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5 from 7 votes

Instant Pot Loaded Refried Beans

Make Creamy Mexican Instant Pot Loaded Refried Beans with this Super Easy No-Soak, No Canned Beans Method! Delicious fiesta homemade refried beans dip that your guests will love!
Servings 4 - 6
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 strips (264g) thick cut smoked bacon , cut into bacon bits
  • 1 pound (454g) pinto beans
  • 1 (300g) large onion , roughly diced
  • 4 (13.5g) garlic cloves , minced
  • 4 cups (1L) unsalted chicken stock
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon (1.3g - 2.7g) chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon (2.7g) ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon (1.1g) dried oregano
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 stalks green onions , thinly sliced
  • 36 grams medium cheddar cheese , grated

Instructions

  • Crisp Chopped Bacon: Add bacon in Instant Pot, then heat up Instant Pot using Sauté More function (no need to add oil as bacon has a lot of fat). Stir occasionally and allow the bacon to crisp (~7 - 9 mins). Remove bacon from Instant Pot, then place them on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat. 

    *Pro Tips for Crisp Bacon:
    a) In order to cook the meat and fat evenly, crispy and not burnt - place the bacon in the cold pot before turning on the heat. Then, let the heat slowly render out the pork fat.
    b) Important to absorb the bacon’s excess fat with a paper towel after sauteing.
  • Saute Onion, Spices, and Garlic: Add roughly diced onion in the bacon fat, then cook until softened (~3 mins). Then add ½ - 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, and minced garlic to Instant Pot. Cook for another minute until fragrant. 
    *Spicy Tip: ½ tsp chili powder: a hint of spiciness; 1 tsp chili powder: mildly spicy.
  • Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour roughly ½ cup unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot, then deglaze by scrubbing 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, then pour in the remaining 3 ½ cups unsalted chicken stock. Close the lid. Turn the Venting Knob to Sealing Position.
    Pressure Cooking Methods:
    a) For Tender with Bite Result: High Pressure 40 mins + 25 mins Natural Release
    b) For 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 remaining pressure. As the Instant Pot is natural releasing, grate the cheddar cheese and thinly slice the green onions.
  • Drain Beans Liquid: Once the Floating Valve drops, carefully remove the lid. Strain the beans liquid with a strainer. Place the beans back in Instant Pot. Reserve the beans liquid in a mixing bowl.
  • Mash Beans: Mash the beans with a potato masher or immersion blender until desired consistency. 

    *Pro Tip: potato masher yields a coarser, chunky paste while the immersion blender creates a thick & creamy smooth paste (see comparison photo). 
    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 preferences.
  • Load Instant Pot Refried Beans: Load up your gorgeous Instant Pot Refried Beans with umami bacon bits, thinly sliced green onions, and grated cheddar cheese. Serve & enjoy~

Notes

Use Fresh Dry Beans: Although beans have a relatively long shelf life, older beans may take a much longer cooking time to be softened. So best to use fresh dry beans if possible!
Rate Amy + Jacky's Recipe: If you've tried our recipe, rate the recipe in the Comments section. Thank you!
Author: Amy + Jacky
Calories: 368kcal

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 382mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Vitamin C: 5.8mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 2.7mg