Instant Refried Beans Mix

Our intentions of eating healthier, our passion for being frugal, and our love of Mexican food has us buying a lot of Mexican staples, like refried beans, on a monthly basis. Not only can these tasty, protein packed beans cost a pretty penny at the grocery store, but the store varieties are normally loaded with fat and salt. I found a recipe for instant refried beans mix and knew this was one pantry staple our family had to have if we were going to continue to eat healthy and save money doing it. 

You'll Need:

3 cups dried Pinto beans
3 tsp dried cumin
3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder or fresh minced garlic
1 tsp pepper
3 tbsp dried minced onion

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. The original recipe I found says to grind until you have a powder about the consistency of flour. My family likes their refried beans a little more chunky, so I usually just pulse the mixture until beans a slightly broken up and the spices are blended. Store the mixture in jars. These will stay good on the shelves for a very, very long time! 

To make the beans:

3/4 cup bean mixture
2 1/2 cups water

Mix the bean mixture with the water using a wire whisk. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer the beans for 4-5 minutes or until they reach your desired thickness. Note: the beans will thicken more when they have cooled.

We love the fact that this recipe allows us to enjoy one of our favorite and nutritious Mexican staples for pennies on the dollar. In addition, I can spend a Saturday making up dozens of batches of bean mix and they are not going to spoil on me. Even though the bean mixes are shelf-stable, they usually do not last long in our home! We eat these beans with tacos, burritos, tortilla chips, or just on the side of our favorite Mexican dishes.