Tutu de Feijão (Brazilian Refried Beans)
Tutu de Feijão is a typical Brazilian dish that is a must-try if you’re a bean lover! Rich and hearty, it is absolutely delicious and very easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry black beans
- 6 cups cold water, plus more for soaking
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 8 ounces thick bacon, diced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup cassava flour, or to taste
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- ½ cup chopped parsley
Equipment
Instructions
- Soak the beans overnight: Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
- Cook the beans: Drain the soaked beans and transfer to a large Dutch oven. Add the 6 cups of water and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until beans are very tender, 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Instant Pot method: If you prefer using a pressure cooker, combine the beans, water and bay leaves in the bowl of your cooker. Cover and turn the vent to the sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 25 minutes. When done, let the steam pressure naturally release for at least 20 minutes before removing the lid.
- When beans are cooked, reserve 2 cups of the cooked beans, without liquid.
- Transfer the remaining beans with 2 cups of the cooking liquid to the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier tutu de feijão, you can just mash the beans using a potato masher. Reserve.
- Heat the olive oil, over medium heat, in a large skillet. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown, 6-8 minutes.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the reserved cooked beans and sauté with the aromatics for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in the puréed beans.
- Slowly add the cassava flour, stirring constantly, until you reach the desired thickness. You might not need to use the whole amount, or you might need more. It depends on how creamy or thick you like your tutu.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Substitutions:
- Black beans - You can use pinto, red or white beans instead.
- Canned beans - You can use canned or leftovers cooked beans and skip steps 1-3. However, since canned beans don't contain as much liquid as freshly cooked beans, you will probably have to add some water or broth when pureeing the beans in the blender.
- Bacon - You can substitute or add sliced or diced sausage if you'd like. Omit for a vegetarian version.
- Cassava flour - Finely ground corn flour or breadcrumbs can be used.
Storage:
Store in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days.Freezing:
Tutu de Feijão can be frozen for up to 3 months.Reheating:
- Stove top (recommended): Place the refried beans in a saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat, adding water as needed to restore the original consistency.
- Microwave: Place the tutu de feijão in a covered container and heat on high for about 2 minutes or until warm. Stir, add a little bit of water if needed (refried beans will easily dry out when microwaved) and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 292kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 267mg, Potassium: 405mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 442IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 2mg