Instant Pot Refried Beans

Refried Beans, frijoles refritos, is a classic Mexican & Tex-Mex favorite.

This creamy chunky mashed beans paste is often served on the side or spread onto a tortilla for yummy burritos, enchiladas or tacos. Others have enjoyed it in delicious dips or on nachos. Yum!

Some people like to cut short the cooking time by using canned beans, but hey! With our magic pot – Instant Pot! – making creamy refried beans with dried beans has never been easier!! 😀

No Canned Beans . No Soaking . No Standing by the Stove

I’m in love with this creamy smooth, hearty thick spread, spicy-savory satisfying chunky mouthfeel.

Let’s get cooking on some Instant Pot Refried Beans! 🙂

Instant Pot Refried Beans Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Prepare Ingredients for Instant Pot Refried Beans.

Pick, rinse and drain the pinto beans.

*Pro Tip: The pinto beans don’t have to be soaked for this recipe.

*Pro Tip: We like to freshly ground our cumin seeds with a mortar + pestle, as the flavor is more intense and fresh. However, you can use store-bought ground cumin seeds.

Saute Onion, Spices, and Garlic

Heat up Instant Pot using Sauté More function.

*Tip: For older versions, press “Saute” button, then “Adjust” button. For newer version, press “Saute” button twice.

Wait until it says HOT (takes roughly 8 minutes).

Add in 2 tbsp olive oil, bacon fat, or lard.

*Pro Tip: We tested making different batches of refried beans in Instant Pot with Olive Oil vs. Bacon Fat. The Bacon Fat Instant Pot Refried Beans had an additional delicious hint of smoky aroma & flavor. But you can use olive oil to make this vegan-friendly!

Add roughly diced onion and cook until softened (~3 minutes).

Then add ½ – 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, and minced garlic to the Instant Pot. Cook for another minute until fragrant.

*Spicy Tip:  ½ tsp chili powder will give it a hint of spiciness, and 1 tsp chili powder will make the dish mild spicy.

Deglaze Instant Pot

Pour roughly ½ cup unsalted chicken stock (or vegetable stock if you are making this vegan) in Instant Pot and deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Give it a quick mix.

Pressure Cook Refried Beans in Instant Pot

Add the well-drained pinto beans in Instant Pot and pour in the remaining 3 ½ cups unsalted chicken stock.

Close the lid and turn the Venting Knob to Sealing Position.

Pressure Cooking Methods:

• For Tender with a Bite Result: High Pressure 40 mins + 25 mins Natural Release
• For Silky Smooth + Tender Result: High Pressure 50 mins + 25 mins Natural Release

After 25 minutes of Natural Releasing, carefully turn the Venting Knob to Venting Position to release the remaining pressure.

Drain Beans Liquid

Once the Floating Valve drops, take off the lid.

Strain the beans liquid with a strainer. Place the beans back into the Instant Pot.

Then, reserve the beans liquid in a mixing bowl.

Mash Beans

Create Instant Pot Refried Beans by mashing the beans with a potato masher or immersion blender until desired consistency.

*Pro Tip: From our experiments, potato masher yields a coarser, chunky paste while the immersion blender creates a thick & creamy smooth paste (see below photo for comparison).

Taste and season with salt (for reference: we used 4 pinches of salt).

Add drained beans liquid back to the mashed beans until desired consistency.

*Pro Tip: Adjust the thickness of the bean paste according to your preference and what you’re serving it with (i.e. rice vs. inside a burrito).

Garnish Instant Pot Refried Beans

Give it a final taste and garnish.

If you like spicy, garnish the refried beans with jalapeno. We went with cilantro for this one. 😛

Serve the deliciously creamy Instant Pot Refried Beans as a side dish, dip, nachos, or spread over a tortilla to make yummy burrito! 😀

Enjoy your Instant Pot Refried Beans!~ 🙂

Tools for Instant Pot Refried Beans

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
• Immersion Hand Blender or Potato Masher
• Mortar and Pestle
• Bamboo Wooden Spoons
• Fine Mesh Strainer
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set

Other Instant Pot Beans Recipes

Get Recipe: Instant Pot Chili

Get Recipe: Instant Pot Baked Beans