Caraotas negras refritas, or simply “refritas” (refried), are a classic of the flavorful Venezuelan cuisine. These refried black beans are perfect as a side dish and to stuff arepas, empanadas, carabinas, and to eat with cachapas. Today, I show you how to prepare them.
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Why will you love these refried beans?
First, these refried black beans are delicious, flavorful, and versatile. You can eat them for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.
They are a favorite stuffing for empanadas and arepas. And if you combine them with queso blanco fresco (white cheese), you will have our famous Arepa Dominó, which owes its name to the whiteness of the cheese and the blackness of the beans, the same colors as the domino pieces.
You can also serve them with carne mechada (shredded beef), white rice, and tajadas de plátano maduro fritas (fried ripe plantain slices.) And then, you will have a delicious Pabellón Criollo, the Venezuelan national dish.
Along with rice pudding and torticas de arroz (leftover rice fritters), these refried black beans express the best Venezuelan leftover cuisine, in which our grandmothers and mothers were experts.
These refried beans are super easy to make: sauté leftover black beans with olive oil, and that’s it! I, however, like to take them to the next level with a good sofrito.
Ingredients
To make these refried beans, sauté leftover Venezuelan black beans with olive oil, and that’s it! I, however, like to take them to the next level with a good sofrito. So, to make these refried dishes, you will need:
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Onion
- Red bell pepper (you can use green pepper)
- Ají dulce (a unique Venezuelan sweet pepper)
- Leftover black bean soup
- Ground cumin
- Grated Venezuelan llanero-style white cheese
- Avocado
- Green onions
- Salt
How to make refried black beans?
These refried beans are made in the blink of an eye. I summarize the process in two simple steps:
- Make the sofrito base. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat; add the onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and ají dulce, and cook until wilted.
- Sauté the beans. Add the beans, ensuring they do not have too much liquid. Add the cumin, and sauté over medium-high heat until the liquid reduces and the black beans dry. How dry? That will depend on the cooking time and is to each person’s taste. Correct the salt, and that’s it: your caviar criollo is ready!
Can I make refried beans with canned beans?
Although there is nothing like refried beans made with homemade Venezuelan beans, you can also make them with canned beans. To do this, follow steps 1 and 2 of the preparation process and replace the homemade black bean soup with canned black beans in equal quantities.
In addition to cumin, add a bay leaf and freshly ground black pepper to give flavor to your frijoles refritos.
How do I store these refried beans, and how long do they last?
If you store them in an airtight container, these refried beans can last up to five days in the refrigerator. Frozen, they last up to six months. When you defrost them, remember to take them out of the freezer and put them in the fridge the night before so they will be ready to be heated the next day.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you can’t find ají dulce in your area, skip it or add red or green bell pepper.
- When I didn’t have my ají dulce plant in my kitchen garden, I substituted ají dulce with “ají cachucha,” easily found in Miami Latino grocery stores.
- You can use red or green bell peppers indistinctly. I prefer red pepper because of the color. But the taste is pretty much the same.
Other recipes with black beans
If you like black beans, don’t miss these recipes:
- Texas caviar with black beans
- Black bean creamy soup
- Grilled Corn Salad with Black Beans
- Quinoa Salad with Corn and Black Beans
- Black Bean Hummus
- Black bean soup (without pressure cooker)
Easy recipe for Venezuelan caraotas negras refritas
My recipe for refried beans follows, including its nutritional value. I hope you like it as much as we do.
Here, you will find a selection of my best Venezuelan recipes. Thanks for subscribing to my YouTube channel and visiting my Amazon shop.
Refried Black Beans (Caraotas negras refritas)
Ingredients
For the refried beans
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ⅓ cup onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup red bell pepper without veins or seeds, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons ají dulce finely chopped
- 3 cups black bean soup from the previous day
- 1 pinch cumin
- Salt
For the toppings
- 1 cup Venezuelan white cheese, llanero-style, grated
- 2 Hass avocados peeled, seeded, and sliced
- 2 tablespoons green onion only the green part, chopped
- 4 teaspoons Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the garlic and onion until they wilt, about 3 minutes.
- Add the red bell pepper and ají dulce, and sauté for 3-4 more minutes.
- Add the beans, ensuring they don’t have too much liquid.
- Add the cumin, stir, and sauté until the grains begin to boil.
- Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the beans are dry, about 10 minutes.
- Spread the beans on a plate, garnish with cheese, avocado and green onion.
- Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt.
Nutrition
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