Refried Beans
Homemade refried beans taste so much better than canned! A pressure cooker makes a speedy cook for your Mexican dinner night!
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- Water, to soak and cook the beans, see Notes
- 1 tablespoon lard or oil
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped, optional
Instructions
- Place the beans in a colander/strainer and pick through to remove any tiny pebbles or other stray objects that do not belong. Rinse the beans well to remove any dust/dirt.
- Place the beans in a large bowl and add enough fresh water to cover by 3 inches. Remove floating beans and discard.
- Let the beans soak overnight. (If you choose to soak the beans in a flavorful liquid, such as a stock, you must refrigerate while soaking.) Or, you can do the quick soak method from the package directions.
- After soaking, drain the beans through a colander. Rinse. Set aside.
- In a 6-quart (or larger) pressure cooker over medium-high heat, melt the lard. Add the onion and sauté until softened, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the bay leaves, 5 cups of fresh water or stock, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to your preference.
- Lock the lid into place. Allow the pressure cooker to come up to pressure. Once you have full pressure, set a timer for 15 minutes. It could take up to 20 minutes cooking time depending on your pressure cooker/instant pot.
- After the cook time, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release.
- Once the pressure has completely subsided, remove the lid away from you (for safety) and gently stir. If the beans are still lightly firm, pressure cook for another 3 or 4 minutes. Or, you can allow the beans to cook on the stovetop, uncovered, until they are at the desired tenderness.
- Remove the bay leaves. Adjust any seasonings as needed.
- If you have quite a bit of liquid in your pot, strain the beans into another large bowl, reserving the liquid. See Notes. Or, what I usually do, use a 1-cup measuring cup to skim about 1 cup out of the beans and reserve it.
- Return the beans to the pot. Using a potato masher, mash the beans to the consistency you desire. The beans can alternatively be pureed in a food processor (not the blender) or with an immersion blender.
- Add some of the reserved liquid from the beans, adding as much as needed to achieve the consistency you desire.
- Serve warm with tortilla chips (or just a spoon!), or use for chalupas, quesadillas, taco cups, etc.
Notes
Using a flavorful stock instead of water for soaking and cooking can bring an element of flavor, but here, I use just plain water. I like the basic flavor of the pinto beans behind these refried beans. The recipe uses 5 cups of water to cook the beans. You can add more water/stock if you would like to. I would only add 1 or 2 more cups, or you will really dilute the flavor.
If you don’t want to use the reserved liquid for the beans, you can add more water or stock to achieve your desired consistency.
The nutrition chart is calculated with water (not stock) and without cilantro.
Yes, you can make Refried Beans on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Soaked beans can be cooked on the stovetop for 1 to 2 hours, or until softened and easily mashed. To use a slow cooker, cook the soaked beans on low for 7 to 8 hours, or until the beans are softened and easily mashed.
Nutrition Facts
Refried Beans
Amount per Serving
Calories
215.75
% Daily Value*
Fat
2.32
g
4
%
Saturated Fat
0.77
g
5
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.42
g
Monounsaturated Fat
0.86
g
Cholesterol
1.52
mg
1
%
Sodium
704.89
mg
31
%
Potassium
806.65
mg
23
%
Carbohydrates
36.53
g
12
%
Fiber
9.01
g
38
%
Sugar
1.47
g
2
%
Protein
12.3
g
25
%
Vitamin C
4.27
mg
5
%
Calcium
69.16
mg
7
%
Iron
2.96
mg
16
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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