Instant pot refried beans. Homemade refried beans using Colorado dried pinto beans are easier than you think. With just a few ingredients and a little bit of elbow grease, you’ve got everyone’s favorite side dish for Mexican food.
About This Recipe and Why It Works
I can’t begin to tell you how many homemade refried bean recipe versions I’ve tried over the years. The result? I’ve always come away underwhelmed.
Then there are canned refried beans? Sure, they’re quick and easy. They’re a little hard to get out of the can (what’s up with that?) and I still have to fiddle with the consistency and flavors before I serve them. Again, I’m underwhelmed.
I have simply refused to give up on making homemade refried beans.
Finally! I now have a homemade refried bean recipe that I’m comfortable sharing with my readers.
A refried bean recipe that I can be proud to serve as a side dish.
A recipe that is so easy and flavorful that I’ll never reach for canned refried beans again.
And this recipe is so flavorful, it can be served as a side dish or a dip. Bingo!
Why This Instant Pot Refried Bean Recipe Is So Genius
You can be guaranteed that the Instant Pot will cook starchy foods like a champ. The Instant Pot cooks potatoes and pasta beautifully creamy, and beans fall right into that category.
One of our favorite Instant Pot Pasta Recipe is this one for Instant Pot Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese. A great example of what a pressure cooker can do for pasta.
The Instant Pot website says that “cooking under pressure or at higher temperature, starch gelatinizes to the maximum degree. This is why pressure cooked pasta, rice and beans have a softer texture in comparison to boiled at normal pressure”.
Here are more reasons why this recipe works:
- Once the beans are cooked, the starchy liquid from the cooked beans is reserved. It’s used in the mashing process to enhance the texture and flavor of the refried beans.
- Chipotle chile powder is added for seasoning to bring some beautiful smokiness to the flavor.
- Brown sugar adds a little sweet.
- Cumin brings it all down to earthy goodness.
- And lime juice brightens the entire overall flavor.
- And my favorite part is the addition of one of my favorite ingredients, New Mexico Chile Powder. It adds a “just right” heat.
- This refried bean recipe can be used as a side dish or a dip.
What are Refried Beans?
Refried beans are a side dish recipe of cooked and mashed beans and commonly served with Mexican and Tex-Mex Cuisine. It’s somewhat the “mashed potato” of Mexican cuisine.
In some parts of Mexico, red kidney beans are used to make refried beans. In Northern Mexico and in Tex-Mex cuisine, pinto beans are used.
I’ve made this recipe twice, using each of the variety of beans and I must say I prefer the Pinto Beans. Pinto beans simply returned a creamier texture.
The Colorado dry bean industry has been a global supplier of edible dry beans for more than 60 years. Growers partner with several dealers to produce and ship over $30 million of beans annually. 85% of Colorado bean crops consists of Pinto Beans.
Colorado pinto beans are known for their bright color and creamy texure. These characteristics increase their value compared to other pinto beans grown in the United States and imports from other countries.
What to Serve With Refried Beans
- Mexican Shrimp Burrito Con Queso
- Chile Rubbed Braised Beef Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw
- Lobster Tacos with Poblano Peppers
- Slow Cooker Tinga de Pollo Poblano Tacos
Recipe for Instant Pot Refried Beans
I hope you give this Instant Pot Refried Beans Recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.
And if you have a favorite refried bean recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Southwestern Bean Recipes
- Mexican Chorizo Instant Pot Mexican Beans
- Southwest Beans and Chicos
- Bolita Beans with Red Wine, Smoked Paprika and Jalapeno
And if you’re looking for Main Course Mexican Recipes, don’t miss my Mexican Southwest Recipes category. You’ll find a ton of South of The Border Recipes.
Including the most popular Mexican food recipe on my site for Hatch Green Chili Colorado.
This recipe is adapted from Savory Spice Shop.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Instant Pot Refried Beans
Equipment
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried pinto beans sorted for misfits and rinsed
- 8 cups water
- 1 heaping tablespoon lard
- ¼ cup unsalted butter divided
- 1 small onion fine minced
- 2 cloves garlic fine minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Chipotle Chile Powder
- 2 cups shredded cheese Monterey Jack, or Queso Panela
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- Chopped cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Add beans to Instant Pot and cover with 8 cups of water. Add the scoop of lard.
- Close Instant Pot and set to pressure cook on high for 40 min. When finished, allow pressure to naturally release for 20 minutes before venting and removing lid.
- Reserve 1 ½ cup cooking liquid before draining beans.
- In the meantime, In a large cast iron or oven-safe skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter is starting to show bubbles, add minced onion, stirring often for 2 – 3 minutes.
- Add garlic, salt, brown sugar, cumin, and chipotle powder and cook for 30 seconds, or until lightly toasted and fragrant.
- Stir in cooked beans and 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer a couple of minutes to marry the flavors.
- Use a potato masher to mash beans into a chunky paste. Add more of the cooking liquid for a creamier texture.
- Add the lime juice, 1 cup of cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir until combined. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese and place skillet under broiler for 1 to 3 min., or until cheese is melted, bubbling, and beginning to brown.
- Top with cilantro or chopped yellow and red petite tomatoes, or both. Serve as a side dish or with chips as a dip.
Notes
Nutrition
Instant Pot Refried Beans … It’s What’s For A Side Dish
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
Could this be made in a crockpot?
Thanks
Katherine
Hi Katherine. Absolutely yes. Just cook the beans in the crockpot until tender, then proceed with the instructions in this recipe. Actually I use my crockpot to make beans more frequently than my Instant Pot.
At which point in time do you add the lard?
I believe that ingredient is important to give it the wonderful end result in flavor.
My daughter’s godmother used lard and added milk at the refry / mashing process.
I just know she makes an awesome batch of refried beans – they too make a really good bean dip.
Hi Maria. I actually add the lard to the beans and the water in the initial cooking stage. Thanks for your note, I’ve corrected the recipe. I like the idea of the milk during the mashing process. I’ll try that next time. Make it a delicious day.
Is there anything the Instant Pot can’t do? What a great machine. I will have to give these beans a try.
I don’t use my Instant Pot nearly as much as some, but I sure do love having it.
I’ve never had refried kidney beans. Sounds interesting. And a bit weird. 🙂 Think I’ll stick with pinto beans. Anyway, I don’t often make refried beans — perfer a chunkier version, basically charro-type beans — but when I want them, I want them. This looks like a neat way to make them — thanks.