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These Instant Pot Refried Beans bring BIG flavor, but are made with only 6 ingredients!
Perfect with Tacos, Burritos, Nachos, or Rice. Vegan & Fat Free.
If you’ve had Refried Beans from a can, you know that nothing beats the homemade stuff. Or maybe you think that all Refried Beans = gelatinous, flavorless mush. But that is not the case, my friends!
Luckily with a Pressure Cooker and 6 plant-based and healthy ingredients, we can do a whole lot better.
Now because this recipe has only 6 ingredients, we are going to use a few “hacks” to up the flavor:
- Fresh Jalapeños add some nice zest, but we’re actually going to broil them in the oven to increase the smokiness of the beans
- Salsa is my ultimate Tex-Mex food back (see my Instant Pot Rice & Beans) because it’s loaded with all the good stuff (onions, tomatoes, garlic, etc.) while still only being one (affordable!) “ingredient”
- Last but not least, our Spices: Chili Powder and Cumin are pretty essential, but I also like to add some Chipotle Powder as it adds both heat and depth of flavor.
An added bonus? You don’t have to soak the beans before you cook them! I don’t know about you guys, but I always forget. And when I want some Refried Beans, I want them now. Not 12-14 hours + a cooking time later 😉
That being said, if you do prefer to soak your beans, you can reduce the cooking time in the Instant Pot (see the recipe notes) and have all of this deliciousness ready for you even sooner!
A Few Final Thoughts:
- If you are sensitive to heat, I would reduce( or omit) the Chipotle Powder. As long as you properly deseed the Jalapeño Peppers, those should be fine! Their heat lies mostly in the seeds.
- Make sure you add enough Water to your Pressure Cooker before cooking the beans – it should be a good 3-4″ above the level of the dried Beans.
- Not sure how to serve your Instant Pot Refried Beans? I love them with Burrito Bowls, Burritos, Tacos, Nachos, as a Dip, or even with some plain ol’ Rice.
If you’re looking for more Pressure Cooker recipes, you’ll also love this Instant Pot Rice & Beans and this Instant Pot Black Bean Soup!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
PrintInstant Pot Refried Beans (6 Ingredients!)
These Instant Pot Refried Beans bring BIG flavor, but are made with only 6 ingredients!
Perfect with Tacos, Burritos, Nachos, or Rice. Vegan & Fat Free.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups dried Pinto Beans (~14 oz)
- 2 Fresh Jalapeños
- ⅔ cup Salsa
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Chipotle Powder (reduce if sensitive to heat)
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- First, add the dried Pinto Beans to your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker. Cover with Water (should be 3-4″ above the beans), Seal the iPot, and cook on Manual High for 40 Minutes.
- In the meantime, slice the Jalapeños into strips, removing the seeds. Place them on a baking tray and broil on High for 8-10 minutes.
- Carefully place the Jalapeño slices into a resealable bag, and steam in the bag for 5-7 minutes. Afterward, dice them into tiny pieces. (Note: don’t peel the black part of skin off, it adds flavor!)
- Once the Beans have cooked for 40 Minutes, let the iPot self-release pressure for 10 minutes, then release manually.
- Drain the beans until the liquid rests slightly below the beans, but reserve the excess. Blend ⅓ – ½ of the beans with the Salsa in a Blender or Food Processor, and gently mash the rest with a fork. If the mixture is too thick, add in some of the excess “bean water.” Alternatively, you can do this all in one pot if you have an Immersion Blender. (Note: the Beans will thicken over time and as they cool, so it is best to have the mixture be slightly runnier than you would originally like)
- Finally, add the diced Jalapeños, Spices, and Salt. Mix Well and serve as desired.I prefer these beans 1-2 days after I make them, as the flavors have more time to combine!
Notes
- I use this 6 qt. Instant Pot, and love it!
- Make sure you add enough Water to your Pressure Cooker before cooking the beans – it should be a good 3-4″ above the level of the dried Beans.
- If you have pre-soaked your Pinto Beans, cook them on Manual High for 15 Minutes, instead of 40.
Want to save this Instant Pot Refried Beans for later? Pin the recipe to your Pinterest boards:
Has anyone used canned pinto beans? If so, how did you adjust recipe?
Hi Caitlin. These refried beans were delicious. Thank you for another great recipe!
★★★★★
Happy to hear you liked them!
COOKING NEWBIE HERE – how are you steaming the jalapenos in the ziploc bag?
the jalapeños are still warm, when you seal the plastic bag they release steam and soften
Thank you so much! These refried beans are absolutely epic. I used pickled jalapenos because fresh ones aren’t available where I live, but they still turned out great. I could live on these.
Yum! Yes, pickled jalapeños would also be great here 🙂
I’ve never made refried beans but after seeing all the comments and your easy Youtube video I made them this morning (in a normal saucepan). They are FABULOUS. Thank you Caitlin, you’ve got a new fan. Linda
★★★★★
Thank YOU, Linda! 🙂
These are the best damn refried beans I’ve had in my life!
omg YAAAY this comment made my day 🙂
Instant refried beans are getting more health benefits and also this recipe can containing the health based ingredients. The recipe may contain the salsa chipotle powder and tomato, garlic, and onions. Great to make and very simple product to used for making. Really getting spicy and yummy taste. I try in my home. It is really amazing taste. Clear steps and process will be done with your post here. Thanks for given wonderful recipe to the readers here. You can post more recipe here. i am waiting for your post
Made these. I soaked my beans overnight so reduced cook time as suggested. I have the 8 qt IP and ended up with entirely too much water in the end but hey, it’s just water, right? Otherwise tasted good right away, tasted even better a few days later (and thicker).
Kaitlin, do you think I can freeze some of it?
★★★
Hi Nicole! If you soaked the beans overnight, you would need to reduce the water in the recipe (as the beans have already absorbed some water and there would definitely be excess). I have freezed this recipe with no problems
So going to make these! How long do the beans last for?
about 7 days in the fridge!
can you cook it on the stove top in a regular pot? Thank you.
Hi Irma! Yes you can cook the beans on the stovetop, but this will take a couple of hours. You may want to reference this: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-beans-on-the-stove-182717