Instant Pot Refried Beans are deliciously seasoned with onion, garlic, and chiles, and there’s nothing like from-scratch refried beans! If you like making beans in the Instant Pot or like to cook Mexican food, you’ll want to make these refried beans over and over.

PIN Instant Pot Refried Beans to try them later!

The BEST Instant Pot Refried Beans with Onion, Garlic, and Chiles

Instant Pot Refried Beans are the perfect side dish for Mexican food, and Cinco de Mayo is just a few days away so I’m reminding you about this recipe as my Friday Favorites pick for this week! I hope you’ve settled on something to make for your Cinco de Mayo Menu!

These refried beans are something I first made when I was having house renovations at my little house in Salt Lake, and there was more comfort food on the menu than usual during that time. I first made refried beans in the stovetop pressure cooker, and loved them! Fast forward a few years later, and of course now I would make these perfectly-seasoned refried beans in the Instant Pot!

On the day we took these photos, Kara and I loved sampling the beans of course, and we kept commenting about how amazing the Instant Pot Refried Beans were! And and I ate the leftovers in bean burritos with low-carb tortillas and enjoyed every bite.

If you’ve never made homemade from-scratch refried beans, I hope this recipe for making refried beans in the Instant Pot will be the recipe that’s going to get you to try making them! And trust me when I say that the refried beans you make from scratch are infinitely more flavorful than the ones that come in a can, and I bet they might be lower in carbs than you think!

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)

Why make your own refried beans?

If you’ve only had refried beans from a can, I can’t emphasize enough how there is something completely special about homemade from-scratch refried beans! And I think that’s even more true about this refried beans recipe where the dried beans are cooked in the Instant Pot, then pressure-cooked a second time with onion, garlic, and chiles, and then fried.

What types of dried beans can be used for Instant Pot Refried Beans?

The pinto beans we used are traditional for Mexican refried beans, but this recipe would also be delicious with black beans if you prefer that option.

Are the Instant Pot Refried Beans low in carbs?

Refried beans are not super low in carbs of course, but dried beans are quite high in fiber and have some protein, so you might be surprised that these beans have only about 11 net carbs per serving. For me this is would be something I’d enjoy for an occasional treat.

What size Instant Pot did I use?

I use a 6 Quart Instant Pot (affiliate link) for all my Instant Pot Recipes. You can use Instant Pot Recipes to see all my other recipes using the Instant Pot!

The BEST Instant Pot Refried Beans with Onion, Garlic, and Chiles process shots collage

How to Make Instant Pot Refried Beans:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Use two cups of dried pinto beans; no need to soak them but beans that have been on the shelf or in your pantry for a while will take a little longer to cook.
  2. Put beans in the Instant Pot and cover with water 2 inches above the beans. Add 1 T olive oil to slow cooker, then lock lid.
  3. Set Instant Pot to MANUAL, HIGH PRESSURE and 30 minutes.
  4. When 30 minutes is up, use QUICK RELEASE to release the pressure. (Be sure to add 5-10 minutes cooking time if your beans are old.)
  5. While the beans are cooking, chop the onion, mince garlic (or use Minced Garlic (affiliate link) from a jar), and get the can of diced green chiles (affiliate link) and salt ready.
  6. Add those ingredients to the cooked beans. Lock lid again, set Instant Pot to MANUAL, HIGH PRESSURE, and 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
  7. When the pressure has released, use an immersion blender (affiliate link) or a food processor (affiliate link) to puree the beans, making them as creamy or chunky as you prefer. (Beans may seem watery, but any extra water will cook out when they’re fried.)
  8. Heat olive oil (or fat of your preference) in a large non-stick frying pan.
  9. Add the pureed beans and simmer over low heat, stirring often, until beans have thickened to the desired consistency.
  10. Serve Instant Pot Refried Beans hot, with grated cheese and sliced green onions if desired.

Serve Refried Beans as part of a Mexican Meal:

Check out 22 Keto Mexican Food Dinners for some tasty Mexican main dishes to serve with your Instant Pot refried beans!

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep  where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

The BEST Instant Pot Refried Beans with Onion, Garlic, and Chiles
Yield: 8 servings (1/2 cup serving size)

Instant Pot Refried Beans

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

You'll love these delicious refried beans, made in the Instant Pot, and I think the special way I season the beans really does make them The BEST Instant Pot refried beans!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried pinto beans (see notes)
  • 3 T olive oil, divided (see notes)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 T minced garlic
  • 1 4 oz. can diced green chiles (see notes)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • grated cheese, for serving (optional)
  • thinly sliced green onions, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Put beans in pressure cooker with enough water to cover by about 2 inches.
  2. Add 1 T olive oil to cooker, then lock lid, choose MANUAL SETTING and HIGH PRESSURE, and set time for 30 minutes. (Remember to add a few minutes if your beans are old.)
  3. After 30 minutes, use QUICK RELEASE to release the pressure.
  4. While beans cook, chop the onion, and prepare minced garlic and green chiles, and measure the salt.
  5. Add those ingredients to the pressure cooker with the cooked beans.
  6. Lock lid again and set to MANUAL, HIGH PRESSURE, and 10 minutes.
  7. Let pressure release naturally when the time is up.
  8. When pressure has released, remove lid and without draining, use an immersion blender (affiliate link) or a food processor (affiliate link) to puree the beans, being careful not to over-blend.
  9. At this point, beans will definitely be more runny than you want, but I like the idea of keeping the flavor that’s in the cooking water and excess liquid will cook off when the beans are fried.
  10. Heat 2 T oil of your choice in a heavy, nonstick pan.
  11. Add beans and simmer over low heat, stirring often, until beans have thickened to desired consistency.
  12. For me this took about 10 minutes.
  13. Serve hot, topped with grated cheese and thinly sliced green onions if desired.

Notes

There is no need to soak the beans, but beans that are fresher will cook more quickly. If your beans have been sitting on the shelf for a while, add 5-10 minutes cooking time.

You can also use lard, bacon grease, or any other fat you prefer for frying the beans. I used Anaheim chiles, called diced green chiles (affiliate link) in U.S. stores, but you can use hotter chiles if you prefer. I used Four Cheese Mexican Blend for the cheese.

I originally created this recipe with a stovetop pressure cooker, but recently I made it again in theย Instant Potย and you can certainly use aย Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker or another electric pressure cooker if thatโ€™s what you have. (affiliate links)

This recipe was created by Kalyn.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 142Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 4mgSodium 317mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 5gSugar 2gProtein 5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Square image of Instant Pot Refried Beans shown in serving bowl.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Refried Beans are high in carbs for traditional low-carb diet plans, so they’re probably something that’s an occasional splurge for low-carb eaters! Dried beans are approved for any phase of the original South Beach Diet, which makes these Instant Pot Refried Beans  perfect for South Beach Diet meals. 

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Instant Pot Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalynโ€™s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes Iโ€™m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for refried beans in a pressure cooker was first posted in 2009! In 2017 I made Instant Pot Refried Beans and the recipe was updated with better photos; it was last updated with more information in 2025.

Pinterest image of Instant Pot Refried Beans

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