Slow Cooker Refried Beans
Making refried beans in the slow cooker is much easier than you might think. You simply dump beans in. Add onions, garlic, and some spices and cover with water. Then turn the slow cooker on high and walk away.
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Ingredients:
| 1 pound | dried pinto beans (or kidney beans, black beans) |
| 1 | onion, peeled and shredded |
| 4 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1 tablespoon | ground cumin |
| 2 teaspoons | sea salt |
| 1/2 teaspoon | cayenne pepper |
| optional add-ins, such as ham bone or bacon strips | |
| 7 cups | water |
| salt and pepper, to taste | |
| optional toppings, to serve (see note) |
Directions:
Pour dried beans in the slow cooker. Add shredded onion, garlic, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper. For a richer flavor, add a ham bone or a couple of bacon strips to the crock.
Pour the water over the top of the beans and cover tightly. Turn slow cooker on high and cook for 8–10 hours. You can also cook on low for 12 hours or longer.
Once beans are very tender, remove the ham bone or bacon if necessary. Depending on your slow cooker, you may have excess liquid in the crock. Scoop 1 1/2 cups of the bean liquid out of the crock and reserve.
Use an immersion blender or a potato masher to smash the beans into a relatively smooth texture. Add some of the bean liquid back in if needed to reach the right consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve as-is or sprinkle with your favorite toppings. Serve warm.
Note: Some optional topping suggestions include shredded cheese, sliced jalapenos, chopped green onions, sour cream, and cayenne pepper.
Source: thepioneerwoman.com
