Instant Pot Refried Beans

Instant Pot Instructions

1. Rinse beans and pick through to make sure there are no rocks. No need to soak the beans.
2. Turn 6-quart (or larger) Instant Pot to SAUTE. Add the oil. When hot, add the onion and jalapeno and saute for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften.
3. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
4. Add the chicken broth, water, bay leaves, salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and beans. Stir to combine and make sure there are no bits of onion stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot liner.
5. Seal the Instant Pot and set to cook on HIGH (manual) for 45 minutes. Do a natural release for 25 minutes at the end of the cooking time, then vent any remaining pressure.
6. Remove the lid and discard the bay leaves. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid and drain and discard any remaining liquid from the beans.
7. Use a potato masher or immersion blender to mash the beans until they are the consistency you like, adding in the reserved cooking liquid as needed. The beans will thicken as they are mashed and as they cool. I usually add 1 cup of the cooking liquid back in and mash the beans only about halfway, but you can use more or less liquid as you like, and mash them even more for a thinner, more restaurant like experience.

Stovetop Instructions

1. Rinse beans and soak overnight in a large pot filled with water. Or if you forget to soak overnight, cover the pot with a lid and bring the water to a boil for 2 minutes, then turn the burner off and soak for 1 hour before continuing. Drain the soaking liquid from the beans.
2. Saute the onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a little oil, just like in the Instant Pot directions, then add the drained beans. Add the broth and enough fresh water until the beans are covered by at least an inch of water.
3. Bring the water and beans to a boil on high heat. Once the water is boiling, cover the pot and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are nice and tender. You will know they are done because they will be soft and the skin will start to split open. Be sure to check the water level every 30 minutes or so, just to make sure there is still plenty of water and add in more if needed.
4. Once beans are soft, drain most of the cooking liquid from the beans into a separate bowl. Don't dump it out because you will likely need to add some of it back to the beans to get them to the right consistency.
5. Use a potato masher or immersion blender to mash the beans until they reach the consistency you like, adding reserved cooking liquid as necessary. Taste as you go and if the beans are too salty, just add regular water instead of the cooking liquid.
6. Top with grated cheese and serve with your favorite Mexican entrees!