About this recipe
There’s something so comforting about opening the fridge and seeing a container of homemade refried beans. My kids light up when they see them. They know taquitos, sopes, or even a quick bean-and-salsa taco are just minutes away.
I often skipped making refried beans because I thought it was a hassle. But once I started using the Instant Pot, it was a game-changer. This method is fast, reliable, and mess-free. These refried beans are creamy, flavorful, and made with just a few pantry staples. You’ll never want to go back to canned beans again.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Effortless: No soaking required (though you can if you want extra creamy results)
- Healthy + Vegan: Made with clean, simple ingredients
- Meal prep friendly: They freeze and reheat like a dream
- Super versatile: Use for tacos, molletes, burritos, bowls, and more
Ingredient notes
- Pinto or black beans: Choose one variety and sort through them before cooking. Discard pebbles or broken beans.
- Onion: White, yellow, or red onion all work. In a pinch, dried onion can also be used.
- Oil: Avocado oil is my go-to for flavor and health, but olive oil or vegetable oil works too.
- Water or broth: Use a 1:3 ratio (3 cups water per 1 cup dried beans). Broth adds extra flavor.
How to make refried beans fast
- Step 1: Sauté the aromatics using the saute function on your Instant Pot. Press “Cancel” when done.
- Step 2: Pressure cook. Add the rinsed and sorted beans and 6 cups of water. Make sure the pot is no more than 2/3 full. Secure the lid, set the valve to “Sealing,” and select the “Beans/Chili” function or cook manually on high pressure for 30 minutes.
- Step 3: Let the pressure release naturally for at least 20 minutes, then mash.
Best way to sort beans
- Spread out the beans: Pour the beans onto a large, light-colored tray or baking sheet. The light color will help you spot any impurities more easily. Spread them out into a single layer so you can see each bean.
- Look for impurities: Carefully examine the beans. Look for small stones, pieces of dirt or other debris, and broken, shriveled, or discolored beans.
- Remove impurities: When you spot an impurity or a bad bean, pick it up and discard it.
- Rinse the beans: After you’ve sorted the beans, transfer them to a colander and rinse under cold running water to remove any remaining dust or dirt.
Variations and add-ins
- Creamy refried beans: Stir in a spoonful of cashew cream or vegan sour cream after mashing.
- Spicy refried beans: Add a chopped jalapeno or a dash of chipotle powder when sauteing the onion.
- Hearty refried beans: Stir in cooked quinoa or brown rice for extra protein.
- Herby beans: Mix in chopped cilantro or a squeeze of lime juice at the end for brightness.
Tips for the best Instant Pot refried beans
- Sorting beans: Spread beans on a light-colored tray to easily spot and remove any stones or broken bits. Always rinse well before cooking.
- Creamier texture: Soaking beans for 6-8 hours leads to a smoother finish. If soaked, reduce cook time to 15-20 minutes.
- Too dry? Just stir in warm water or broth as needed when reheating.
- Too runny? Simmer uncovered in the Instant Pot on “Saute” to thicken.
- Salt after cooking: Add salt after the beans are done – salting before can make the skins tough.
- Batch-friendly: Double the recipe and freeze in portions for easy meal prep.
How to use refried beans
Serve these refried beans as a side with hibiscus tacos, crispy potato tacos, or sopes. They’re also great as a filling for burritos and quesadillas, or spread on molletes. You can also just heat a corn or flour tortilla, add some beans, and top with salsa verde or pico de gallo.
How to store refried beans
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. Silicone bags or small containers work great.
- To reheat: Warm in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth. Microwave works too – cover and heat in 30-second intervals.
Frequently asked questions
More bean recipes you’ll love:
- Refried beans (skillet method)
- Frijoles de olla (Mexican pot beans)
- Frijoles puercos
- Frijoles charros
- How to cook beans in the Instant Pot
Instant Pot Refried Beans (No Soak Needed)
Creamy refried beans made from scratch in the Instant Pot with no soaking required. Just dried beans, onion, oil, and salt. Perfect for meal prep – they freeze and reheat beautifully.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried beans pinto or black, sorted and rinsed
- 6 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1/2 white onion quartered (for cooking) + 1/4 onion, finely diced (for sauteing)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Saute the onion. Set the Instant Pot to "Saute." Add the oil and diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Press "Cancel."
- Add the beans and liquid. Add the sorted and rinsed beans, quartered onion, and 6 cups of water or broth. Make sure the pot is no more than 2/3 full.
- Pressure cook. Secure the lid, set the valve to "Sealing," and select the "Beans/Chili" program or cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
- Natural pressure release. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 20 minutes. Do not use quick release – natural release gives the beans a better texture and keeps the skins from splitting.
- Drain and save the cooking liquid. Drain the beans but save the cooking liquid in a separate bowl. Remove the quartered onion.
- Mash the beans. Return the beans to the Instant Pot (set to "Saute" on low) or transfer to a large skillet. Mash with a bean masher or potato masher to your desired texture. Add cooking liquid a little at a time if they get too thick.
- Season and serve. Add salt to taste now (adding salt after cooking keeps the skins tender). Remember: the beans will thicken as they cool, so leave them a bit looser than your target consistency. Serve hot.
Liquid ratio: Use 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of dried beans (1:3 ratio). For 2 cups of beans, use 6 cups of water. Do not fill the pot more than 2/3 full to prevent foam from blocking the valve.
Notes
No soak needed: The Instant Pot cooks dried beans without soaking. If you soak them for 6-8 hours, they’ll be slightly creamier and cook faster, so reduce the cooking time to 15-20 minutes.
Oil: The oil used to saute the onion also helps reduce foam during pressure cooking.
Salt: Always add salt after cooking, not before. Salting before can toughen the skins.
Cooking liquid: Save it. It has tons of flavor and is the key to adjusting texture when mashing and reheating.
Texture: Mash less for chunky, rustic beans. Mash more (or use an immersion blender) for smooth beans. Always leave them a bit looser than you want – they thicken as they cool.
Too runny? Use the “Saute” function to simmer off excess liquid while mashing.
Too dry when reheating? Stir in a splash of saved cooking liquid or warm water.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or water.
Meal prep: Make a double batch and freeze in silicone bags or small containers. Great to have on hand for busy weeknights.
Not vegan? You can saute the onion in lard for a more traditional flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 10gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 711mgPotassium: 635mgFiber: 7gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 376IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 3mg
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Hi, I’m Ale Graf!
I’m a Mexican home cook based in Texas and the voice behind AleCooks and Piloncillo & Vainilla.
I create easy, family-friendly recipes with Mexican roots and a plant-forward mindset—always flexible and made to bring people together. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino and love helping home cooks feel more confident in the kitchen.
Come say hi on Instagram—I’d love to hear what you’re cooking.