I grew up on fast food. As a young kid, KFC's fried chicken — original, not extra-crispy — was my favorite meal, and I loved ordering Taco Bell's bean and cheese burrito, which happens to be the inspiration for tonight's recipe. Even into my teens, McDonald's was a regular road trip stop, and every once in a while, a tired parent dropped a bag of Burger King on the dinner table.
It's not hard to see why fast food is so popular, especially among busy, working parents: Massive corporations spend millions of dollars engineering food that's designed to make us salivate. A careful balance of salt, sugar and umami guarantees that everyone age 2 to 92 will want bite after bite. Billions of dollars in marketing help maintain demand. And economies of scale, both on the purchasing end and the production side, keep the price of this food extra low. In a lot of ways, if you're on a tight budget, a fast-food dinner is a sure bet.
But if you have the time, a kitchen and a little extra cash, almost any home-cooked meal is going to beat the pants off a fast-food dinner.
So tonight I thought we might re-create some of the flavors of my youth and make saucy, creamy refried beans for bean and cheese tacos. It's an easy formula that requires just one pan and comes together in under 30 minutes.
Using a fork, mash the beans into a rough paste. (For The Washington Post/Rey Lopez) You're going to start by making what I think of as cheater refried beans: Saute onions and garlic, add beans, seasoning and a splash of water, and use a fork to mash them. (For a smoother texture, puree this mixture in a food processor.) Stir in the juice of a lime to give it a little brightness, and keep it hot on the stovetop.
Bean and Cheese Tacos
- 3 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil
- ¼ small white or yellow onion (about 1 ounce), coarsely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
- One (15-ounce) can pinto beans, preferably no-salt-added, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons sazon, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes)
- 4 to 8 (5- or 6-inch) tortillas, preferably flour
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese or other melting cheese, grated, plus more if desired (about 1 ½ cups)
- Sour cream, for serving (optional)
- Pico de gallo or other salsa, for serving (optional)
- Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
In a small skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cooking just until it is very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the beans and sazon. Using a fork, mash the beans into a rough paste. Stir in the lime juice and taste, adding more sazon, if desired. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. (If beans start to dry out, stir in a splash or two of water to loosen.)
Wrap the tortillas in a clean, damp kitchen towel and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until hot. Or, heat tortillas in a dry skillet or individually over a gas burner, until lightly burnished on both sides.
To serve, spread a scant ¼ cup of shredded cheese (about 1 ounce) in the center of each hot tortilla. Top with a thick layer of hot refried beans. Sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired. Fold the tortillas over and serve hot, with sour cream, salsa and hot sauce on the side, if desired.
Makes 2 to 4 servings.