Chorizo Refried Bean Burrito Salad Bowls with Queso Fresco

  • PREP TIME
    20 Mins
  • COOK TIME
    15 Mins
  • SERVINGS
    Serves 8
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Chorizo Refried Bean Burrito Salad Bowls with Queso Fresco

Chorizo Refried Bean Burrito Salad Bowls with Queso Fresco are packed with layer upon layer of flavor and take just over half an hour to whip up!

If given the choice, I’d choose to cook and eat homemade meals every single day. Sometimes though, we all need a quick meal on-the-go, and if we didn’t see that coming to plan ahead for it, we end up grabbing a quick meal when we’re out. When it comes to take-out and fast food, my preference is usually for a salad bowl. I always enjoy the fresh flavors going on in Mexican and Tex-Mex food! These burrito salad bowls are my answer when I’m in the mood for take-out at home.

Refried beans are beans that have been cooked until soft, and then cooked with some type of fat and flavorings/seasonings (such as onion, garlic, chili pepper, etc.) and mashed. Their name comes from the Spanish name for the dish, frijoles refritos, meaning “well-fried beans”. Pinto beans are commonly used to make refried beans; I’ve also used black beans with good results.

How to Make Refried Beans

Making refried beans is basically a three-step process, but there is a huge time-saving tip that I’ll share: Step 1) cook dried beans until soft; Step 2) cook the soft beans along with some type of fat (such as avocado oil, rendered chorizo, etc.) and flavorings (here I use onion, garlic, and serrano pepper); Step 3) mash the beans until they reach your desired consistency (I like mine to have a bit of texture so I use a potato masher instead of a food processor).

The most time-consuming step in this process is cooking the dried beans until soft, and there are two ways in which you can speed this up. Cook the beans in a pressure cooker, or even easier, use canned beans! I like to use canned beans because I don’t think they make a huge difference flavor-wise for this recipe (that is, if you’re using a good brand of canned beans). Plus, we’re still customizing this recipe in the second cooking step where the beans are fried and combined with other ingredients.

In this recipe I used several Cacique® products to take this recipe from good to great. Taking a little bit of extra time to customize your refried beans recipe (instead of just picking up a can of refried beans) makes a ton of difference when it comes to flavor.

I love the combination of spicy heat paired with the cooling, creaminess of cheese and crema in Mexican and Tex-Mex food. Here Cacique® Beef Chorizo and chili pepper add spice, and Cacique® Queso Fresco and Crema Mexicana cool it down. Cacique® definitely helps to create recipes that savor the flavors of Mexican food without having to spend hours in the kitchen. This recipe comes together in just over half an hour!