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These Instant Pot Refried Beans are a budget-friendly, no-fuss side dish that tastes better than canned and costs just pennies per serving. Skip the store-bought versions and make this easy, freezer-friendly favorite right at home.
I love this recipe because it’s affordable, easy to prep ahead, and works perfectly for busy schedules.
Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Refried Beans!
As a busy mom of 8, I’m always looking for ways to stretch our grocery budget without sacrificing flavor and this Instant Pot Refried Beans recipe does exactly that.
It’s incredibly affordable, made with pantry staples, and perfect for feeding a crowd (or freezing for later). Whether we’re doing taco night, burrito bowls, or just need a quick side, this recipe is on repeat in my kitchen.
You might also like our Instant Pot Pinto Beans Recipe or Crock Pot Pinto Beans Recipe. No worries if you do not have a pressure cooker yet, try making Crock Pot Refried Beans in your slow cooker.
Recipe Snapshot
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins + release
- Budget-Friendly: Just pennies per serving
- Freezer-Friendly: Yes, perfect for batch prep
- Best For: Taco night, burritos, sides, meal prep
- Kid-Approved: Mild and adaptable flavor
Ingredients for Homemade Refried Beans
- Dry Pinto Beans – These are the star of the recipe and incredibly affordable—especially when bought in bulk. Pinto beans are high in protein and fiber, making them a nourishing and budget-conscious choice for big families. Plus, using dry beans instead of canned gives better flavor and texture.
- Onion – Onions add a rich, savory base to the beans. You can use a whole onion (halved for easy removal) or dice it if your family likes the flavor throughout. Either way, it’s a simple pantry staple that adds depth without costing much.
- Water – Just good old water—no stock or broth needed! It keeps the recipe clean, cost-effective, and lets the flavor of the beans and spices shine.
- Salt, Garlic Salt, Black Pepper and Cumin – These common spices give your beans that familiar “restaurant-style” flavor without needing a lot of ingredients. Cumin, especially, brings a warm, earthy note that makes homemade beans taste authentic and cozy.
- Jalapeño Pepper Seeded – Optional, but adds just a touch of heat and brightness. Perfect for flavor without overwhelming spice—family-friendly and easy to adjust.
How to Make Refried Beans in the Instant Pot
Step 1 – Make sure to thoroughly rinse the beans and drain the beans. Place beans in the 6-quart Instant Pot and add all other ingredients.
Step 2 – Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the pressure time to 50 minutes. I did a quick release but you can do the natural release too after you cooked beans.
Step 3 – Once they are cooked, use a slotted spoon to scoop out some of the cooking liquid into another bowl. Begin to mash the tender beans with a potato masher.
Step 4 – Once the refried beans reach the consistency you like, serve or store to enjoy with all your Mexican dishes.
Tips for Creamy, Flavorful Beans
- Rinse Your Beans Thoroughly – Even though you’re using dry beans, it’s important to rinse them well under cool water to remove dust or small debris. No need to soak — the Instant Pot handles that for you!
- Don’t Overfill the Instant Pot – Dry beans expand a lot as they cook. Stick to the recommended 1 lb of beans and water amount to avoid overflow or burn notices.
- Reserve the Cooking Liquid Before Mashing – Scoop out about a cup (or more) of the bean cooking liquid before draining. This starchy, flavorful liquid helps you adjust the consistency of the refried beans as you mash them — creamy, not dry!
- Choose Your Texture – Whether you love smooth or chunky beans, you can mash by hand with a potato masher for rustic texture, hand mixer or use an immersion blender for ultra-smooth beans. Let the kids help with mashing if you’re short on time!
Flavor Variations and Add-Ins
- Adding the Onion – My kids don’t like onion, but I like to add in for flavor so just cut in half and this way I can remove it when done cooking.
- Make sure to add enough water – You just want double the amount of water in there than there are beans.
- Add in Bacon – You might also like Instant Pot Refried Beans bacon version. The bacon fat infuses the beans for a wonderful flavor and it’s really tasty too.
- Spice the Beans up – If you want to add in some flavor, add in some cayenne pepper. Start with a tablespoon and add in according to your taste.
- Topping Ideas – Refried beans is great by itself but we love to top with these favorite toppings. Try it with shredded cheese, slice jalapenos, pico de gallo, salsa, and sour cream.
Serving Ideas
There are many ways to serve refried beans. Here are some of our favorites:
- My kids love these in their Ground Beef Tacos Recipe or Crockpot Chicken Tacos Recipe
- Make bean burritos.
- Use as a side dish for tacos or other Mexican dishes such as Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Meatless Monday Ideas- Bean Nachos, Bean Tacos etc.
- Make Taco Dip
- Eat with Tortilla Chips
Storage, Reheating and Freezer Tips
- Fridge – This recipe makes a lot of refried beans. So we like to place in individual containers and store in the refrigerator. I tend to make a big batch for the week so we can add a side dish for our Mexican Recipes and freeze the rest. Store in an airtight container and they will be good in the refrigerator for about 4 days.
- Freezer – Instant Pot Refried Beans freeze great. You can place in a freezer safe container and they will stay good for about 3 months. We recommend placing in individual containers. To save freezer space, place cooled beans in zip-top bags, press out excess air, and flatten before freezing.
- Reheat – When you are ready to eat, just thaw the homemade refried beans in your fridge and cook on medium heat in a sauce pan or large pot. Stir occasionally until heated through. Cooking time will vary but range at 15 minutes to 25 minutes. You can even warm the refried beans up in the microwave until heated through.
Homemade Refried Beans FAQ
Yes! 1 pound of dried beans will make about 4 “cans” of beans depending on if you use ½ cups or more.
Normally when making pinto beans, you would pre-soak them. But when making refried beans in the instant pot you don’t have to. The Instant Pot takes care of it and you are left with amazing refried beans.
The right beans to use is Pinto Beans to make the best refried beans. If you prefer you can use black beans. We loved the flavor of the pinto beans and they smash perfectly to give you that restaurant style refried beans.
In this recipes, we recommend using fresh pinto beans to make Instant Pot Refried Beans.
Instant Pot Refried Beans (No Soak!) – Easy, Budget-Friendly Side Dish
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pinto beans
- 1 onion (peeled and chopped (you can just cut in half, if you want the flavor, but want to take the onion out later))
- 9 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
How to make Refried Beans in the Instant Pot:
- Thoroughly rinse the beans.
- Place beans in the Instant Pot and add all other ingredients.
- My first time to make the beans, I put the onion in whole (I just cut it in half). The second time, I threw in chopped onions and the onions stays in with the beans. I prefer this way, but if you are not an onion fan, you might just want to toss them in whole so you can strain it easier.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the valve is set to sealing.
- Set the pressure time to 50 minutes. I did a quick release but you can do the natural release too.
- Once they are cooked, use a slotted spoon to scoop out some of the mixture into another bowl. Begin to mash the beans with a potato masher (you could use an immersion blenderbut it is easy to do it by hand).
- Add liquids from the Instant as needed to get the consistency you prefer.
- You get to decide how “mushy” you want them. Continue to do this until all beans have been mashed.
- Then place the beans into containers for the freezer until ready to eat. 1 pound of dried beans will make about 4 “cans” of beans.
- When you are ready to eat, just thaw in your fridge and cook on low in a sauce pan, until heated through.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
More Easy Instant Pot Side Dishes
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Instant Pot Corn on the Cob Recipe
Quick and Easy Instant Pot
Instant Pot Spanish Rice
Quick and Easy Instant Pot
Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
We love hearing from our readers! If you try making Homemade Refried Beans, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Added a small ham hock, and my cook time was about 3 times longer. Absolutely delicious!
Deb – Yum! I bet the ham tasted amazing with it!
Sounds awesome, and 1 of my favorite things to eat on or in anything Mexican foods.
I do not have an instant pot, can I just use a slow cooker on high heat?
Thanks for the great recipes.
Yes, we have a recipe for Crock Pot Refried Beans. I hope you try it out and let me know what you think in the comments on that post!
I use smoked ham hocks & chicken stock and and garlic that’s all in my refries I take out the hocks remove the meat smoosh the beans a bit and everyone loves them. Love your site.