There are two problems with refried beans. One: They tend to be very fattening. Two: They look like something that came out the back end of a flatulent donkey.
This slow-cooker recipe solves the high-fat issue. The lovely dish my sister’s boyfriend gave me for Christmas solves the other. Look at the sensual, distracting curves. See the bright red tortilla chips? Isn’t it festive! Ole! You hardly notice the brown glob in the centre.
The resulting “refried” beans have the depth of flavour you get from the authentic version but without the frying or the fat. Make them as spicy or mild. Use Pinto or Romano beans. Toss in some black beans if you like.
Serve this dip with some sour cream, guacamole, salsa and chips. Or slather some on a burrito. It’s up to you.
No matter how you eat them, just serve them in a very distracting bowl.
Did the dip scare you? Or does this fall into the so-ugly-its-adorable category?
Refried Beans Dip
Makes about 4 cups
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 large onion, minced
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne (or omit if you want it mild)
- 2 tins (about 4 cups) cooked pinto or Romano beans, drained and well rinsed
- 3/4 cup hot water
- salt to taste
- handful of fresh cilantro, minced
Garnish
- grated cheese
- sour cream
- salsa
- guacamole
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion, garlic and spices and saute for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
- Rinse beans. Put in a medium bowl with the hot water and puree with an immersion blender. (You can also puree in a blender or food processor.)
- Stir the pureed beans into the onion mixture. Season with salt.
- Place bean mixture in a slow cooker that has been wiped with oil. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or on high for 2 hours.
- Just before you’re ready to serve, stir in cilantro and sprinkle with cheese. Put the lid back on and continue to cook on low until the cheese has melted (about 5 minutes).
- Serve with garnishes of your choice.
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
You had me at flatulent.
Jill
I deserved that!
Yah, you had me at flatulent, too. Love refried beans wrapped in tortilla shell with some lettuce/greens and cheese. Yum.
.-= jodi (bloomingwriter)´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday: The sound of (winter) silence =-.
Yum, indeed! The beans are now gone, but I’m thinking I’ll have to make more. They were so easy!
Hmmm…I’ll have to try this next time I want refried beans. Got some to rehydrate for tonight’s dinner.
.-= lisa waterman gray´s last blog ..The Buffalo Thunders – Santa Fe =-.
Sounds like a plan Lisa. Let me know how they turn out!
Nope, doesn’t scare me in the least. In fact, you can skip the pretty dish and I’ll just scoop it from the slow cooker directly! Yum!
.-= The Diva on a Diet´s last blog ..Spices, Balsamic and Soap, Oh My! =-.
Actually, I made the dish for book club and we scooped straight from the crockpot. However, if I wanted to get anyone to read this post I couldn’t photograph what we were so merrily dipping onto.
This recipe looks really good. Think I will use dry beans to start. They are so easy and so much tastier than canned and better on the earth too. I just wrote a blog on refried beans if you are interested. Rick Perry scratchchef.com
Dried beans are better, Rick. I agree. Thanks for raising that point.
Popping over to check out your post!
Update: Here’s the link to Rick’s version: http://scratchchef.com/Home/Entries/2010/1/12_Healthy_Refried_Beans_-_No_More_Canned.html
My site is kinda rusty in terms of beauty. Yours is beautiful. Well done!
Just do me a favor and keep writing such trenchant anaelsys, OK?
Just do me a favour and stop spamming my comments section.
Great idea to make refried beans in the slow cooker! You are a genius! No wonder people give you nice little bowls.
.-= Dana McCauley´s last blog ..6 healthy foods to buy in bulk =-.
I’ll take the genius compliment, but I think people give me nice bowls in the hopes I’ll give them food.
And dang, if it doesn’t work most of the time!
I can see that you take nice photos and add them to your blog for others to see. I started a website called Theme hunt (www.themehunt.ca).P.S, this is not a virus. My name is Annika Gofton and I live in Guelph. Every week there will be a different theme word. Then you can make a separate entry to your blog: „Themehunt – dogs“ (this weeks theme is dogs). And then you can copy your entrys URL to my site. That is how other people can see what photos did you find and people can comment. I am trying to create a little friendly community of people who take part of theme hunt every week and give/take feedback-comments. Hope you want to join. Check the site for rules…and there are already 3 added links for this weeks theme – Dog(s).
.-= Annika´s last blog ..Theme hunt / Dogs =-.
I’m just thinking out loud here, but what do you think would happen if you just tossed everything in the slow cooker without the whole pre-sauteing business? Think it would work? I mean, if the finished dish conjures images of a flatulent donkey anyway, perhaps you/we/I have nothing to lose?
Plus, even if it’s less, um, refined that the original, the bowl/sour cream/guac/chip accompaniments should prove sufficiently distracting.
.-= Cheryl@5secondrule´s last blog ..Nepenthe =-.