Cheesy Refried Bean Bake is what you make when you want the perfect side dish to all things Mexican. Canned beans are perfectly seasoned and smothered in a gooey layer of cheese.
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In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a beans over rice kinda gal. Rice at a Mexican restaurant has to be great for me to eat it. I would much rather eat beans...you know...the beans on the side of your plate with the melty cheese on top. Yum! Even better than those are these cheesy refried beans. The ingredient list is simple and so is the cooking process. Yay!
What really sets this recipe apart is its versatility. Need a quick weeknight side? Check. Need a recipe easily served to crowd? Check. Need a great bean dip? Check. You get the idea. And as an added bonus the leftovers make a great filling for burritos or topping for tostadas. Serve alongside so many of your favorite Mexican main dishes like these chicken tacos.
🧅 Ingredients
Butter: To add flavor, but oil can be used instead.
Onion, garlic, and jalapenos: Sautéed aromatics that provide an additional layer of flavor.
Chili powder and cumin: Quintessential Mexican spices.
Canned refried beans: Any canned refried beans will do, but I always use fat-free because all the fat we need for flavor is added in through the butter and cheese.
Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese: Cheddar provides the flavor and Jack provides the gooeyness. Feel free to substitute with whatever cheese you have on hand as long as one of them is a good melting cheese.
Chicken broth: Thins out the beans while adding flavor.
🔪 Instructions
After the onions, garlic, and jalapeno are diced, you saute them in a skillet with a bit of butter. Toss in the spices for a few seconds, and then stir in the beans, chicken stock, and cheddar cheese. Top with jack cheese and off to bake in the oven. When it emerges the cheese on top is a gooey layer of perfection. Look at those strings!
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
This is a great dish to serve at parties, holidays, or game day get-togethers. Nothing needs to be changed to double or triple the recipe. To make it easier on serving day, I highly recommend making it ahead (instructions below).
🕒 Slow cooker variation
This is a great slow cooker recipe! Feel free to saute the onions, garlic, and jalapeno in a skillet before adding them to the slow cooker. Or they can be added along with the butter to a microwave safe bowl and microwaved for 2-3 minutes until soft. Make sure to stir them every 30 seconds or so.
Once you add the beans, stock, and the first round of cheese to the slow cooker stir thoroughly. Put on the lid and cook on low until hot and bubbly. The time will vary depending on how large the slow cooker is. On average it will take 2-4 hours on low to get to temperature. The one note here is to add a little less chicken stock than you think. Since the slow cooker is by nature a moist cooking environment the beans might get soupy if too much chicken stock is added initially. Just check it after the first hour and add more if the beans are too stiff.
Approximately one hour before serving lift the lid and give it a good stir. You are looking for all the cheese inside to be melted. Sprinkle the top with the second round of cheese. But wait...don't replace the lid quite yet. It is crucial that you cover the slow cooker with a kitchen towel and then replace the lid. If you don't the condensation from the lid will drip down and ruin that gorgeous layer of cheese.
🙋 Questions & Answers
Why, yes it can. Make as directed, transferring all the ingredients to a freezer/oven safe casserole. Or get really classy like me and add it all to a disposable foil pan. Either way. Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 6 months. When you are ready to bake, thaw completely in the refrigerator. Then bake at 350° with the foil on for 20-25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is bubbly and the beans are hot throughout.
Yes, you can freeze Cheesy Refried Bean Bake before cooking. Make as directed, transferring all the ingredients to a freezer/oven safe casserole (or disposable pan). Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 6 months. When you are ready to bake, thaw completely in the refrigerator. Then bake at 350° with the foil on for 20-25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is bubbly and the beans are hot throughout.
📖 Other similar recipes
- If you want to serve salsa alongside your Refried Bean Bake, you will love this Cooked Street Taco Salsa. Don't be fooled by the name... it's just as great on chips as it is on tacos!
- Another favorite salsa with a kick is this Roasted Pineapple Habanero Salsa. The perfect combo of sweet, spicy, and roasted.
- For a more refreshing dip, try this homemade Quick & Easy Tzatziki Sauce. Great for pita bread, veggies, chips, and more!
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Dice the onions, jalapenos, and garlic finely. You want their flavor but not their texture.
- Slowly add in the chicken broth. The goal is to loosen the consistency without making it soupy.
- When making this in the slow cooker leave the beans a little thicker than you like. The slow cooker will produce extra moisture. After an hour or so check the texture and add more stock if desired.
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📋 Recipe
Cheesy Refried Bean Bake
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ onion diced
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno diced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- ½ tbsp cumin
- 2 28 ounce refried beans, canned
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
- 1 15 ounce chicken broth, canned
Instructions
Stove Top
- Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in oven safe skillet over medium high heat. Add in onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Saute until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Once soft, stir in spices and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in beans, cheddar cheese, and chicken broth. Mix until well combined. Add Monterey Jack cheese to the top and place in oven for 20-25 minutes. Look for all the cheese to be melted and for the beans in the middle to be warm.
Slow Cooker
- Turn slow cooker on low. Either follow directions from step #1 above or place butter, onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Once soft add the spices in and microwave for 30 more seconds. Add ingredients to slow cooker.
- Once the sauteed veggies and spices are in the slow cooker add in the beans, cheddar cheese, and chicken broth. Stir well to combine. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 2-4 hours. After the cheddar is melted and beans are hot, remove the lid and place Jack cheese on top. Cover slow cooker insert with a towel before replacing the lid. Allow cheese to melt on low for an hour or high for 30 minutes.
Notes
- Dice the onions, jalapenos, and garlic finely. You want their flavor but not their texture.
- Slowly add in the chicken broth. The goal is to loosen the consistency without making it soupy.
- When making this in the slow cooker leave the beans a little thicker than you like. The slow cooker will produce extra moisture. After an hour or so check the texture and add more stock if desired.
Janet says
Wow, yummy! So flavorful and easy. I didn’t want to make refried beans from scratch, so this recipe was perfect!
Misty says
Glad it was easy for you!