as it cools. Keep the heat moderate, as thick beans spatter.
- 5
Cool and store
Serve warm, or divide into shallow containers, cool about 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate or freeze within 2 hours of cooking.
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Make it work for you
For kids & different preferences
Soft, thick and mostly smooth, with a few soft bean skins. Serve warm, not hot; stir and check the temperature first. Children can rinse beans and help mash once the pan is off the heat, with supervision. Not age-specific feeding guidance.
Storage & packed lunches
Refrigerate in shallow covered containers at 40°F / 4°C or colder within 2 hours of cooking (within 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C) and use within 3 days. This is not a canning recipe.
Freezing & reheating
Freeze cooled portions in covered containers for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheat in a covered pan or microwave, stirring often, until steaming throughout and 165°F / 74°C. The beans thicken when chilled and loosen as they heat.
If something looks different
If the beans are stiff, they reduced too far; cook more gently next time. If they stay loose, cook a few minutes longer while stirring. Sticking means the heat is too high.
Something wrong with an ingredient or instruction? Tell us
Updated 2026-10-29
Bethany’s Kitchen · /recipes/skillet-refried-black-beans · Original instructions and generated food illustration. General culinary practice informed the combination; no third-party prose or photograph copied. Not physically kitchen-tested or human-reviewed.