Instant Pot Refried Beans

These Instant Pot Refried Beans are 100% fat free, yet just as flavorful and creamy as the beans at your local Mexican restaurant. This cheap and simple side dish will teach you how to cook perfect refried beans using dry beans (no soaking!) in 1 hour. 

Beans have been one of my favorite foods for as long as I can remember. And when I learned how to make homemade Instant Pot Beans, my life changed forever. Dramatic, yes, but when you can cut the amount of time it takes to cook dried beans by 60% or more, and experience perfect results every single time dramatic statements feel appropriate! 

Once I perfected my Instant Pot Chickpeas and Instant Pot Black Beans, the next priority was mastering Instant Pot Refried Beans. They’re the perfect addition to bean burritos, refried bean tacos, and slathering on toasted Torta buns.

Now, these beans aren’t exactly authentic because authentic beans are typically cooked with lard or bacon fat for additional flavor and creaminess. Lard isn’t an ingredient I typically stock as a pantry staple (check out my favorite pantry staples here!), and unless you cook a lot of Mexican food, I’m guessing it’s not one you have on hand either. 

Instead, these Instant Pot refried beans are entirely fat-free and naturally vegan and gluten-free. But don’t worry – the flavor still blows any can of store-bought beans out of the water. So much so, I’ve since created an Instant Pot Refried Black Beans variation that’s been really popular! 

Ingredient Notes

• Pinto beans: These instant pot beans are made using dry pinto beans (no soaking). Soaked beans or canned beans will unfortunately not work. If you only have black beans on hand, make my Instant Pot Refried Black Beans.
• Cooking liquid: I regularly cook these beans in water because it’s easy and free, but if you have vegetable broth, chicken broth or chicken stock on hand, feel free to use it for extra flavorful beans! 
• Fresh onion: Use a yellow onion, sweet onion or two shallots. All are great. 
• Jalapeño: Optional, but adds a nice kick without overpowering the flavor of the beans. 
• Tamari: Adds a deep, umami flavor and necessary saltiness to the beans. Soy sauce is a great alternative. 
• Maple syrup: Adds a bit of sweetness that balances the savory flavors. 
• Spices: You’ll need paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and sea salt. If you’d like smokier refried beans, use a smoked paprika for a subtle smoky flavor. Additionally, if you prefer a more garlicky flavor, use 2 minced garlic cloves. 

How to Make Instant Pot Refried Beans

1. Sauté the onion and optional jalapeño. Turn on the sauté function and let the inner pot become warm. Once warm, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil or a splash of water (for 100% fat-free version!). Add the diced onion and jalapeño, if using, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If using water, add additional water as needed to prevent sticking. 
2. Add tamari, maple syrup, and spices. Cook, stirring frequently, for an additional 60-90 seconds to toast the spices. 
3. Add beans and cooking liquid. Add the dry beans and 4 cups of water or broth. Stir really well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This will ensure the pressure cooking cycle does not trigger a burn warning. 
4. Pressure cook for 40 minutes. Secure the Instant Pot lid, ensure the pressure release valve is set to “SEAL” and pressure cook under manual high pressure for 40 minutes. 
5. Natural release for 10 minutes. Quick release the remaining pressure and remove the lid. There should be some liquid remaining – this is good! 
6. Blend as desired. Using an immersion blender, potato masher, food processor, or regular blender, blend or mash the beans to your desired consistency. I like pretty creamy refried beans, but make my refried black beans a bit chunkier. The beans will be pretty thin at first, but as they cool, they will continue to thicken up considerably. 
7. Serve. Enjoy immediately while warm, or let cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Slow Cooker Variation 

Using an electric pressure cooker is my first choice because I can have ready-to-eat beans in about 1 hour, but if you’ve yet to invest in an Instant Pot, try this slow cooker version. 

1. Add all ingredients to a 6 quart slow cooker bowl. Stir to combine. 
2. Add 1 additional cup of water or broth (Slow cookers release steam whereas Instant Pots do not!).
3. Cook on high for 6-10 hours, or until the beans are soft and tender. 
4. Blend to your desired consistency. 

How to Freeze Leftover Beans

Freezing homemade beans is one of my favorite ways to meal prep and is a top freezer essential in our house. It’s so convenient to know I always have homemade refried beans on hand I can defrost for a quick and easy dinner in 5 minutes. 

Unlike Instant Pot chickpeas that I prefer to freeze in wide mouth jars, I almost exclusively freeze refried beans using Souper Cubes and then transfer the frozen cubes to freezer bags.

This allows me to freeze them in perfect 1 cup or 2 cup portions and reduce food waste. When ready to eat, I pop them out and microwave them until soft and creamy again. 

Frozen beans will keep for up to 3 months without compromising the texture or flavor, but are good indefinitely.