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4.5 from 6 votes

Instant Pot Refried Beans

Learn how to make perfect beans in your Instant Pot in a fraction of the time it takes on the stove or in a slow cooker. So much EASIER, FASTER, and more FLAVORFUL! Mash them up for the best refried beans you can ask for! So versatile and can be used in a ton of other recipes! 

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
35 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 107 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Salad
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 3 cups dried pinto beans sorted and rinsed; soaked optional* (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • ½ large white onion coarsely chopped
  • 3 to 5 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon salt not teaspoon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 5 cups water
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth I use reduced sodium

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add all ingredients to your 6-Quart Instant Pot or similar sized pressure cooker, place the lid on top, and secure it.
  2. Set the timer for 30 minutes on High power or the Bean Cycle. Note - It will take time for the pressure to begin building, at least 10 minutes, so don't be surprised the machine does that before it starts cooking and the timer starts counting down.
  3. After 30 minutes, do a Natural Release (slow release) for 20 minutes, making sure to use caution any time you start releasing the pressure and steam since it it extremely hot and can burn you. Wrap a kitchen towel around the value and/or use hot mitts.
  4. Finish with a Quick Release.
  5. Check for doneness. Test more than one bean to make sure. If the beans aren't done, place the lid back on and seal, and cook for an additional 10 minutes on High. Notes - A. If you didn't soak your beans in advance, it's more likely than not that they will need the extra 10 minutes to cook. B. After the beans are fully cooked, it's likely that no liquid will remain. However, if there is, you can let the beans stay in the Instant Pot on simmer mode for a couple of minutes if they seem too soupy. Any remaining liquid cooks out quickly this way.
  6. After the beans have fully cooked, you can mash them with a potato masher by hand or pulse them briefly in a blender until the desired consistency has been achieved. Tips - Make sure not to overdo it in the blender because they can turn into a baby food style puree very quickly, which for me isn't desirable. You don't have to mash or blend the whole batch and can keep half the batch as whole pinto beans and make refried beans with the other half.
  7. If desired, garnish your beans with cilantro, limes, diced onions, avocado, queso fresco, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapenos, red onions, and more.

Notes

  • *I always soak my beans to save time later. You can soak them for anywhere from a couple hours to overnight. Rinse and drain them after soaking.
  • Storage: Beans will keep airtight for up to 5 days in the fridge or for up to 4 months in the freezer. Tips - Spray either your plastic containers or ziptop bags with cooking spray to ensure the beans slide right out and don't stick. Freeze in smaller batches for faster thawing and less overall waste so you are only thawing what you need at a sitting or for a particular recipe.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/2 cup Calories 107kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 9g (3%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 24mg (8%) Sodium 465mg (19%) Fiber 3g (12%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8cups

Amount Per Serving

Calories 107

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/2 cup
Calories 107kcal 5%
Carbohydrates 9g 3%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 465mg 19%
Fiber 3g 12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.