Healthy Instant Pot Refried Beans
Have you ever eaten refried beans in a restaurant and thought I would love to make them at home? Now it’s time! Because making these refried beans in an Instant Pot at home is a breeze. And, they are so much healthier than the restaurant version! Cook the pinto beans from dry and say no to canned beans. I am sure you will love these easy refried beans because they are:
How To Make Instant Pot Refried Beans?
This recipe has less than 10 steps which are very simple. First, you need to soak the pinto beans for at least 8 hours. I will explain soon why soaking is beneficial for our health! The pinto beans will expand in size and cook faster. Cook them in the Instant Pot on “Manual” for 35 minutes and quick release. Finally, you will saute the onion, garlic, and spices until softened and fragrant. Add the beans back to the Instant Pot with the vegetable broth. Mash with a potato masher or with an immersion blender. And you are done! Check the easy instruction pictures below:
How To Cook Beans? Soaking or Not?
First of all, it’s up to you if you want to skip the soaking part or not, however, I highly recommend it! Soaking makes the beans better digestible, from my experience! And let me tell you, I cook beans very frequently, so I really noticed the difference. I have much less bloating and gas when I soak the beans. I know there are lots of recipes out there which say “Instant Pot Refried Beans without soaking…”. And yes, you CAN make refried beans in an Instant Pot without soaking (just cook them 20 minutes or so longer) but it’s really not the best option. You might feel bloated and gassy after eating beans which haven’t been soaked overnight. To me, it’s now a routine to soak the beans in the morning on days when I want to eat beans for dinner. Sometimes I soak them overnight for more than 8 hours and cook them at lunch time. But even the 8 hours DO make a significant difference. Also, you might have seen refried beans recipes which say to save the cooking water for later use! Please, DON’T DO IT! I noticed the cooking water is causing all the bloating and gas and I don’t want that. So discard it and add vegetable broth. It’s so much better in my opinion!
I love using refried beans for all kind of Mexican dishes, whether it is taquitos (see pics below), or fajitas, tacos, etc. And since I eat Mexican food (well rather Tex-Mex) on a regular basis I always make sure to have enough refried beans on hand!
Pinto Beans VS Black Beans
Refried Beans are typically made with pinto beans (in Spanish: “frijoles pintos refritos“) because they turn out creamy and mash easily. However, if you prefer black beans over pinto beans, you can, of course, use black beans.
Can Refried Beans Be Frozen?
Yes! Freeze (in zip-lock bags) for up to 3 months. Let the refried beans thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently on the stove with a splash of vegetable broth. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
These Instant Pot Refried Beans Are:
Vegan (no need for bacon!) Gluten-free Flavorful Satisfying Comforting Protein-rich Easy to make with simple ingredients Healthy and nutritious Perfect as a dip for nachos Great for your favorite Mexican dishes, such as tacos, burritos, fajitas or taquitos
Should you recreate this flavorful Mexican recipe, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your remakes! If you love Mexican (Tex-Mex) food, definitely also check out the following recipes:
Buffalo Chickpea Taquitos Homemade Gluten-Free Tortillas Vegetable Fajitas Chickpea Tacos Black Bean Quesadillas Spinach Eggplant Quesadillas Oven Baked Spinach Tacos Chili Sin Carne Vegan Chili Cheese Fries Breakfast Burritos
If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photos:
