Before we get too far into this post I need to be upfront. These aren’t actually refried beans. They aren’t fried and contain no oil! I call them Instant Pot Refried Beans so you’ll know this recipe is for the Instant Pot and so you’ll know what to expect bean wise.
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In 2012 when I started blogging, one of my first recipes was called Unfried Beans. I love that recipe but it has people confused and it doesn’t exactly rank high in Google searches because no one searches for unfried beans.
This new recipe, designed for the Instant Pot, is basically that same delicious recipe I’ve made hundreds of times. Since it’s all being cooked together I add fresh onion and garlic. I usually added those when I cook beans on the stove top as well.
I first developed the old recipe when we went plant-based. We wanted the same delicious flavors we had always loved without the meat and lard! It’s kinda gross to think about.
Thankfully, this version uses spices we always have on hand because I put them in everything!
If you have a food processor, it will save you a lot of time. I have a 10 cup Hamilton Beach food processor that we’ve used over 5 years. It’s not too expensive and has never let me down.
If you don’t have a food processor you could use a blender, immersion blender, potato masher or a fork. A food processor works the best though.
Instant Pot Refried Beans
We enjoy these beans on anything and everything! Try them in Nachos, Tostadas, burritos or a big bowl by themselves!
- ½ onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced or chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cups dried pinto beans
- 4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt (to your taste)
- Add diced onion, minced garlic, spices, beans and water to the Instant Pot.
- Cook on manual for 40 minutes on high pressure.
- After natural pressure release, scoop out excess water. Reserve it in case you need extra.
- Add 2 teaspoons of salt, more or less to your own taste
- Use a food processor, potato masher or immersion blender to puree.
- Add reserved bean water if needed until you get a smooth texture.
If you have an Instant Pot, be sure to give these refried beans a try! They are perfect for batch cooking because you can use them in so many other recipes!
What are your favorite ways to eat refried beans?
I made this recipe this afternoon. Easy and delicious! I did have a slight problem in that some of the beans were still hard enough that there were a few crunchy beans in my refried beans. I believe this is a sign that my beans are evidently somewhat old.
I love your recipes! Easy, using ordinary ingredients, and delicious. I made the potato/broccoli soup, too. It was great!
Hi Barb,
Old beans will do! I’ve stopped buying my pinto beans in bulk because they would always get old before I could use them all. Who knows how long they sit in a warehouse before they make it to the store. I’m glad you enjoyed them, despite a few crunch beans. I eat beans and potatoes more than anything else lately. This recipe makes it so easy!
I’m hoping to start posting more recipes soon! I’ve been working at converting my older recipes to Instant Pot versions but I think some new recipes are in order too!
Hi! How much does this recipe yield when all is said and done? Thanks!
Made this tonight & got about five cups of delicious, very smoothly pureed frijoles. Must admit I had my doubts about including five cloves of garlic, but decided to try doing things just as directed, and I’m glad now that I did! Thanks for another wonderful recipe, Holly!
Janel, My husband was shocked too but it’s just the right amount of garlic without being too much!
Is it necessary to soak the beans overnight? I’ve heard this helps them become more chemically digestible.
A lot of people don’t soak beans overnight. It’s a personal preference kind of thing. I like them either way as long as they are cooked enough to become soft. When I buy beans in bulk and they sit in my pantry for a month I find that they don’t always get soft enough. I’ve stopped buying them in bulk so I can get fresher beans when I need them.
Refried beans turned out perfectly. I did add a Serrano pepper for heat. Also, instead of discarding the leftover bean water, I kept some beans whole which made a delicious bean soup.
I just got an Instant Pot and the refried beans was my first try and they turned out great.
Best. Recipe. Ever. My kid is SO picky about refried beans. He’ll eat bucketloads at restaurants but is never happy with what I make at home. These were a huge hit in my house. Easypeasy. I love that it starts from dry beans so I don’t have to pre-plan with soaking beans overnight. How can 100% oil-free “refried” beans taste this good? I’m so happy I found this recipe. Smoked garlic powder in place of regular garlic powder for a bit of smoky flavor is really good too.
Thank you for a wonderful, easy, inexpensive recipe!
I will never buy a can of refried beans again! I ended up dicing up a jalapeno as well for a bit more kick. Huge hit with my husband and I. Couldn’t get the 3 year old to try though. Sigh…
Holly, thanks for the great recipe! These beans turned out great and were addicting to eat 🙂 Keep up the great work!
I actually prefer my beans a little runny. Would I have to add much more water? You said you took off some of the water. I wonder if I could just stir it in?
You could cook the beans in more water. There will probably be enough though.
Delicous, Thanks for this Amazing Recipe, From today onward you got a regular reader. I will be giving a try to this recipe tomorrow.
Thank you so much! I appreciate it!
I might be the last person with an Instant Pot, so how many cans of beans would I use for this? It sounds so good I might just be adding another gadget to my collection;)
Hi Mandy,
I do love my Instant Pot but if you don’t have one you can make my quicker and easier version of this recipe with one can of pinto beans! https://myplantbasedfamily.com/2012/03/07/refried-beans/
I have had people who aren’t even plant-based make this their go to refried bean recipe!
I soaked my beans in water in the morning before preparing these for dinner, so I decreased the water by 1 cup. Other than that, we followed the recipe exactly and had THE BEST refried beans for dinner! The flavor profile was spot on. The consistency was perfect. We used our hand blender to “mash” the beans and left some chunky as that is our preference.
These rival the beans offered at our fav Mexican place here in Phoenix (and we have some really good restaurants out here)!
Thanks for this! It easily made it’s way to the top of our list of regularly used recipes.
Yay! I’m so happy you love these! They are my absolute favorite too! Plus, I love knowing exactly what’s in them!