Low Carb Refried Beans Recipe with Bacon (2024)

FAQs

Can I eat refried beans on a low carb diet? ›

Carbs in Refried Beans

Net carbs (total carbohydrates - fiber - sugar alcohols) in refried beans are also very high, at 26g. You might be thinking 26g of net carbs sounds like a lot, and it is. In fact, this exceeds many people's daily carb limit.

Highest and Lowest Carb Beans

Among these, black soybeans and green beans have the lowest carbs, potentially making them better for a keto diet. On the other hand, chickpeas, pinto beans, and navy beans have high carbs. You might want to avoid these if you're strictly following a keto diet.

I like to sprinkle in some taco seasoning, but you could add whatever spices you like — garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder are all good calls. Then, you mash the beans up directly in the pan and add just a little bit of vinegar at the end to really make the beans sing.

If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat. Restaurant-made refried beans honor traditional Mexican culinary practices by adding a hearty helping of lard or bacon fat drippings to their recipe.

Because keto is a low-carb, high fat diet, and most types of beans fall into high-carb categories, they are not best suited for a ketogenic diet. Though the range can vary, one serving of any type will likely take up a large chunk of your daily carbohydrate allowance.

"For example, a half cup serving of canned low-sodium black beans contains about 20 grams of carbohydrate, almost 9 of which are fiber, reducing the net carbs to only 11 grams." This number should fit well within any low-carb plan. You'll also do your body good by adding some fiber to your plate, Kris explained.

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On a strict keto diet, your best bet for beans is to choose either green beans or black soybeans. While green beans are typically prepared more like a vegetable than a bean, black soybeans are a great alternative to other, starchier beans in soups, bean dips, refried beans, or other recipes.

If you don't like bacon flavor in your refried beans (which I don't, but some do), you can simply add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and some oregano to those beans. An alternate addition is adding a bit of your favorite salsa to them.

How do you amp up canned refried beans? ›

Swap The Seasonings – Use your favorite seasonings to flavor these creamy refried beans. Try bacon grease, chili powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, chicken broth, chili pepper, lime juice, cream cheese, taco seasoning, and more to make the best refried beans to serve with your next Mexican meal.

Lard – Here's where the secret ingredient comes in. Use lard to add a rich, savory thickness to the beans, or, use bacon fat like I do. Leftover bacon fat is extremely rich in salty, savory goodness, and it adds an entirely new depth of flavor to these Mexican refried beans — I can't recommend it enough!

While canned refried beans are convenient, they're no match for the creamy and flavorful refried beans served at your local Mexican restaurant. If you're wondering what is the secret ingredient for restaurant-quality refried beans, the answer is fat.

Traditionally refried beans are made with lard, so they are not vegan. However, we are simply swapping that out for some vegetable shortening (Crisco). You can totally bypass it all together if you want a lower fat version too. They are still delicious, just not as rich!

Refried Beans Traditional Canned (1 cup) contains 34.1g total carbs, 24.8g net carbs, 5.1g fat, 12.5g protein, and 227 calories.

Are refried beans good for weight loss? Refried beans can be a good option for weight loss in some circ*mstances. A 1-cup serving of refried beans has 231 calories, so you could include this food in a low-calorie diet as a main meal. This food is also an excellent source of dietary fiber.

Black soybeans have the lowest amount of carbohydrates of any canned bean. They have just 5 net carbs for a half-cup serving and also have a lot of protein so they are very filling.

Green beans and black soybeans are low carb beans that can easily be incorporated into a keto diet. With careful planning, other types of beans can be included in small amounts as well.