Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

I will tell you I had NEVER used dry beans to cook from scratch before I got my multi cooker Instant Pot. Now I make these all the time for dinner because my whole family is obsessed with them and added it to our popular list of other easy Instant Pot recipes you’ll love.

I will say these are way better than canned and surprisingly they don’t take much time either. You can make a double batch to feed a crowd and add to your burrito bar during your next Cinco de Mayo party. Who wouldn’t love these creamy pinto beans starting from dry and ending up smooth as ever??!!

I started this journey with making our no soak Instant Pot baked beans for a potluck one weekend and everyone asked for the recipe. They couldn’t stop talking about how good they were, and only I knew how easy they were to make from scratch…so I kept going with this creation.

Now, I wasn’t someone who learned how to cook with dry beans growing up. My mom never used them….not once. But now with this multi cooker it is a breeze!! Let me tell you all about how I made them with some tips sprinkled in here and there so they turn out perfect every single time.

Homemade Refried Beans Ingredients

You will want to start with Pinto beans, I based the timing off of this Instant Pot cook times for beans printable. I used 16 oz so I doubled time to 60 min.

Can you use black beans?

Don’t want to use Pinto but something darker with a different flair? NO problem, just follow our pressure cooker black beans directions with the spices here and then blend away. Another great tweak to a great original but with more fiber and a richer flavor

I really like adding a can of already diced chiles to it for flavor, not really heat. You could dice up your own smoked chiles too.

To add flavor and a bit more texture in a super cheap way you should add some finely diced Onion and minced garlic into the mix. For us there is no such thing as “too much garlic” so I honestly don’t even measure that, I just blop it right in.

As far as the necessary liquid is concerned I think the best one to use would be Vegetable broth. Yes of course you could opt for water but why??? You get no flavor with that.

Cumin is added as a seasoning for a pop of wow and some Apple cider vinegar with give it a bit of tang so they aren’t so bland.

Of course adding a bit of Tabasco for some heat is totally optional but what I suggest below will yield you a mild outcome.

You’ll need your pot and a blender as well like you see here or an immersion blender can be used right inside your pot.

Ninja Foodi Refried Beans

Believe it or not there is NO waiting overnight to let them sit in a bowl of water and swell up. Nope you just throw them in with enough liquid and seasonings of your choice and then blend when done. If using a Foodi you will use the lid that is not attached and the pressure cook function with the same directions below.

Variations

Optional – Before step 1 if you wanna add some bacon add it diced with some olive oil on the saute function. Brown, turn pot off, deglaze and leave the bacon fat in the pot! You can thin out beans in blending process with drained liquid from cooking or I have used red sauce as well to add more flavor

Dice up any and all types of onions, peppers, roasted jalapeno if you love those and want some extra heat too. Remember that a little goes a long way so dice small and if it is your first time making it, only add a bit I personally like using a can of diced chiles that are mild. They add a lot of flavor but just a bit of heat for our liking.

How Long to Cook Refried Beans in Instant Pot (No Soak)

You want to rinse off your dry beans using a colander to remove any dirt or debris. Remember there’s no need for soaking the beans ahead of time. Pressure cooking allows you to eliminate that time consuming step.

If using an entire bag of dry pinto beans set to high pressure for 60 min. You want them really soft so this particular recipe takes a bit longer than if you were making something like our pressure cooker ham and beans where you want them a bit firm

Allow pot to release naturally for approx. 15 minutes, drain the beans, add cooked bean mixture into a bowl, or back into your pressure cooker pot if using an immersion blender. Add a bit of liquid and blend

Continue to add a bit more liquid at a time until it reaches the consistency you’re looking for. Know it will remain somewhat chunky because of the onions etc but some like their pressure cooker refried beans much smoother than others

How do you make homemade refried beans smooth?

As far as texture is concerned that is subjective for sure. If you have an immersion blender that is your best choice because you can plop it right into your pot and not dirty another device. If you don’t have that you can pour the contents into a regular blender like you see below and pulse until it is as smooth as you’d like them to be.

How do you thicken homemade refried beans?

If you allow them to cool for 30 minutes it will thicken nicely. BUT if you insist, you can whisk some cornstarch and water, and gradually whisk it into the liquid surrounding the beans.  To thin, add some broth to make a sort of Instant Pot pinto bean soup which is really delicious too.

Want some ideas on how to serve these? We love them inside small tortillas with some of our Instant Pot salsa chicken inside for protein. You should also try our Instant Pot carnitas made the same way too, or served as burritos.

FAQ

If you have extras make sure that you allow them to cool completely. Then you will want to store in an airtight container or freezer bag free from air for 3-4 days. Beyond that I would freeze them or make something that night with them.

This is assuming you have any leftover beans of course, we usually do not when we have taco Tuesday or burritos for dinner. If you do have some extras though they do freeze great and don’t change in texture or flavor. If they are in the freezer for a really long time they might become dry, but if you just mix in some water or olive oil you can thin them out again. Use airtight containers for storage.