Refried Beans You Can Make in 90 Minutes with an Instant Pot (+Video)

Preview: Refried beans used to be an all-day affair. But now, this recipe for Refried Beans with an Instant Pot saves the day for something else.

A while back, a charity asked me to cook up and freeze some 25 pounds of dried pinto beans. It was just the excuse I needed to perfect this recipe for refried beans using the Instant Pot.

Please keep reading to find out what I learned in the process.

Secrets for making refried beans in an Instant Pot:

#1

Not all beans are equal.

Old beans take longer to cook than fresher ones. Consequently, if your beans are not tender at the end of the cooking time prescribed in this recipe, seal up the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.

#2

A warning about the cooking time.

Recipes I try from the internet don’t always account for the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure before the specified time gets started. This time can be considerable, so remember that when comparing recipes.

#3

Tip to decrease the time of cooking:

Pour hot tap water into the Instant Pot after you briefly sauté the onion mixture and while you’re preparing the beans.  As a result, it will take less time for the pot to come to pressure once you add the beans and seal the pot.

#4

Fresh jalapeño peppers can be frozen.

Store in the packaging they come in from the store. Or, wash, seed, and chop finely before freezing them. (Don’t forget to wear gloves when handling peppers. Your eyes will thank you.)

#5

Tomato paste in a tube is the bomb!

Of course, you can open a can of tomato paste and freeze the rest in small portions. But if it is speed you need, the tube is your friend.

How to cook unsoaked pinto beans in 90 minutes:

More tips:

#1

My favorite tortilla warmer

Since many refried beans end up in burritos, I wanted to mention this tortilla warmer. Don’t underestimate its usefulness when you’re feeding a crowd and trying to keep tortillas warm.

In my book, it’s much better than traditional tortilla warmers that sweat inside and end up dripping water on your tortillas.

#2

Freezing Refried Beans

As for burritos, I like to freeze single portions of these plastic zippered bags and freeze them. They make a cheap and filling snack or lunch.

#4

Don’t put overfill your tortilla when making burritos.

Burritos with beans squishing out everywhere are hard to eat. I learned it from my grandchildren.

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Instant Pot Refried Beans in 90 Minutes

Simple refried beans are cooked in the Instant Pot with no pre-soaking required.

Paula Rhodes

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 30 mins

Course Vegetables and Side Dishes

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

• ¼ cup bacon grease or vegetable oil - or vegetable oil
• 1 large onion - chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic - chopped
• 1 small jalapeño pepper - seeded and finely chopped
• 4-1/2 cups water - (hot from the tap)
• 1 pound dried pinto beans - sorted and washed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt - or Adobo seasoning
• Ground black pepper and/or hot sauce - optional

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Add bacon grease to Instant Pot and set to "Sauté." When grease is melted, add onions, garlic, and jalapeño pepper. Sauté approximately 3-5 minutes until onions are soft.
• Pour hot tap water into the pot so it can come to a boil while you sort and wash beans.
• Add beans to pot and seal. Turn off the Sauté button and set to cook on HIGH pressure for 50 minutes.
• Release pressure 10 minutes after pressure cooking finishes.
• Open pot. Drain off liquid and reserve. Stir in tomato paste, salt, black pepper, and hot sauce to taste. If you have Adobo seasoning on hand, use it instead of salt for a more authentic Tex-Mex flavor.
• Use an immersion blender or a potato masher to pulverize beans to your preferred level of chunkiness. Add in reserved liquid as needed to make beans the right consistency. If you like your beans really smooth, use a food processor and blend in batches.

Video

Notes

1. If beans seem too dry after mashing, add a little bit of water to bring to desired consistency.
2. Skip step #6 if you just want a mean bowl of beans.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 8gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 122mgPotassium: 568mgFiber: 6gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 56IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 2mg

Essentials

• Instant Pot
• Goya Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper 28 Ounces
• IMUSA USA MEXI-10007 Sunburst Cloth Tortilla Warmer 12-Inch, Yellow/Red/Orange

Keyword ElectricPressureCooker, InstantPot, PintoBeans, QuickRefriedBeans, RefriedBeans

Cuisine American

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