This healthier, gluten free take on refried beans is topped with fresh tomatoes, bright cilantro, sharp scallions, chile-infused cashews and lactose free crema—perfect for dipping a sturdy chip!
Serves
4-6
Preparation
25 min
Cooking
15 min
Cooling
5 min
Ingredients
Crema
- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
- ½ cup Natrel Lactose Free 1%
- 1-2 tbsp. chopped pickled jalapeño, plus 2 tbsp of the pickling brine
- 1 tbsp. lime juice (about ½ a lime)
- ¼ tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp. sea salt
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- Zest of 1 lime
"Refried" Beans
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- ¼ tbsp.ground cumin
- ½ tbsp. chile powder
- 2 cups (or one 540 ml can) cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-2 tbsp. chopped pickled jalapeño
- ½ tbsp. salt
- 1 Roma tomato, chopped small
- 1 OR 2 scallions, sliced on a bias
- 1 avocado, scooped out and roughly mashed together or sliced
- Sea salt, for seasoning
- Hot sauce, optional
- Cilantro for serving, optional
Preparation
- Sweat the onion in oil over medium-low heat until soft and translucent, but not brown, about 7 minutes.
- Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder and stir, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add black beans, pickled jalapeño, brine and salt. Continue to stir so that a bit of liquid evaporates, about 1 minute.
- Using a potato masher, mash the mixture until the beans are rustically broken down. Taste and add more salt, if necessary.
- While the onion is sweating, combine all of the crema ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor and process until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add Natrel Lactose Free (1 tbsp at a time) to thin it down.
To serve a crowd
- Season the tomatoes with a generous pinch of salt. Set aside in a bowl for a few minutes.
- Spread the beans on a medium-sized platter, pie plate, or casserole dish and top with a generous layer of crema. Sprinkle on the salted diced tomato, scallion, and avocado. Top with additional crema, hot sauce, and cilantro for garnishing. Serve with a bowl of sturdy tortilla chips.
For individual portions
- Season the tomato with a generous pinch of salt. Set aside in a bowl for a few minutes.
- Spread the beans in individual cups or small bowls and top with a generous layer of crema. Sprinkle on the salted, diced tomato, scallion, and avocado. Top with additional crema, hot sauce, and cilantro for garnishing. Serve with a handful of sturdy tortilla chips tucked into the side.
