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This spiced refried bean dip is made with creamy beans, spices, and your favorite peppers. It’s flavorful, packs a punch and is best served warm with crispy tortilla chips or warmed tortillas. It’s also ready in just 15 minutes – perfect for a weeknight appetizer or snack!

completed Spiced Refried Bean Dip in a bowl against a white background with ingredients spread in the back

Spiced bean dips are one of those things that are always best homemade. They’re seasoned to perfection, hot and creamy, and a great way to get a healthy serving of plant protein and fiber. Plus, they’re a naturally healthy party food that everyone won’t be able to resist. With just a handful of simple ingredients and a food processor, you can make a great appetizer today.

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Why You’ll Love This Dip

  • The best creamy texture: You don’t need store-bought vegan refried beans to make a good creamy dip. 
  • Ready in less than 15 minutes: With about 5 minutes of prep and 5 minutes of cooking, your dip will be warm and ready to serve.
  • Perfect for game day. If you’re looking for a good dip for hosting the big game, this easy appetizer is sure to be a winner. 
  • Freezer friendly. Beans freeze really well and help prevent waste. 
  • Customizable. Adjust the seasonings, beans, and heat and make this easy refried bean dip your own.

The Ingredients and Substitutions

ingredients for Spiced Refried Bean Dip measured out against a white surface
  • Onion: It’s best to use yellow onion, but white onion, sweet onion, or red onion will work.
  • Garlic: For the best, garlicky flavor, use raw garlic cloves. For a milder taste, use ½ teaspoon garlic powder. 
  • Pepper: Any peppers like Anaheim, Pasilla, green chiles, or jalapeño peppers are good and add a little kick. Poblano pepper will also work but you will need to roast it and peel it beforehand and this will increase the prep time. If you have a low heat tolerance, remove the peppers’ seeds or use green bell pepper. 
  • Pinto beans: To decrease the prep time, use a rinse and drained can of pinto beans. If you prefer home-cooked beans, prep my Instant Pot Pinto Beans in advance. You can also use drained and rinsed black beans for a black bean dip. 
  • Lemon or lime juice: It’s best to use freshly squeezed juice. Roll the lemon or lime before cutting to make it easy to squeeze. 
  • Spices: ​You’ll need a simple combination of chili powder, sea salt, oregano, and optional nutritional yeast. If you’re short on spices, use 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning.

Add-ins

If you’re looking to take your spiced refried bean dip recipe to the next level, add in one or some of these extras: 

  • Vegan shredded cheese: Make a ‘cheesy’ bean dip by stirring in your favorite plant-based cheese shreds or a scoop of Nacho Cheese.
  • Add creaminess: Go indulgent and mix in up to ½ cup vegan cream cheese or sour cream.
  • Salsa: Make a mini layer dip and serve with a spoonful of mild or hot salsa on top.
  • Fresh cilantro: ​Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top before serving. 
  • Hot sauce: ​Add your favorite hot sauce for a little kick.

How to Make Spiced Refried Bean Dip

  • 1) In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onion, garlic, and peppers of choice in a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes. 
  • 2) Once the veggies begin to soften and brown, transfer them to the bowl of a food processor. 
  • 3) Add in the drained and rinsed pinto beans, salt, chili powder, oregano, fresh lemon or lime juice and optional nutritional yeast. 
  • 4) Puree for 2 minutes, or until the refried bean dip is rich and creamy. 
  • 5) Transfer the dip to a small pot over the stovetop and heat until warmed through and ready to serve.

Alternatively, transfer the creamy dip mixture to a slow cooker and keep on low heat to keep warm.

Recipe FAQs

Why are most refried beans not vegan?

Refried beans typically contain lard, a fat derived from pork. Some fat-free refried beans in grocery stores are made without animal products, but it’s more delicious to make your own vegan refried bean dip from scratch.

Is refried bean dip gluten-free?

Yes, this spiced bean dip is naturally gluten-free. Serve with gluten-free dippers like corn tortilla chips.

Can refried bean dip be made without oil?

If you are oil-free, replace the oil used to sauté the veggies and use vegetable broth or water instead.

Can this warm bean dip be made without a blender or food processor?

Using a food processor or blender is best, but if you’re without one, finely chop the veggies before sautéing and mash the pinto beans until smooth and creamy using a fork or potato masher. Combine all the ingredients together in the pan and heat until warm. This version of the homemade bean dip will be a bit more chunky but still flavorful. 

Top Recipe Tips 

  • Adjust the heat to taste: Depending on the peppers, this easy bean dip recipe can range from mild to really spicy. Taste your pepper before adding it to the dip to ensure it won’t be too hot. If you like spice, leave the seeds of the peppers in. 
  • Use a neutral cooking oil: Unless you love the flavor of coconut and don’t mind your dip having a coconut taste, steer clear of strong-tasting oil. It’s best to use olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, or a neutral nonstick cooking spray. 
  • Heat the dip on low. If you use high heat the beans will begin to dry out and won’t be as creamy.
completed Spiced Refried Bean Dip in a bowl against a white background with ingredients spread in the back

Serving Suggestions 

This quick and easy crowd-pleaser is perfect for parties, potlucks, snacking and even weeknight dinners that need additional flavor and plant-based protein. Serve with your favorite toppings such as chopped green onions, chopped cherry tomatoes, whole pinto beans, and your favorite dippers like chips, veggie sticks, or warm flour tortillas

If you’re looking for other vegan appetizers and dinners to round out your hot bean dip, we’ve got you covered with these ideas: 

Storage Instructions

Store: Transfer any leftover spiced refried bean dip to an airtight container. Once cool, tightly cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. 

Freeze: Let the dip cool to room temperature then place the dip in a freezer-safe container or glass jar. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen or thaw overnight in the fridge until soft and creamy again.

​Reheat: ​Use either the microwave or a small pot to reheat until warm. If microwaving, begin microwaving in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until warm.

More Vegan Dip Recipes 

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

completed Spiced Refried Bean Dip in a bowl against a white background with ingredients spread in the back

Spiced Refried Bean Dip

5 from 78 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 2 cups
This spiced refried bean dip is made with creamy beans, spices, and your favorite peppers. It's flavorful, packs a punch and is best served warm with crispy tortilla chips or warmed tortillas. It's also ready in just 15 minutes – perfect for a weeknight appetizer or snack!

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • ¼ cup of pepper of choice (anaheim, pasilla, jalapeno, etc), chopped
  • 1 (15-ounce) can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon of chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon of oregano
  • ½ teaspoon of fresh lemon or lime juice

Instructions 

  • In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, saute chopped onion, garlic, and peppers for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  • When the veggies are beginning to brown, transfer them to the bowl of a food processor, add beans and all remaining ingredients. Puree for 2 minutes until rich and creamy.
  • Transfer dip to a small pot and keep warm on stove until ready to serve.

Notes

Best served warm. If you like spice, leave the seeds of your peppers in. If you don’t, remove seeds before using.
  • Adjust the heat to taste: Depending on the peppers, this easy bean dip recipe can range from mild to really spicy. Taste your pepper before adding it to the dip to ensure it won’t be too hot. If you like spice, leave the seeds of the peppers in. 
  • Use a neutral cooking oil: Unless you love the flavor of coconut and don’t mind your dip having a coconut taste, steer clear of strong-tasting oil. It’s best to use olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, or a neutral nonstick cooking spray. 
  • Heat the dip on low. If you use high heat the beans will begin to dry out and won’t be as creamy.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 13gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 1802mgPotassium: 880mgFiber: 14gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1326IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 152mgIron: 5mg

Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Additional Info

Author: Renee Press
Course: Dips and Sauces, Lunch
Cuisine: Mexican, Southwestern
Method: Stovetop
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂
About

Renee Press

Renee Press is the founder of Fire and Earth Kitchen in Seattle WA. which offers cooking classes, food coaching, and chef services. She’s on a mission to make vegan, gluten-free cooking easy, accessible, and delicious for everyone. fireandearthkitchen.com

More about Renee Press

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