Do Refried Beans Have Gluten? Our Top Picks

Last Updated on June 8, 2024

Today, we’re going to be answering the question: “do refried beans have gluten?” And taking a look at which brands are the best when it comes to gluten free refried beans. When it comes to Mexican cuisine, refried beans are up there with one of my favorite side dishes. They’re flavorful, have just the right amount of spice, and go amazing with so many Mexican dishes. But do refried beans have gluten? Let’s take a closer look.

What Are Refried Beans?

Refried beans are a staple dish from Mexico and you’ll often find them in Tex-Mex cuisine. If you’re looking for their traditional Spanish name, it’s “frijoles refritos”, which literally translates to “well-fried beans”. A variety of beans can be used when it comes to refried beans, but they all follow the same process. The beans are boiled, mashed, and then fried. The end result is a fried bean-type paste.

Ingredients In Refried Beans

When it comes to the ingredients in refried beans, they can vary massively depending on where they’re being produced and who’s making them. However, the most common ingredients when it comes to refried beans are:

• beans (usually pinto beans, but other beans such as kidney or black beans can be used)
• onion
• garlic
• seasonings and spices
• lard, oil, or butter

Nutritional Information Of Refried Beans

You may be curious as to the nutritional information of refried beans. An average of 1/8 of a can of refried beans from one of the leading suppliers, Old El Paso, contains the following:

• Calories: 46
• Fat: 0.3g
• Carbohydrates: 6.6g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 2.9g
• Sodium: 0.65g

Health Benefits Of Refried Beans

When it comes to refried beans, there are many benefits to introducing them to your diet. Some of these benefits include:

• High in vitamins and minerals such as protein, folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium
• Contain high amounts of fiber which help in the aid of absorption of food, as well as digestion
• Good levels of protein
• Low fat
• Good for maintaining low blood sugar

Are Refried Beans Gluten Free?

When it comes to refried beans, they’re typically free from any gluten. While some of the leading brands are safe for us to consume, that doesn’t mean that all brands of refried beans are safe. Because of this, it’s important to check the ingredients of any refried beans you purchase. Things to look our for include flavorings and any additives, as these are more likely to contain gluten. Also, production methods are always susceptible to change and this could mean a product is no longer gluten free.

Are Canned Refried Beans Gluten Free?

Canned beans are typically gluten free. Leading brands are more often than not, free from any gluten and we’ll be taking a look at those in detail later in this post. Always check for any additives or flavorings in the ingredients if you’re worried that they may contain gluten.

Are Rosarita Refried Beans Gluten Free?

Before we can work out if Rosarita refried beans are gluten free, we must first look at the ingredients. The ingredients in their traditional refried beans are:

• cooked beans
• water
• lard
• salt
• distilled vinegar
• chili pepper
• onion powder
• spices
• natural flavor
• garlic powder

As you can see, there are no gluten ingredients, and is therefore considered safe for a gluten free diet. However, it does not display a gluten free label anywhere on the packaging.

Are Old El Paso Refried Beans Gluten Free?

Ingredients in the Old El Paso traditional refried beans are as follows:

• cooked pinto beans
• water
• lard
• salt
• vinegar
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• spice
• chili pepper

Old El Paso specifically states that this product, “Contains No Declaration Obligatory Allergens“. This product does not contain any gluten and is considered safe to eat on a gluten free diet.

Are La Preferida Refried Beans Gluten Free?

La Preferida authentic refried beans contain the following ingredients:

• pinto beans
• water
• lard
• salt

As you can tell from the ingredients, these beans are free from any gluten, but much like the other leading brands, does not contain a clear gluten free label. However, they are considered safe to eat when following a gluten free diet.

Gluten Free Refried Beans

The following brands carry a clear gluten free label, which means their products are tested for gluten and are below the legal amount of 20ppm of gluten. This means that these products are as safe as can be for us. Let’s take a closer look.

Amy’s Refried Beans – Do Refried Beans Have Gluten?

Amy’s Kitchen is a popular supplier of many delicious gluten free foods, including refried beans. As well as their beans catering to a gluten free diet, they’re also dairy-free, soy-free, soy-free, lactose-free, vegan, and kosher; meaning they’re suitable for a range of dietary lifestyles.

The following flavors are gluten free:

• organic vegetarian traditional refried beans
• organic vegetarian refried beans with green chilies
• organic vegetarian traditional refried beans, light in sodium

Bush’s Refried Beans

Bush Beans are another brand which are gluten free and are as safe as can be. They clearly display a gluten free label on all of their refried bean products. Their gluten free varieties include:

• traditional refried black beans
• fat-free refried beans
• traditional refried beans

Conclusion – Do Refried Beans Have Gluten?

I hope this post has helped to answer the question: “do refried beans have gluten?” And given you an idea of which brands you can safely enjoy when following a gluten free diet. Refried beans are one of the easier foods to enjoy free from gluten and most grocery stores will stock at least one of the leading gluten free brands.