Beans have been an essential ingredient in Mexican food since ancient times. These little guys are packed with goodness and flavor, and they’re used in many dishes, from cozy stews to fresh salads. Mexican cuisine uses many different beans, but three are the most common and feature in the majority of the dishes at your favorite restaurants: pinto beans, black beans, and refried beans. We use all of these (and more!) in many of our signature dishes at Monarquia. Honestly, we find it impossible to imagine Mexican food without beans!
Mexican restaurants love beans because they are tasty and versatile. Here are the three most common beans and how we use them.
Pinto Beans
Pinto beans are creamy and have a mild, earthy taste. They’re the base for many Mexican classics. Their name means “painted” in Spanish because of the speckled look of the dried beans, which turn light brown when cooked.
These beans are used in all sorts of dishes, like refried beans (we’ll circle back to them), burritos, and enchiladas. They’re also a key ingredient in various Mexican soups.
Black Beans
Black beans are black (no surprise there) and have a slightly sweet, earthy flavor, and they add something special to Mexican dishes. They’re commonly used in black bean soup, tostadas, salads, and salsa. They are also the base for frijoles negros refritos, refried beans made from black beans instead of pinto beans. Black beans add extra protein to many vegetarian dishes. Several restaurants, Mexican or otherwise, often serve a “southwest salad,” which typically includes black beans as a source of protein.
Refried Beans
Refried beans, made from either pinto or black beans, are a Mexican comfort food. They’re not strictly speaking a separate variety of beans, but they are so central to Mexican food that they might as well be. The name “refried” is a bit misleading since the beans are only fried once. “Refried” comes from the Spanish word refritos, which means “well-fried.” To make refried beans, the beans (typically pinto) are boiled, mashed, and then fried in oil or lard. They are a popular side dish, and most meals served at Mexican restaurants come with refried beans. They are also a common filling in burritos or tacos.