These Instant Pot Refried Beans require no soaking time and just two simple steps. Plus, they’re ready in just 5 minutes!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – any neutral oil like grapeseed oil, avocado oil or sunflower oil can be used as a substitute in this recipe.
- Vegetable broth – vegetable broth adds more flavour to this dish. If you’re in a pinch, you can use water instead.
- Pinto beans – pinto beans add a creamier texture and taste to this dish. If you don’t have pinto beans, you can use black beans as a substitute, but the texture and taste will be different.
- Garlic – fresh garlic or jarred minced garlic are both great options.
- Lime – fresh or bottled lime juice will both work. Lemon juice will also work if it’s all you have on hand.
- Chili powder – cayenne powder, paprika or chipotle powder are all great substitutes.
- Cumin – if you don’t have cumin, you can double up on the coriander, use taco seasoning or leave it out entirely.
- Coriander – if you don’t have coriander, you can double up on the cumin or leave it out entirely.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
Toppings (optional)
- Cilantro – you can use parsley or leave it out completely.
- Jalapenos – any pepper will be a great addition to this recipe. If you’re looking for something without spice, use bell pepper instead.
- Pico de gallo – chopped tomatoes are a great replacement if you don’t have pico de gallo on hand.
- Avocado – fresh avocado or guacamole will pair great with the beans.
- Cotija – if you aren’t able to find cotija, you can use crumbled feta instead or leave it out entirely.
- Diced red onion – use white or yellow onion instead of red, or leave them the onions out entirely.
- Lime wedges – leave this off entirely if you don’t have any on hand.
- Tortilla chips – use raw veggies like carrots for a low-carb substitute.
How to make refried beans in the Instant Pot
- Cook everything in the Instant Pot.
- Mash the cooked beans.
- Prep your toppings.
- Serve and enjoy!
What to serve with refried beans
To enjoy your refried beans, serve them as a dip, a side dish, a meat replacement, or added protein to your favourite Mexican dishes. Adding refried beans to your tacos or fajitas adds extra fibre to the dish and bumps up the nutritional value. You can also eat your refried beans on their own. If you’re looking to eat your refried beans as a dip, you can use tortilla chips or raw vegetables like celery and carrots for a lower carb option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Refried beans are typically made with pinto beans in addition to broth and seasonings. For this recipe, I made the refried beans with olive oil, vegetable broth, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.
These refried beans are way healthier than the kind you’d get in a can or from a Mexican restaurant. They have just 188 calories per serving, so as long as you don’t go overboard with the toppings, they can be a fairly healthy side dish.
Contrary to the name, refried beans aren’t fried twice. The name refried is a translation from the Spanish word “refritos” which directly translates to well-fried. Once the beans have been cooked with the other ingredients in the Instant Pot, they are not only soft, but well fried. This gives the beans the texture that’s necessary for the perfect refried beans!
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover refried beans in a Ziploc bag or airtight container for up to 5 days. Make sure the beans have cooled down before packing them up! You’ll also want to store any toppings separately so the beans and toppings stay as fresh as possible.
When you’re ready to enjoy this dish, warm it up in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or until warm. Add on your desired toppings and dig in!
Can you freeze refried beans?
This dish is freezer friendly! If you want to freeze your beans for a later date, wait for your cooked beans to cool down completely then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
Let the beans defrost in the fridge overnight or for at least a few hours before you want to eat them. The beans might be a little watery after defrosting, but this will go away after you’ve mixed them up. Reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through then serve with your toppings or sides.
More Instant Pot vegetarian recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you want to store this delicious refried beans recipe.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
- Reusable silicone food bags – These reusable food bags get the same job done as the plastic freezer and sandwich bags but are eco-friendly!
Instant Pot Refried Beans {5 Minutes!}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3 (540mL) cans pinto beans, rinsed & drained
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
Topping/serving ideas
- Cilantro
- Jalapenos
- Pico de gallo
- Avocado
- Cotija/feta cheese, crumbled
- Diced red onion
- Lime wedges
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 5 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure then pressure cook for 5 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon.
- Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily. Mash beans until well-blended with some chunks.
- Serve refried beans in a large bowl, topping with desired toppings, then serve and enjoy.
