How to Make Refried Beans in an Instant Pot (From Dried Beans)

Quick Summary: Creamy refried beans made from dried pinto or black beans in an Instant Pot. The pressure cooker caramelizes the onions and spices while cooking the beans to smooth perfection. Much better than canned, and compliant with slow carb diets. Prep: 20 min | Cook: 1 hr 10 min | Serves: 6

Jump to: RECIPE | Pinto or Black Beans? | Make in Instant Pot | Spices | Nutrition | FAQ

Refried beans are often made with dried pinto beans (sometimes black beans) and making them from scratch with dried beans is leaps and bounds tastier than from a can.

The Instant Pot makes this practical for a weeknight. No overnight soaking and no long simmering. You just sauté the aromatics, add dried beans and water, and let the pressure cooker do the work for the next hour.

Make them in a big batch and keep in the refrigerator for breakfast burritos, a dip for chips or as sides to carnitas, quesatacos and most other Mexican main dishes.

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What Are Refried Beans?

Refried beans (frijoles refritos) are cooked beans that have been mashed and fried with fat and aromatics. Despite the name, they’re not fried twice. The “re” in refried comes from the Spanish “refritos,” which means “well fried” rather than “fried again.”

Traditional refried beans are made with pinto beans and lard, cooked low and slow until creamy. The Instant Pot version skips the long simmer but keeps the depth of flavor by caramelizing the onions and spices before pressure cooking.

In Mexico, refried beans appear at nearly every meal. They’re served as a side dish, spread inside tacos and burritos, or topped with cheese as a simple appetizer.

Pinto Beans vs Black Beans

I mix these up a lot, depending on what I have on hand. Both work well for refried beans. Here’s how they compare:

Pinto beans:

• Traditional choice for refried beans
• Creamy texture when mashed
• Mild, earthy flavor
• 234 calories per cup
• Slightly higher in carbs and starch

Black beans:

• Common in Cuban and Caribbean cooking, also used in parts of Mexico
• Firmer texture, holds shape better
• Slightly sweeter, more robust flavor
• 227 calories per cup
• Higher in protein and fiber, lower in carbs

For slow carb eating, black beans have a slight edge due to lower carbs and higher protein. But both are compliant, and both taste great. Use whichever you prefer.

Best Spices for Mexican Refried Beans

The recipe below uses a smoky, medium spicy blend. You can adjust the heat to your preference as follows:

For smoky heat:

• Chipotle powder (smoked jalapeño)
• Guajillo chiles (dried, fruity, medium heat)
• Serrano peppers (fresh, sharp heat)

For milder versions:

• Smoked paprika (smokiness without heat)
• Sweet paprika (color and mild flavor)
• Ancho chile powder (dried poblano, mild and earthy)

Aromatics to consider adding:

• Mexican oregano (more citrusy than Mediterranean oregano)
• Cumin (earthy, warm)
• Bay leaf (subtle depth)
• Garlic (essential)

The Instant Pot’s sauté function lets you bloom these spices in oil before pressure cooking, which develops more flavor than just dumping everything in together.

How to Make Refried Beans in an Instant Pot

For detailed ingredients and directions, see the recipe card below. In short:

• Set Instant Pot to sauté. Add oil, onion, garlic, oregano, dried chiles, black pepper, and bay leaf. Cook until onions are caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Turn off sauté. Add 6 cups water, 2 cups dried beans, and 1 tablespoon salt. Set Instant Pot to “bean” or “soup” setting. Cook for 40 minutes. When done, vent the pressure and remove the lid.
• Let beans cool to room temperature. They will absorb some liquid as they cool. Remove about 1 cup of liquid and set aside.
• Use an immersion blender to puree the beans to your preferred consistency. Add reserved liquid back if needed.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons oil, butter, or lard. Close the lid, set to “soup,” and cook another 30 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust salt.

Favorite Ways to Use Refried Beans:

Possibly the single best reason I keep coming back to this recipe is that I use them in everything! Make them in a big batch and use in:

• Breakfast burritos: Spread inside with scrambled eggs, cheese, and salsa
• Burrito bowls: Base layer under carnitas, rice, and toppings
• Tostadas: Spread on crispy tortillas, top with lettuce, cheese, crema
• Tacos: Layer with meat and other fillings
• Bean dip: Serve warm with chips (not slow carb, but delicious)
• Sandwiches: Spread on tortas or other sandwiches as a flavorful layer
• Enchiladas: Roll inside with cheese

Nutritional Benefits

In terms of health, most beans offer a lot of nutritional benefits. In fact, the one diet ingredient that all of the cultures explored in the Blue Zones study on longevity had in common was a cup of beans a day!

Both black and pinto beans contain manganese, iron, vitamin B1, potassium, magnesium and phosphorous.

Pinto beans have a few more calories (234 in one cup of pinto vs 227 in a cup of black beans).

FAQ

Interested in the Slow Carb Diet? Check out this comprehensive E-Guide on Fat Loss through a Slow Carb Diet.