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Instant Pot Refried Beans are creamy, flavorful, and super easy to make using an electric pressure cooker, dried beans, and the perfect blend of spices. And because this easy recipe for homemade refried beans requires no soaking of the dried beans, delicious refried beans can be whipped up last minute to pair with endless Tex-Mex dishes!
When it comes to Tex-Mex meals, like Shredded Chicken Tacos, Beef Tacos, and Chicken Enchilada Casserole, refried beans are a classic pairing. And when you want the best flavor, nothing compares to this Instant Pot Refried Beans recipe!
Made with dried pinto beans, onions, jalapeno, and the perfect Tex-Mex seasoning, this recipe for Instant Pot Refried Beans are are creamy, flavorful, and seriously, the BEST refried beans ever!
Why Instant Pot Refried Beans are Best
- The Easiest Refried Bean Recipe. Using the Instant Pot is the easiest and tastiest way to make homemade refried beans ever! No soaking, no sautéing, just dump and cook!
- Starts with Dried Beans. Just like my recipes for Instant Pot Black Bean Soup and Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice, this recipe starts with an inexpensive bag of dried beans. Throw in a handful of staples, this dish delivers flavor for pennies.
- Restaurant-Flavor. Instant Pot Refried Beans are just as delicious as anything you get at your favorite Mexican restaurant. They are super creamy and super flavorful. SO much better than canned refried beans.
- Better for You. While this recipe produces crave-worthy results, it is made with good-for-you ingredients. No lard. No MSG. And MUCH lower in sodium than anything you can buy or get at a restaurant.
Notes on Ingredients
This recipe starts off with a bag of dried beans, but it is what is added to those beans that makes the these refried beans so flavorful!
- Cooking Liquid: Use a combination of water and low-sodium homemade chicken stock or vegetable broth. This will help to flavor the beans, without adding too much salt, which can interfere with the beans ability to soften.
- Spices: To flavor the refried beans, use a combination of paprika, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder, which is very similar to the spices found in taco seasoning. However, you want to wait to salt your beans until after they are pressure cooked, as salt can interfere with the beans softening.
- Added For Flavor: A yellow onion, jalapeno, garlic cloves all work to season the refried beans. I recommend removing the ribs and seeds of the jalapeno to control the spice level or leaving them in for spicy refried beans.
- Vinegar: The vinegar really helps the flavors pop and helps the beans to break down. Use apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar.
Let's Make Instant Pot Refried Beans
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Rinse the Beans. Place dry beans in a strainer/colander and give them a good rinse as they often can have residual dirt on them. Be sure to check for broken beans or rocks and discard them. You would be surprised how many times I find a small pebble in my beans, so don't skip this step!
- Add Ingredients to the Inner Pot BUT hold the salt! Combine the rinsed and sorted dried beans, water, stock, garlic, onion, jalapeno, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika in the inner pot of your pressure cooker. Don't add the salt until after pressure cooking, as that can interfere the beans ability to soften.
- Pressure Cook. Place lid on Instant Pot and set cook time for 50 minutes. This is DOUBLE the cooking time that dried beans require, but this is so the beans get SUPER tender and are really easy to blend.
- Let Pressure Release Naturally. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let pressure NATURALLY release. This can take up to 30 minutes. It is really important to NOT do a quick release, as this will change the texture of the beans. If you are short on time, wait at least 15 minutes before doing a quick pressure release.
- Reserve Cooking Liquid. After pressure has been released, ladle out about 2 cups of the cooking liquid into a glass measuring cup or bowl. You will use this to thin the refried beans to the desired consistency. Drain off the remaining liquid using a large colander and return the beans to the inner pot.
- Mash or Blend. Add the vinegar and salt and then using an immersion blender, blend the beans, adding ½ cup of cooking liquid at a time to reach your desired consistency for refried beans.
How to Serve Refried Beans
Instant Pot Refried Beans make the obvious side dish for entrees like Chicken Enchiladas or Instant Pot Carnitas. Frankly, I can make a meal out of these Instant Pot refried beans alone--they are THAT good! Add some Instant Pot Mexican Rice to the mix, and now we are really talking!
However, Instant Pot Refried Beans are not only a tasty side dish, they are also a star ingredient in the following recipes:
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Store leftover cooked beans in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days
- Freeze: Allow the refried beans to cool fully and then transfer them to freezer-safe bags/containers in 1 to 2-cup portion. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months, defrosting overnight before heating.
- Reheat: You can opt to reheat your refried beans in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave to warm OR you can fry your beans, making them technically re-fried beans! Simply heat some oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add in the refried beans and fry, stirring often, until warmed through. This will add a bit of texture to your fried beans.
Commonly Asked Questions
I love using an immersion blender for this recipe and many other recipes like, Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup and Instant Pot Tomato Soup, as it makes quick work of mashing the beans. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can mash the beans by hand using a potato masher, a food processor, or high-power blender. If using a blender let the cap vent prevent steam from building inside your blender.
This recipe for Instant Pot Refried Beans works as written in a 6 or 8-quart pressure cooker. If you have a 3-quart model, you will want to cut the ingredients in half but keep the cooking time the same.
More Tasty Instant Pot Tex-Mex Recipes
If you tried this recipe for Instant Pot Refried Beans, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Instant Pot Refried Beans
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans, ~2 cups
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 small jalapeno, seeded and de-stemmed (optional)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, or white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt, + more to taste
Instructions
- Using a fine-mesh strainer, rinse 1 pound dried pinto beans under running water and remove any rocks or broken beans.
- Place the rinsed beans in the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker. Add in the 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth, 2 cups water, 1 small yellow onion (quartered), 3 cloves garlic (peeled), 1 small jalapeno (seeded and de-stemmed), 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Close the Instant Pot and be sure the valve is turned to "seal." Set to cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. Hit manual or pressure cook and use +/- buttons to adjust cook time to 50 minutes. Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes.
- Open the Instant Pot, and using a ladle, scoop out 2 cups of the cooking liquid into a large glass measuring cup. Drain the remaining contents of the inner pot, over a large colander, discarding the remaining liquid, and transfer the beans back to the inner pot.
- Add 1 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar if using. Blend with an immersion blender, adding ½ cup of the reserved liquid at a time until beans are smooth and the desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning/salt if needed. Alternatively, use a potato masher, blender, or food processor to process the beans with the reserved cooking liquid.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I don't have an instant pot so can you give me instruction on how to make this on the stove.
Hi JoAnne! You would want to soak your beans overnight. Once soaked, drain off the soaking liquid, and place beans in large pot. Add in onion, jalapeno, and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 60-80 minutes until tender. Drain, season, and puree as recipe instructs. I hope that helps.
Better than canned! My daughter loved them. Will freeze small batches and definitely share. Easy peasy.
Wonderful! I love hearing you and your daughter enjoyed! And I agree--so much better than canned.
This is a very good recipe. I have made it several times and everyone loves it. Much better than canned beans and easy to make. Just plain bean burritos are delicious with these homemade beans. I have frozen the leftovers and they keep well in the freezer.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share, Debbie! I am thrilled you enjoy the refried beans and appreciate you taking the time to share.
These refried beans are the best! They’re simple to make in the instant pot, they’re creamy and the flavor is delicious. I’ll never buy canned refried beans again.
I absolutely LOVE hearing you enjoy so much, JoAnn! They are so easy to make too!
Hi Kristen! I made these beans and they are delicious! Another winning recipe. I am getting the hang of using the instapot and beginning to enjoy it. Cheers!
I love hearing this, PJ! Thank you for taking the time to share.
So, this was my first attempt at IP refried beans and my 2nd attempt at cooking beans from dry in an Instant pot,
Followed recipe and the taste & texture was wonderful. Used a NM med hot green chile in place of Jalapena. Needed to cook and extra 25 minutes to get bean soft but it was definitely worth the effort. Thanks for the article that preceded the recipe. It explained a lot. It's fun learning new things at 75 yo!
Thank you!!
Wondering if you have a red beans and rice recipe?
Hi Terry! So glad you you enjoyed this recipe! I do have a Red Beans and Rice recipe. I hope you enjoy that as well.
Great recipe! I have tried a couple other refried beans recipes, before coming across yours, and they were "ok". But these were great and will be a keeper for the next time I need to make refried beans. Big hit for my family. We also loved the flavor of the beans before mashing them, so I may also use this for regular pinto beans as well (just without mashing lol)
YAY! I actually do that as well--I adore the flavor in tacos or burritos at times. And thank you so much for taking the time to share your review.