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    Home » Recipes » Sandwiches, Wraps, and Burgers

    Refried Bean Grilled Cheese

    Willow Moon in front of bushes.
    Updated: Mar 14, 2025 · by Willow Moon · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
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    This tasty Refried Bean Grilled Cheese is an easy meal. It's made with refried beans and taco spices.

    Refried Bean Grilled Cheese on cutting board.

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    This Refried Bean Grilled Cheese has refried beans that have gotten an upgrade. I added onion, garlic, tomatoes, and taco spices.

    Once you've had these refried beans, you won't want refried beans straight out of the can again!

    This vegan grilled cheese is an easy meal. Dip it in salsa or enchilada sauce for more spice.

    Use the refried beans in tacos, a burrito, or a vegan tortilla pizza to switch things up.

    This Refried Bean Grilled Cheese is similar to a mollete, which is a Mexican open-faced sandwich with refried beans and cheese that is topped with jalapeño or serrano peppers.

    Another vegan grilled cheese recipe to try is my Vegan Pizza Grilled Cheese recipe. You also might like my 3 Ingredient Refried Bean Soup.

    ❤️ Why You'll Love It

    • It's the best of two cuisines. If a taco and a vegan grilled cheese sandwich had a baby, this would be it.
    • It's quick and easy.
    • It's perfect for dipping; dip it into your favorite salsa or enchilada sauce.

    🧾 Ingredients

    Ingredients for refried beans on a cutting board with labels.
    Ingredients for refried bean grilled cheese on a cutting board with labels.
    • Refried bean mixture: Made with onions, garlic, vegan cheddar, tomatoes, and spices. You could also use refried beans straight from the can, but I like to doctor them up.
    • Vegan cheddar: I used Follow Your Heart vegan cheese. Use your favorite vegan cheese.
    • Bread: Use your favorite squishy bread.
    • Vegan mayo: For frying the grilled cheese. You could also use vegan butter if you prefer. I like Vegenaise by Follow Your Heart.

    To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

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    🔪 Instructions

    Refried bean mixture on one slice of bread and shredded vegan cheddar on the other.

    Step 1: Spread the refried bean mixture onto one slice of bread and sprinkle shredded vegan cheddar onto the other slice. Sandwich them together.

    Refried bean sandwich in a skillet with vegan mayo on the outside of bread.

    Step 2: Spread vegan mayo on the outside of one of the slices of bread and place in a skillet mayo side down. Then, spread vegan mayo on the slice of bread facing you.

    Refried bean grilled cheese in a skillet.

    Step 3: Fry on both sides until golden brown.

    🥡 Storage

    Refried beans will last about 4 days. If you don't think you'll eat them up in that time, you can freeze them in a freezer bag for 1-2 months.

    💭 Tips

    • Make the refried beans ahead of time to make things easier.
    • Make tacos or a Mexican pizza another night to switch things up.
    • Cook the vegan grilled cheese in vegan mayo for a rich sandwich. Spread the vegan mayo on the outside of one of the slices, place it in the pan then spread on the other slice facing you. That way you don't get mayo all over your cutting board.
    • For extra spice, dip the sandwich in your favorite salsa or enchilada sauce.
    Refried Bean Grilled Cheese sliced in half and stacked.

    Other Vegan Mexican Recipes

    • Spicy Tofu Tacos on a cutting board with a ramekin of salsa next to them.
      Spicy Tofu Tacos
    • Smothered Vegan Burritos on a plate.
      Smothered Vegan Burritos
    • Black Bean and Corn Vegan Quesadilla
      Black Bean and Corn Vegan Quesadilla
    • Bean and Mexican Cauliflower Rice Burrito on a cutting board.
      Bean and Mexican Cauliflower Rice Burritos

    If you tried this Refried Bean Grilled Cheese Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and let me know how you like it in the 💬 comments below. I love hearing from you!

    📋 Recipe

    Refried Bean Grilled Cheese
    Pin Print
    4.75 from 4 votes

    Refried Bean Grilled Cheese

    This tasty Refried Bean Grilled Cheese is an easy meal. It's made with refried beans and taco spices. 
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Fusion
    Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 7 minutes minutes
    Total Time 12 minutes minutes
    Servings 1
    Calories 359kcal
    Author Willow Moon
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 pieces gluten free bread - I used Northern Bakehouse chia millet bread
    • 3 tablespoons refried bean mixture
    • ¼ cup shredded vegan cheddar
    • 2 teaspoons vegan mayo (for cooking the grilled cheese in)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Spread refried bean mixture on one slice of bread. Top with shredded vegan cheddar. Top with other slice of bread.  
    • Spread 1 teaspoon vegan mayo on the outside of one of the slices of bread. Place face down in a pan. Spread the other teaspoon of vegan mayo on the other piece of bread (the side facing you). Cook over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

    Notes

    Refried beans will last about 4 days. If you don't think you'll eat them up in that time, you can freeze them in a freezer bag for 1-2 months.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 915mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 2.2mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 1.3mg

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    *Note: Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only. Different nutrition calculators give you different results.

     

     

    More Sandwiches, Wraps, and Burgers

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