The 2 Simple Ingredients That Easily Upgrade Canned Refried Beans

Refried beans are a versatile and delicious side dish, whether served alongside your favorite Tex-Mex staples or as a complement to burgers and hot dogs at your next barbecue picnic. Recipes for refried beans vary but are usually made with cooked, mashed beans, garlic, onion, pork lard, and sometimes cheese or hot sauce. Within the framework of this classic, it's easy to get experimental.

With this in mind, a unique twist on refried beans is to sub out the pork lard and hot sauce. By turning to 'nduja — a spicy Southern Italian sausage from Calabria — along with a drizzle of honey, you can completely dazzle guests who will recognize and love an old favorite and appreciate this subtle spin. I first encountered this combination served as a condiment for pizza in Florence, Italy, but I have borrowed that inspiration for so many dishes. It seemed like a natural swap in theory, and was delighted to find how well it worked.

Refried beans are earthy, rich, and creamy from a long simmer, which concentrates all that salty, savory goodness. Hot sauce and sweetness bring balance to the dish, making it punchy enough to prevent palate fatigue.

'Nduja, a soft Italian salami made with ground pork and Calabrian chilis, is spreadable and complex. With major umami, plus a big kick of spice, it brings depth to every dish. It's also funky in flavor, and all together, has a profile that welcomes a little sweetness. You may find brown sugar in some refried bean recipes, and while that certainly still works here, I enjoy the floral undertones of a good drizzle of honey. It both balances and elevates the 'nduja, and is easy to incorporate as a liquid sweetener.

When it comes to adding these ingredients to your refried beans recipe, you can keep to the ratio you would use for brown sugar and pork — be it bacon or otherwise. For both, a little goes a long way, and especially if you're sensitive to heat, it's a good idea to start with a small amount of 'nduja and add as you like. Because the pork is cured, there's no need to cook it, so I prefer to just stir both of these elements in a few minutes before the beans are ready to go, giving them a chance to pop rather than being cooked down.

This spin on refried beans can be served as a complete dish, as it has plenty of protein from the beans and pork, along with a fully rounded flavor profile. But there are some other fun elements you can add, too. 'Nduja goes well with tomatoes (try adding it to red sauces and add some spice to pasta night), so if you want to use a little tomato paste to your beans, that works too. You can also toast some bread, spread some of that same tomato paste as a base, and pile these refried beans on top for a delicious crostini.

You can easily swap out canned chili for these beans and layer them between cream cheese and cheddar for a spicy-sweet three-ingredient dip. Or, reimagine your breakfast spread by serving it with chilaquiles topped with a fried egg. Combined with rice and cheese, you can make an exceptional burrito or even a delicious burrito bowl that's both filling and packed with flavor. Once you discover this new take on refried beans, you might just find yourself putting it on everything.