<p>Does anyone know a really tasty recipe (preferably simple) for refried beans? It has to be a completely vegetarian recipe.</p>
<p>Also, if anyone has any other suggestions on how to cook beans or lentils, I would love to see them!</p>
<p>Frijoles refritos (vegetarian, easy prep)-- take a can of cooked pinto beans, drain, rinse and drain again. In a frying pan, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil (mild tasting is best, skip the olive oil) until it shimmers. Add the beans and mashed into a chunky paste with a fork or potato masher. (You can leave it chunky or add some water or vegetable broth to make the texture smoother.) When the beans have gotten thick and are starting to crisp up on the bottom, flip or stir (depending on how crusty you like the beans).</p>
<p>Serve on tostados with green or red chile sauce and shredded cheese or soy cheese on top.</p>
<p>Options: you can pep up the beans by adding any or all of the following to the beans: chili powder (best with red chile sauce), cilantro, chopped onion (cooked in the oil before adding beans).</p>
<p>We eat these refrieds as a side dish to calabacitas (vegetarian) enchiladas. Calabacitas is a Native American (Pueblo Indian) dish made from zucchini, summer squash, onions, corn, bell peppers and green chile.</p>
<p>How do feel about posole (dried hominy)? Another tasty and filling vegetarian alternative.</p>
<p>For refried beans, the more oil you incorporate into the beans, the tastier they will be. I do use olive oil. Lard of course is best for max taste, but (vegetarian) oil works almost as well, IMO. I often add salsa to my beans to jazz up the taste. Or sauteed onions. Or green chilis. Or garlic powder.</p>
<p>I cook beans as long as possible to enhance texture and flavor. Add a teaspoon of vinegar and a Tb. of butter or oil to the beans to really enhance flavor.</p>
<p>This is my favorite recipe–
[Mexican</a> Black Beans Recipe at Epicurious.com](<a href=“http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Black-Beans-84]Mexican”>http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Black-Beans-84)
Use veggie broth instead of chicken for a vegetarian version.</p>
<p>We don’t refry our “Mexican” beans, but we cook 'em from scratch and they come out just as tasty, and fresher and healthier, than those refried with lard. Start with a pound or two of dry pinto beans, available in packages or in bulk at many food coops or organic food markets. Carefully sort the beans to remove any small rocks or other extraneous material. Rinse thoroughly, then place the dried beans in a crock pot with twice as much water as dry beans by volume. We add a bay leaf at this stage. Cook for several hours on the “high” setting (still not terribly hot—they won’t burn as long as you keep them covered in water, which you may need to check occasionally). When the beans begin to soften, add some sauteed garlic & onion, finely chopped. You may also add a little chopped jalapeno, tomato, tomatillo, or even carrot at this stage (all optional). Season with a generous dose of cumin, and salt to taste; a little chili powder or hot sauce is also optional at this stage. Once beans are soft and fully cooked, add a generous amount of chopped fresh cilantro and cook a few extra minutes to let the cilantro flavor blend in. We use these beans to make bean burritos (add shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole, fresh tomato, or other itens of choice), bean tostadas, breakfast burritos with Huevos a la Mexicana (scrambled eggs with onion, jalpeno, and tomato), and on and on. Sometimes we mix a little shredded Chihuahua or Monterey Jack cheese right into the beans at the end of the cooking process, for a creamier, richer taste. </p>
<p>The advantage of using a crock pot is that your beans are less likely to burn if you keep them watered, and once you set it up the effort required is minimal—you don’t need to stir frequently as on a stovetop. The disadvantage is it’s slow, maybe 5-6 hours, but if you’re working at home you can let them cook during an afternoon, checking maybe once or twice to make sure there’s enough water and taking a short break to saute the onions. We’ve even let them cook overnight, making sure there’s enough water before retiring for the evening.</p>
<p>I usually will fry onions in olive oil before draining a can of pinto beans and adding those in; then let it cook, and you can mash it all up with a potato masher or the bottom of a cup; it’s also tasty if you add in shredded cheddar cheese!</p>
<p>or buy a can of vegetarian frijoles refritos (not as good as home made, but will do in a pinch for our make-your-own burrito night when I am busy)</p>
<p>Spriteling’s answer is the way to go IMHO.</p>
<p>Lentils:</p>
<p>Mulligatawny soup - yum:</p>
<p>Chop onions, celery, carrots and begin to gently saute in soup pot in olive/veg oil.
Get lentils out and rinse/check for & remove any stones.
Add lentils to pot.
Add bay leaf, cumin, chopped garlic.
Add curry powder (any curry will do - try different ones for fun and variety).
Add broth - can be water, veggie broth, chicken broth. Enough to cover the veggies and lentils to 2-4" above the veggie/lentil layer.</p>
<p>Cook until lentils are soft - lentils cook faster than other dried beans like red or pintos.</p>
<p>Eat!</p>
<p>You can add yogurt, sour cream, cilantro, lemon juice (yum), lime juice at the end (any/all) to add flavor.</p>
<p>You can use left over lamb bones/a small lamb chop at the saute stage if you want to add some meat and flavor but this is optional.</p>
<p>It’s yummy healthy stuff! Enjoy!</p>
<p>3 ideas for lentil salad:</p>
<p>[Lentil</a> Salad with Mint and Feta Recipe at Epicurious.com](<a href=“http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lentil-Salad-with-Mint-and-Feta-10]Lentil”>http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lentil-Salad-with-Mint-and-Feta-10)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lentil-Salad-with-Tomato-and-Dill-232495[/url]”>http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lentil-Salad-with-Tomato-and-Dill-232495</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mediterranean-Couscous-and-Lentil-Salad-13106[/url]”>http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mediterranean-Couscous-and-Lentil-Salad-13106</a></p>
<p>Mafool’s third recipe is a favorite in my house.</p>
<p>Cook any beans with some epazote–it’s a traditional herb to prevent gassiness.</p>
<p>Use distilled water and no salt if you want the beans to be soft and not tough.</p>