These Instant Pot refried beans are easy to make in a pressure cooker, but they’re so much better than canned and even better than a Mexican restaurant! Full of flavor, they’re perfect as a side dish or stuffed into a burrito or taquito. I like to eat a bowl of them straight, topped with a little melted cheese!
What Makes These Instant Pot Refried Beans So Good
- There’s absolutely NO soaking required! Perfect if you’re running short on time or have a tendency to forget to start on your beans 10-12 hours ahead of time. You also won’t need to cook these beans twice to get that creamy refried bean consistency.
- Refried beans from scratch are infinitely better than any canned, store-bought refried beans. They’re beautifully seasoned with cumin and oregano, though you can add more or less if you want, and you can blend them as much or as little as you like to get your perfect consistency.
- You can eat them so many ways! Instant Pot refried beans are fantastic on their own with a little cheese (my favorite way!), or you could enjoy them with tortilla chips for a bean dip, add a scoop to your Mexican tortilla wrap, or use them on your healthy chicken tostadas!
- This recipe doesn’t use any lard, so these are naturally vegetarian – and they’re super easy to make vegan, too! Just swap out the broth for water.
Key Ingredients for Instant Pot Refried Beans
Pinto Beans – These little speckled beans are a delicious source of fiber, protein, and vitamins. They’re not really low carb, but they are low glycemic index, so they won’t cause any dramatic blood sugar spikes. Be sure to use dry pinto beans, not canned, for this recipe.
Broth – You can use the canned or boxed stuff, or you can make your own bone broth from leftover bones. Check out my post on Instant Pot Bone Broth for all the ins-and-outs! Just use chicken bones and chicken feet to get a delicious chicken broth.
Chef’s Tips
- One of the great things about this recipe is you don’t have to soak the beans – but you can if you want to! Soaking them for 10-12 hours first will cut your cook time from 45 minutes down to about 20.
- No immersion blender? No problem! Use a potato masher to mash the Instant Pot refried beans to your desired consistency. I like to leave some beans whole (or mostly whole) for a little extra texture.
- If you have any leftover refried beans, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate them up to 5 days, or freeze them up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, let them thaw overnight, then heat them in a saucepan over low heat until warmed through, adding water or broth as needed to thin them out.
- If you get a “burn” warning on step 1, add a little broth or water to deglaze the pot and scrape off any onions that might have gotten stuck.
- I used a 6-quart Instant Pot for this recipe. You can use a 3-quart, 6-quart, or 8-quart with the same cooking times, but you may want to halve the recipe for a 3-quart, or cook in two batches.
Other Instant Pot Recipes You Have to Try
- Instant Pot Black Beans
- The Best Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
- Instant Pot Country Style Ribs
- Japanese Curry in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
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Instant Pot Refried Beans
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
- immersion blender
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 medium white onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 pound dry pinto beans rinsed
- 4 cups chicken broth or water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Add oil and heat thoroughly, then add onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add beans and broth, stirring to combine broth with spices. Close and seal lid.
- Set Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure for 45 minutes. Instant Pot will take 10 to 15 minutes to come to pressure before cook time starts.
- When time is up, naturally release pressure according to manufacturer's instructions, 10 to 40 minutes. Vent to release any remaining pressure and carefully remove lid.
- Drain beans, reserving 2 cups of liquid. Return beans to pot.
- Add salt and 1 cup reserved liquid. Use immersion blender to puree beans, adding additional reserved liquid as needed. Keep warm using slow cooker function.
Notes
- Make it Vegan: Use water instead of chicken broth.
- Use store-bought chicken broth or make your own! You can follow my Instant Pot bone broth recipe using chicken bones and chicken feet.
Nutrition
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Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.
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