Cantina-Style Refried Beans with Melted Cheese

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The bean cup that shows up beside every combo plate, rebuilt from two cans of pinto beans. Onion softened in hot fat, beans mashed right in the skillet until they're silky, then a blanket of melted cheese over the top. Ten minutes of actual work and it tastes like it simmered all afternoon.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp lard, bacon fat, or neutral oil
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 2 15-oz cans pinto beans (do not drain)
• 1/2 cup water or chicken broth, plus more as needed
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp lime juice

• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mild cheddar
• 2 tbsp crumbled queso fresco (optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
• pickled jalapeño slices, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Open the cans of pinto beans and pour them into a bowl with all their liquid — that starchy canning liquid is what makes these beans creamy, so don't rinse it away. Set the bowl next to the stove.
2. Heat the lard, bacon fat, or oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft, translucent, and just starting to take on color at the edges.
3. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Stir constantly for 45 seconds — the spices should smell toasty but must not scorch.
4. Add the beans with their liquid and the 1/2 cup water or broth. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a lively simmer, about 2 minutes.
5. Start mashing with a potato masher or the back of a sturdy wooden spoon, working the beans against the bottom of the pan. Keep mashing and stirring for 5 to 7 minutes as the liquid cooks down. Stop while some texture remains — you want mostly smooth with a few whole beans, not baby food.
6. Judge the consistency: the beans should mound softly on a spoon but still slump. If they're stiff, splash in water 2 tablespoons at a time. If loose, keep simmering and stirring so they don't catch. Stir in the 3/4 teaspoon salt and the lime juice, then taste and adjust — canned beans vary a lot in saltiness.
7. Turn the heat to low and smooth the surface flat. Scatter the shredded cheese evenly over the top, cover the skillet, and let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and glossy. For browned spots, skip the lid and run the skillet under the broiler 6 inches from the element for 2 minutes instead (use an oven-safe pan).
8. Top with queso fresco, cilantro, and pickled jalapeños if using, and serve straight from the skillet while the cheese is still stretchy.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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