We Tasted And Ranked 15 Brands Of Canned Refried Beans

If you like making Mexican dishes, or other Latin American cuisine at home, refried beans are a must. They're a pivotal ingredient in everything from burritos to tacos, tortas to tostadas. Refried beans can be made from scratch, but that can be a time-consuming chore, especially if using dried beans. First, there's the bean soaking, then the initial boiling which can take an eternity, then they need to be mashed, seasoned, and cooked again in fat like lard or oil. Thankfully, canned refried beans are cheap and widely available, ready to save you valuable hours.

Which canned refried beans are going to bring the best flavor to your dishes, and which should you avoid? We selected 15 different brands to taste, evaluate, and rank. To keep the playing field as even as possible, these are all basic, traditional refried beans — we've left out those made from black beans, and any that include other major secondary ingredients. We did include a few vegan and fat-free options here, so whatever your dietary needs and preferences, this ranking should help you choose the can of refried beans — or frijoles refritos, as they're called in Spanish — that will best elevate your meals.

Of all the refried beans I tried for this ranking, Old El Paso's were the only ones that were a struggle to choke down. They have a lot of flavor, I'll give them that — lard is used as the fat, there are plenty of spices in the ingredients list and they are prominent. Also included are two ingredients that are not present in any of the other brands: Tomato paste and sugar. Now, tomato paste I could get behind. I use it all the time in my cooking to add umami and savory depth to many kinds of dishes. But the sugar seems unnecessary, and its addition certainly didn't make these beans any better.

The most glaring issue with Old El Paso's traditional refried beans is the texture. It's loose and gloopy coming out of the can, and heating the beans doesn't tighten it up at all. The mouthfeel reminds me of applesauce. Once I got it into my head that I was eating savory brown applesauce, I couldn't take another bite.

The only reason Trader Joe's traditional style, fat-free refried beans aren't dead last in the ranking is because Old El Paso took that spot with a bullet. There's nothing much good to say about these beans except that they're edible. Cooked beans, water, and salt are the only ingredients listed, so I wasn't expecting much in the way of flavor, but I got even less than I thought I would. My palate could not detect the presence of even an iota of salt, which made them taste flat and flavorless.

The texture made them even less enjoyable to eat. They're so thick and gluey, I wondered if I was supposed to add water (or broth, as we recommend here) to them, like a condensed soup. When you take a bite, it coats your entire mouth and dries it out, which makes it tough to continue to eat. I felt like cement was being poured and hardened in my mouth. There have to be much better fat-free options out there.

The texture of Faraon's frijoles refritos was almost identical to that of Trader Joe's, with an overwhelming mouth-coating quality that made me think of spackle, or grout, which is really not what you want to be comparing any kind of food to as you're eating it. Unlike Trader Joe's beans, these have canola oil in them, so they're just a teensy bit smoother and less cement-like.

Also like Trader Joe's beans, however, they don't have much in the way of seasoning. If there's salt in there, as the ingredients say there is, I couldn't find it. The combination of the overly thick texture and lack of flavor makes Faraon a brand I'll definitely avoid in the future. They're not quite as hopeless as the few others behind them on this list, so these refried beans could be improved with some simple additions. If you're looking for something you can use right out of the can, though, these aren't it.

Sunny Select's traditional refried beans are a marginal improvement over the ones ranked below them, but they're still not a can I'd opt for if given the choice. These are simple, seasoned only with salt, and lard is used as the fat. The texture is very thick and has the same mouth-coating quality as the other lower-ranked options, but it's just a little bit less overpowering. 

The biggest improvement over the others here is the seasoning level. They still come across as a bit bland, but at least I could tell that there was some salt in there, brightening them up and keeping them from falling completely flat on my tongue. When I added a tiny bit of crumbled cotija cheese, these actually tasted just fine. The texture still wasn't that pleasant to me, but that little touch of tang and salt added just enough dimension to make me want to keep eating them anyway. These aren't a terrible choice if you're adding them to a dish with plenty of other seasoning and flavors.

Walmart's Great Value brand offers some surprising gems, and for a moment I thought their traditional refried beans would be one of those finds. They have a great texture. Thick and creamy, they're rich but not mouth-coating. These beans are quite smooth, with larger pieces of pinto bean mixed in for added texture. They're made with lard and seasoned with onion, chili, cumin, and garlic, and also include vinegar which adds a subtle acidic tang. An element lacking in many canned beans, a splash of acidity easily boosts their flavor.

There's one thing that kept these from making it higher up the list, and that's the aftertaste. At first, I thought I was imagining it, or that I had eaten something else that had compromised my palate. I came back to them later, though, and it was still there. It was an odd metallic taste, barely noticeable at first but became more prominent as I ate them. Perhaps I got an off batch, but it kept these from being as enjoyable as they could've been.

The refried pinto beans from La Costeña are just fine. I'd use these in any number of dishes without hesitation. While there are lots of other cans I found more exciting, these hit all the marks I wanted refried beans to hit. The salt level is great, and they're nicely flavored with onion, garlic, and actual bits of diced jalapeño. 

A combination of lard and oil makes up the fat content, which seems to serve the texture well. While it's rustic and lumpy with lots of chunks of partially mashed beans, it's also creamy and rich, with a satisfying fattiness that makes these beans substantial without being too thick or gluey. While these didn't have a ton of dimension, they were tasty enough. I might not reach for a bowl of these beans on their own, but I'd definitely use them as an ingredient, whether in a traditional Mexican dish or something more unusual.

Ortega's traditional refried beans are another good, if not exceptional, option. These are pleasantly mellow in flavor, with a nice balance of salt, a touch of acidity from vinegar, and a mild background mix of spices that brings just enough flavor to keep the beans from being bland.

With a texture reminiscent of whipped butter, these beans were very easy to eat and enjoy. While they're made with lard, there's no heaviness or greasiness. I usually don't describe refried beans as light, but that's the word that came to mind as I tasted these. I liked these on their own more than I liked them incorporated with other ingredients — once you start adding stronger flavors, these fall a little bit flat. If you like eating refried beans on their own, or plan to use them in dishes that are milder in flavor, Ortega would be a great choice.

I struggled to find the right spot for O Organics refried pinto beans, because they're both great and baffling. When I opened this can, the aromas were so savory and intense that I started salivating instantly. They list onion, chili pepper, garlic powder, and "spice" as ingredients — I definitely picked up cumin and paprika — and those spices are generously added here. These beans are so packed with flavor that you don't need to add a single thing to improve their taste.

The problem is the texture. I almost broke my spoon trying to get them out of the can. They're fat-free, which may have something to do with how solid they are — Trader Joe's fat-free beans had a similar textural issue. Compared to those beans, though, these are so flavorful that the texture wasn't a dealbreaker. These might actually be pretty delicious with the addition of liquid or fat. As is, they're uneven.

I tried two different styles of Rosarita refried beans, the traditional and the smooth restaurant style. I ended up preferring the smooth variety, so I've included this iteration as representative of the brand. Both have the same ingredients, but differ slightly in texture — as you've probably already deduced from the name, these are smoother than the traditional style. They're still fairly rustic with discernible pieces of pinto bean mixed into the smooth purée, but the overall character of the texture is creamy, lush, and rich.

Rosarita's restaurant-style refried beans have a mild flavor, with a seasoning mix that picks up in intensity the more you eat them. Chili, onion, garlic, and undisclosed "spices" are listed as ingredients, along with both sea salt and potassium salt which add the perfect level of flavor-boosting seasoning. There's also vinegar, and lard is used as the fat. These beans are similar to Ortega's in a lot of ways, but with a richer texture and heartier flavor.

I wasn't expected to be so impressed with the flavor of low-sodium refried beans, but Amy's has done a great job with these. They're also vegetarian, made with high-oleic-acid sunflower oil, which can help reduce cholesterol and improve heart health compared to other fats. In addition to being low in sodium and vegetarian, every ingredient is organic, which makes Amy's beans an excellent option for those with specific dietary needs and health issues.

The light sodium is noticeable in that the salt level is a bit low for my taste, but the inclusion of lots of warming, satisfying spices makes up for it. I found these beans incredibly comforting to eat. Along with the excellent spiced flavor, the texture is creamy and rich, without being fatty or greasy. These are great beans for any application, whether eating straight from the can or using them in other dishes, and the fact that they're healthy is just a bonus.

The Goya brand is synonymous with Latin food ingredients, and it offers many different varieties of refried beans. Somewhat surprisingly, they're all vegan — with one exception that includes chorizo — as they forego the use of lard in favor of soybean oil. Goya's traditional refried beans are smooth and glossy, with larger bean pieces studded throughout. The texture is pleasantly rich without being too thick.

These beans have good flavor, too. A little kick from chili powder, subtle but there if you look for it, adds a nice spicy touch that I didn't find in most of the other brands. The flicker of heat is complemented well by the other spices, most notably the classic garlic and onion duo. While these beans are a good option for taste and texture, they do have a few questionable ingredients that you may want to avoid. Some research has linked soybean oil to health issues, both physical and mental, and these beans also include calcium disodium EDTA, an additive approved by the FDA but which should only be consumed in small quantities.

Now for something a little different, we have El Mexicano's frijoles bayos refritos, or refried bayos beans. Also known as bayo beans, they share a lot of similarities with pintos, but have a thinner exterior and a creamier interior. These make fabulously rich refried beans, as El Mexicano proves here with this recipe. Creamy and light at the same time, with a rustic yet smooth texture and a deep, almost roasted flavor, these refried beans were definitely a contender for number one as soon as I had my first bite.

While they state on the can that these include no preservatives, which is great, there is soybean oil in the mix, which is a potentially unhealthy oil that some folks may want to avoid. While these beans don't have the intense spices of some of the others, garlic and onion add plenty of flavor, and the salt level is just right.

Signature Select's traditional refried beans surprised me by how high they made it up this ranking. The Albertsons grocery store brand doesn't always offer the most impressive products, but these beans turned out to be one of the best foods I've tried from this line. The ingredients are simple and traditional with nothing questionable or out of the ordinary — lard and vinegar for fat and acid, seasoned with onion, chili, cumin, and garlic. The spices are well-balanced, as is the salt level.

The creamy and fluffy mashed beans are interspersed with whole beans and larger chunks for texture. The whole beans have a sturdy bite to them, but with a soft interior, so they add some textural interest without compromising the smoothness. This was one of the very few batches of beans I tried that had a noticeable kick to it, with a little pop of heat from the chili pepper which added a nice dimension. These are great beans that I'd happily use in any preparation.

Sun Vista's refried beans are straightforward. They're pretty much everything you want out of refried pinto beans. All of the elements are in balance here, from the salt to the spices to the texture. They have an airy, almost whipped quality that gives them a pleasant lightness, as opposed to some others that sit heavily in your mouth. Lard brings fat and richness, vinegar brings a touch of tartness, and the spices — onion, chili, cumin, and garlic — combine to create a harmonious profile that's generously flavored, but not overpowering.

These beans are absolutely delicious on their own, and their fluffy texture makes them easy to wolf down. They were also fantastic in every other way that I tried them. Other ingredients like cheese, cilantro, and hot sauce all complemented them well without overpowering them. These are truly delicious, versatile, quality refried beans that I am excited to use in all kinds of dishes.

I've gone vegan and vegetarian many times in my life, for various reasons, but I generally prefer meat and dairy in my food as far as taste goes. That's why I was quite surprised that Siete's vegan refried pinto beans shot to the top of this ranking. They're the only vegan or vegetarian beans on this list that use avocado oil as the fat, and that must be the secret ingredient, because these are incredibly delicious refried beans in every way.

Salt, paprika, and onion powder make up the seasoning mix, and the combination is simple, savory, and subtle. There's a silky, buttery quality to the texture that I didn't find in any of the other brands that made these a joy to eat, which I presume has to do with the richness of avocado oil, and also the beans themselves, which are the real star here. The organic beans they use have enough flavor on their own that they don't need much seasoning — in fact, too much seasoning would detract from their natural flavor. Siete's refried beans are simply awesome, and the best choice whether you're vegan or not.

There are a ton of different styles of refried beans out there, so in order to narrow down my selection, I stuck with the traditional style and omitted those made with black beans. Almost all are made with pinto beans, but there's a bit more variation in the selection: Some are spiced while some are unspiced, and I also included some vegetarian, vegan, and fat-free options. These are all major brands that should be widely available at supermarkets or specialty hispanic food stores.

Each brand was prepared on the stovetop according to the directions on the can, with nothing added — not even water. I then tasted them one at a time on their own to get an initial impression, and then wrapped in a flour tortilla, with a crumble of cotija cheese and some chopped cilantro to see how well the flavors held up with other ingredients. After tasting each brand, I then ranked them based on texture, flavor, seasoning, quality of ingredients, and value.