Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart (you know the song). Lately, my heart beats for canary beans. While not as popular as other legumes here in the states, you can find these little guys at many well-stocked supermarkets, usually in their dry form. The thin-skinned, pale yellow beans take on flavor quite well when cooked, while maintaining their shape. A perfect addition to hearty soups, dips, or another bean-forward supporting character moment, they work especially well refried.

In the US, we call them canary, Mayocoba, or Peruvian yellow beans (the presumed nation of origin). Throughout Mexico, especially the state of Jalisco, the round beans are referred to as Mayocobas or Frijoles Peruanos. During my stay at the Latin Grill Masters event at Conrad Punta de Mita, I noticed the refried legume make appearances over the course of many meals: slathered on tortillas, alongside eggs, nestled underneath crispy pork belly. I’d never had a white refried bean, so my curiosity was instantly piqued—I had to make them for myself. So I bought a bag of Rancho Gordo’s Mayocobas (which are now my favorite to keep stocked in my home kitchen) and did just that.

Making refried beans from scratch may seem like an overachiever’s cross to bear. But there’s not a single canned version that can deliver on the depth of layered flavor you’ll build by cooking them yourself. Plus, the method couldn’t be simpler. Secure a bag of dried canary beans, treat yourself to a pack of bacon, and you likely have everything else on hand.

From the initial soak all the way to serving, these beans come together in a single pot, and they generously feed a crowd. The secret to their perfectly balanced, creamy-tender texture with just enough bite? Once they’re cooked through, you’ll blend a portion of the Mayocobas with their cooking liquid before integrating the puree back into the mix. Refried in rendered bacon fat and butter enhanced with onion powder (eliminating the fussiness of sweating fresh onions), the beans take on a deep, meaty flavor the canned varieties could only dream of imitating.