Grocery and meat
Is Old El Paso halal?
Old El Paso makes no halal claim. Its Traditional Refried Beans page now lists soybean oil and no lard, and the Vegetarian and Fat Free versions list no animal fat either.
The longer answer
Refried beans are the usual concern because many brands use lard. Old El Paso's own product page for Traditional Refried Beans, 16 oz (checked October 2026) lists: "Cooked Pinto Beans, Water. Contains 2% or less of: Soybean Oil, Salt, Tomato Paste, Cumin, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Chili Pepper." No lard is listed.
The Vegetarian Refried Beans page lists pinto beans, water, salt, tomato paste, soybean oil, spices, sugar and natural flavor. The Fat Free version lists no oil at all. The site notes that ingredients can change and that the physical pack is the most current source, so older cans on a shelf may differ.
We found no halal statement or halal certification from Old El Paso or its maker General Mills. We did not review its meat-containing or seasoning products.
What to check before you order
Read the can itself for lard, since recipes change and older stock may differ from the website. For taco shells, seasoning mixes and kits, check each ingredient list separately.
How we decide
We only report what the company or its certifier has said publicly, and we link to it below. We do not test food, and we do not take a brand’s word from a single franchise. If a location tells you something different from this page, trust the location and tell us.