Instant Pot Refried Beans
Instant Pot Refried Beans make for a great side dish that has that Mexican flair we are all crazy about. Homemade and quick, this recipe is a winner!
If you are looking for a side dish that is delicious and full of Mexican vibes, then, this is the one. You can also check out my other recipes for Carne Asada, and Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef.
Best Pressure Cooker Refried Beans
This recipe for the Instant Pot Refried Beans cuts your cooking time to a fraction of what it will take you to prepare using the stove. And it does not require soaking the legumes!
And no, you will not be using canned ones for this version. That is what is amazing with using the Instant Pot or the pressure cooker. From dry to excellent mashed legumes, this kitchen equipment will help you achieve that in minutes.
You get to make this dish from scratch hassle-free. That way, you get to control the kind of ingredients that you use and you can alter the taste depending on your preference. And, it is economical this way!
Don’t let your burrito wait for long, prepare this dish now. Let me show you how!
Why are they called refried beans?
The name refried denotes “well-fried.” In Spanish, the prefix “re-” does not always mean that you did something twice, and in this case, the legumes are not fried twice.
The term simply means that the legumes are cooked so well which is the actual case, is it not? The legumes, which could be leftovers, are fried in lard. At that point, they are already super soft that you can mash them.
How to make the Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Wash: Rinse and drain the legumes in a colander and set them aside. Be sure to remove contaminants. No soaking? Yes, skip it as the pressure cooker will take care of it.
- Sauté: Using the SAUTE function of your Pressure Cooker, sauté your aromatics in a little oil. Then, add in the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook: Seal and set the IP to High and cook for 25 minutes. Then, allow the pressure to dissipate naturally for another 20 to 25 minutes.
- Mash: Drain the legumes, but do not discard the liquid. Reserve that in another bowl. Using an immersion blender, puree everything. Or, an alternative way to do this is to use a masher. You can use a stand blender for this, just let the legumes cool a little or make sure to use a heat-resistant blender.
- Serve: Put it back to the pot, taste, and season some more, then, serve.
Which beans are the best to use?
Traditionally, the creamy and nutty pinto is the way to go, but you can use black ones, too.
Can you make Instant Pot Refried Beans with canned beans?
Yes, you can. And I am assuming that the cooking time would be quicker, but not much when you use the IP. Besides, the legumes are already cooked when they were canned.
But remember that they are canned with a sodium-rich liquid. So, before using it in this recipe, or in any other recipe for that matter, it is best to rinse and legumes well. And adjust the salt!
If you have dry ones, since you will be using the Instant Pot anyway, I strongly suggest that you go with those. Did you know that each can of cooked legumes can be equated with using only half a cup of dry ones? That’s how cheaper it is to use dry ones and cook them from scratch.
How many cups is 1 pound of beans?
It equates to about 2 cups. And each cup of dry ones will yield about 3 cups of cooked ones.
How to Store Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Refrigerate: Allow the dish to cool completely. Then, put portions in airtight containers and refrigerate. Consume within 4 days.
- Freeze: Put portions in freezer bags, squeeze out excess air, and then, freeze. Consume within 3 months.
- To reheat: Simply thaw overnight, and then, reheat in a skillet or microwave. Be ready with some water or broth to thin out if you find it too thick.
More Instant Pot recipes:
Recipe Tips
- Since you can freeze this dish well, I suggest that you make a huge batch so you can store some for later.
- Use it in tacos or tostadas, or as a layer in the Taco Dip.
- Also, I recommend using olive oil to sauté this dish to make it vegan. Or, use bacon fat to add a smoky flavor.
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Instant Pot Refried Beans
Ingredients
- 16 oz pinto beans dry
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 7 cups vegetable broth
- 6 oz can green chiles diced
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
Garnish:
- Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Put all ingredients inside the pressure cooker, stir to combine.
- Close and lock lid and steam valve and set to high pressure for 60 minutes.
- After that, naturally release pressure for 15 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure.
- Open and stir well.
- Use a colander to drain the liquid, reserve some, about 1 cup. Use a blender or an emersion blender to blend the bean mixture, adding some of the cooking liquid as needed. Blend until smooth and the right consistency you want.
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Nutrition
I will have to try these. I’ve always been a fan of refried beans and never tried to make them on my own.
My mom used make pinto beans in the slow cooker and mash them up for refried beans. I just buy canned ones when I need refried beans because we don’t eat them a ton. But it would be awesome to get an instapot. I’ve wanted one for a while but have to buy the biggest one so I could replace my slow cooker.
That insta-pot sure makes so many recipes so much easier. We’ll definitely be trying this one out.
Confession: I’ve never had refried beans. I don’t know, I just haven’t. I do know some people who LOVE them though, so going to see if they want to give your instant pot recipe a try. Love how easy it seems to make refried beans in the instant pot.
Wow – these look so creamy delicious!! Serious perfection!
I love making refried beans in the pressure cooker! It’s such a time saver. Your special recipe looks delicious!
I would love to make this one of these days. I really enjoy cooking easy recipes that are packed with flavor. I seriously can’t imagine life without a pressure cooker.
My boys like beans so this would be a great recipe idea for me to try for them. Now, I just have to invest in an Instant Pot lol.
Wow, I am pretty new to this one. Beans has been one of my faves and you just added another reason for me to love it more. Awesome post!
My husband love refried beans so thank you for the recipe. I would love to try making some one day for him.
My daughter loves refried beans. I have never tried to make them at home. I definitely want to try your recipe
These look delicious and so easy to make! We love refried beans but have not tried making them from scratch.
These look like they would be really good. I do love refried beans too. I have never tried making them before yet though. I’ll have to try out this recipe.
I don’t have an Insta pot but I would love one. I’m not into refried beans but definitely would be willing to try it.
Refried beans are the best! We love to make our own and use them in burritos. Although my husband eats them with rice. It’s really hard to go wrong and what a bonus that your recipe makes them so quick with the Instant Pot! xx
Love this recipe for refried beans! Will be delicious with tacos for dinner tonight! Yum!
How easy the Instant Pot makes this! I will never buy them again. I love knowing exactly what goes in this dish!
Thanks for the educational piece and recipe for refried beans. I was thought you have to fry them twice and the thought of using canned beans was out of the question for me. I have an Instant Pot so will try this recipe soon. Thanks
You’ve made making your own refried beans so easy – and delicious!
Instant Pot refried beans are the best! And so easy to make!
This Instant Pot Refried Beans needs to happen at my house very soon!!
I hear a lot about the Instant Pot, but I’m not sure exactly what it is. Is it the same as a crockpot? I use one of those often but would love to learn more about the Instant Pot
Thanks for the recipe! This will come in handy this holiday season.
I made these today, they are delicious. I used my blender to blend them in batches once they cooled. Makes quite a bit so I froze most in vacuum sealed bags. Sure hope they taste the same when defrosted.
Oh my this is absolutely delicious! It look so good, can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing this with us!