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Instant Pot Refried Beans are so much better than the canned kind, and they are so easy to make! Cooked from dry pinto beans in just over an hour, and these pressure cooker refried beans have lots of flavor!
Instant Pot Refried Beans
Refried beans have never been my thing. I mean, if they had enough cheese on them I would eat them at the Mexican restaurant, but to me they are bland. Back in the day we would sometimes buy the canned stuff to put in a recipe, but that can of beans added absolutely NO FLAVOR to my dish! Now I make my own, and LOVE them!
If you are making refried beans the traditional way they are more involved, but with the Instant Pot it is super easy, AND they come out with so much flavor! Dare I say Winning?! No? Yeah, that’s so five years ago! I’m nothing if not slightly behind the times.
You do not have to soak the beans overnight! You can, and it will cut down the time and the amount of water you use, but I never remember to soak them. Now I don’t bother. The Instant Pot Refried Beans are done in a little over an hour. About 10-15 minutes for the pot to come to pressure. 45 minutes of cook time. 15 minutes of NPR (Natural Pressure Release).
I love an Instant Pot “Dump and Start” recipe, and this one is awesome!
watch how easy it is to make Instant Pot Refried Beans
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Instant Pot Refried Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb Beans, dry (rinsed and sorted) Kidney, Pinto, or Black Beans
- 1 Large Onion, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp Bacon Fat, Lard, or Olive Oil
- 3-4 cloves Garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tsp Kosher or Sea Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 ½ tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp Mexican Oregano (or regular oregano)
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 4 ¼ cups Chicken Broth (or Vegetable Broth or Water)
- 1-2 Jalapeño, seeded and chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse, drain, and sort the beans. Put them in the inner liner of the Instant Pot.
- Add the chopped onion, fat/oil, jalapeño, garlic, spices, and bay leaves. Stir.
- Add the broth/water.
- Put the lid on the IP and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
- Press the Pressure Cook or Manual button, or dial, and then the + or - button or dial to select 45 minutes (High Pressure). The pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure.
- When cooking cycle ends, let the pot sit and naturally release the pressure for about 15-25 minutes, or longer if you want.
- Manually release the remaining pressure/steam by turning the steam release knob to Venting, and when the pin in the lid drops, carefully open the lid.
- Stir the beans. It will look a little thin at first, but will thicken as it cools a little. You can scoop out some of the liquid before pureeing for even thicker results. Discard the bay leaves.
- Use an immersion blender (or food processor) to blend up the beans (Careful doing this with hot beans). Or use a potato masher if you like more texture. It thickens up as it cools.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
RESOURCES TO MAKE Instant Pot Refried Beans recipe and more
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thanks so much for this recipy…best refried beans i have ever had..
as so many say ..who try yours….never ever will i buy canned again ..there are so easy and fun to make…and make any mexican meal better..
I’m so glad you liked the recipe!
The best and easiest refried beans! We always have these in the fridge. Highly recommend them!
This recipe is terrific and also freezes well as we can’t go through this much quickly enough. Il be honest, I don’t chop the onions up very much as I throw it all in my Vitamix and it makes quick work of everything. I’ve passed this recipe on many times and always with rave reviews.
Your site has never steered me wrong and I always recommend it to anyone who buys an Instant Pot!
Thank you and keep the recipes coming!
Hi!! Oh my gosh! We LOVE these. So easy and delicious. Fabulous recipe.