How To Thicken Refried Beans - I Try 9 Methods [Pics]

 If you’re staring at a soupy, watery bowl of refried beans, you need a solution – and fast!

I have personally experimented with 9 different thickening techniques, to see what delivers the best consistency, without impacting the flavor.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best way to thicken refried beans is to cook them for longer. Heat the beans in a saucepan on a low heat, stirring frequently until your desired consistency is reached. Other methods for thickening refried beans include frying the beans, using a cornstarch slurry, and adding extra beans.

A note on my experiment

I cooked up a big (delicious) batch of refried beans making sure to add more water than recommended so they ended up a little soupy.

Then I tested nine different ways of thickening the beans up.

  • Cooking the beans for longer – medium thickening power
  • Frying the beans in a skillet – medium to strong thickening power
  • Adding a cornstarch slurry – very strong thickening powder
  • Adding a beurre manie – strong thickening power
  • Adding some extra mashed beans – weak to medium thickening power
  • Adding some xanthan gum – extremely strong thickening power
  • Adding potato flakes – strong thickening power
  • Thickening the beans in the fridge – weak thickening power
  • Straining the beans – weak thickening power

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