Crock Pot Refried Beans {Christina’s Frijoles Recipe

Try this delicious and easy crock pot refried beans recipe, “Christina’s Frijoles.” These traditional refried beans are even better than restaurant-style beans. They are creamy, smoky, and seasoned perfectly. It’s a perfect side dish for any Mexican-inspired meal.

This recipe for homemade refried beans is one of my favorite Mexican dishes. It comes from my friend Christina, whom I worked with when I lived in Virginia Beach.

I think everybody had a job in the past that they hated. Well, this was mine. This particular job started great but turned sour fast. I had to force myself to go to work every day because I hated my job so much. It became so miserable that one day, I pulled up in the parking lot, looked at the door in the rearview mirror, and then called in sick as I pulled out of the driveway. I just could not bear the thought of going through the door. No one ever saw me, but it didn’t matter if they had.

I didn’t like that job, but I got some good things from working there. I made many friends that I still keep in touch with today. One of those friends is Christina, a Marine wife from San Diego, California. (Now in Vermont!)

I always enjoy my conversations with Christina and learned much from her. Because of her, I now know how beneficial Zinc vitamin supplements are when I think I am getting a cold.

Chris was sweet, but she didn’t put up with bullshit. Someone pushed the wrong buttons one day, and she quit and walked out! As much as I hated that place, I didn’t have the balls to do what she did. I always admired her for that. She ended up going to work for a competitor printing company that just so happened to be where David worked at the time. So we both were coworkers of Christina.

Through the powers of Facebook, Christina and I have managed to keep up with each other. Occasionally, we chat about life’s challenges, The Young & The Restless (don’t judge), and one of our favorite subjects, food!

Her ex-mother-in-law was Mexican, so when I decided to try refried beans, I went to Christina to see if she had a recipe to share. Of course, she did and was kind enough to share it with me. 

These traditional refried beans are even better than restaurant-style beans. Made of creamy, smoky pinto beans seasoned perfectly with garlic, onion, and bacon, then mashed and finished with butter, milk, and cheese. What I like most about this recipe is that they are made in the crock pot, so you don’t have to fuss over them, so they won’t stick and scorch.

This recipe makes a big ole’ batch of beans. However, they freeze well, so you can make an entire batch and freeze them in portions if desired.

Let’s make a big ole pot of refried beans!

Ingredients Needed to Make Crock Pot Refried Beans

There are no fancy ingredients needed to make this refried bean recipe. Mostly pantry stables. The recipe card at the end of this post lists the full ingredient list with measurements.

Beans: This recipe calls for a one-pound bag of dry pinto beans. You can skip soaking the beans using a can, but you must adjust your cooking time. (See Recipe Tips below)

Onion: you’ll need one large, white, or sweet onion cut into quarters.

Bacon: a pound of bacon of your favorite bacon. Make sure you get a thin cut so it will dissolve into the beans unless chunky bacon bits are what you prefer. If, for whatever reason, you do not want to use bacon fat. Substitute with 4 quarts of chicken broth or vegetable broth.

Spices: garlic powder and onion powder provide a subtle richness to the beans.

Cheese: I use shredded extra-sharp cheddar for mixing into the beans, but a Mexican blend for garnish.

Milk: for richness, the recipe calls for evaporated milk. You could also use heavy cream, half-n-half, or whole milk.

Butter: everything is better with butter! I use unsalted butter to help control the sodium in the beans.

Salt: Because of its complex flavor, I like using sea salt to season the beans. Whatever salt you like is fine. There is no need to run out to the store just for salt.

How To Make Crock Pot Refried Beans

Here’s a basic overview of how to make the crock pot refried beans. This recipe is so easy! Let the slow cooker do all the work. Follow the steps below to the most delicious refried beans you’ve ever tasted. The recipe card at the end of this post provides detailed instructions with times and temperatures.

1. Soak: The night before, rinse and pick through the dried beans to remove any shriveled, broken, discolored, or blemished beans, loose skins, and other debris. Cover the beans with water and soak them in water overnight.

2. Cook: Rinse the soaked beans and then pour them into the crockpot. Add the onion, onion powder, and garlic powder, and cover the rinsed beans with water. Place the lid on and cook on LOW for 9 to 10 hours or 7 to 8 hours on HIGH. Christina recommends stirring the beans every hour to help the bacon and onion break down.

3. Season, Smash, and Finish: Give them a taste after cooking and season as needed. Remove half of the beans. Mash the other half of the beans until you get the desired consistency. Then add the other half of the whole beans back in; stir to incorporate. Stir in the butter, evaporated milk, and cheese until the butter is melted and well combined. Allow the beans to cook on low for another 15 minutes,

4. Serve and Eat: After 15 minutes, the beans are ready to eat! Serve or switch the crock-pot to the warm setting and let ’em sit until you are ready to serve.

Recipe Tips

• If you opt to use canned pinto beans, you will need to adjust your cooking time. It will depend on the onions and how long they take to get tender. We do not recommend using canned beans. Not only will it cook unevenly, but it will also hinder the flavor of the beans. Yes, there is a time savings, but the flavor will not be good.
• You can use an immersion blender to make the beans extra smooth.
• Add some jalapeno pepper slices for extra spice.
• Store leftover beans in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• These refried beans freeze extremely well in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. To reheat, take them from the fridge or freezer heat them in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave.

What to Serve With Refried Beans

• tacos
• burritos
• enchiladas
• Pollo a la Diabla
• layered dip

A huge thank you to Christina for sharing this refried beans recipe with me and giving me permission to share them with you. You’ll love them, so get them soaking and have your crock pot handy!