Mexican · Authentic-ish Mexican
Frijoles Refritos
190 kcal a serving, against 347 for the traditional version. That is 157 kcal off, or 45%, with 9.8g of protein. Serves 6. 20 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Pinto beans mashed into a hot frying pan filled with melted lard, fried aggressively until they absorb all the pork fat and turn into a thick, shimmering paste. It relies entirely on animal fat for its signature texture.
What changed, and what each change costs
120g of lard down to 15g of lard
Lard is almost entirely pure fat. Removing it slashes the calories drastically while leaving the protein from the beans completely intact. A small splash of vegetable oil is just enough to stop the onions sticking to the frying pan.
What it costs you. You lose the glossy, rich mouthfeel and the distinct savoury flavour of pork fat. The texture will be rougher and slightly drier. A very practical bowl of mashed beans, then. Not a luxurious restaurant side dish, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. This is the first compromise you'll notice.
Using reserved bean liquid instead of melted fat for moisture
Because I cut the lard, the beans need something else to stop them turning into dry concrete in the frying pan. Using the starchy water from the tin helps emulsify the mash and keeps things moving.
What it costs you. Water is not fat. The liquid evaporates as it cools, meaning these beans will firm up much faster on the plate than the traditional version. You have to serve them immediately, or they set like mortar.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 347 | 190 |
| Protein | 9.7g | 9.8g |
| Fat | 21.3g | 3.8g |
| Saturated fat | 7.8g | 0.3g |
| Carbohydrate | 30.1g | 30.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.8g | 5.1g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
The method is in the book
These beans are fiercely savoury and packed with sharp flavour from the aromatics, but they absolutely lack the heavy, lip-smacking richness of the original. The texture is undeniably coarser. However, you'll taste the earthy pinto beans much more clearly without the thick mask of pork fat, which is brilliant if you actually like the taste of beans. They work perfectly spread on a hot tortilla or served next to grilled chicken, even if they won't win any beauty contests on the plate.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback