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Instant Pot Refried Beans (or Slow Cooker)

January 31, 2020 By Adell Leave a Comment

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Instant Pot Refried Beans. These refried beans are so delicious! Easy, cheap and super flavorful! Just like you would get at Mexican food restaurant. 

Living in Arizona basically my whole life (I lived in Utah for a year and a half :), I have grown up on really good Mexican food. One of our favorite restaurants was El Charro. It isn’t open anymore, but there is a rumor that it might be opening back up again! Fingers are crossed!

So in the meantime, here is an amazing recipe that you will make again and again. I never knew that making homemade refried beans was so easy (thanks to the instant pot or slow cooker) and that they taste so much better than the canned!

Do I have to soak the beans overnight?

No. I prefer to soak them if I remember and have the time though! If you don’t soak them, they will just take a little longer to cook. 

Do I need to add the butter?

Nope! But I mean, it’s butter…so yeah. It adds a great flavor to the beans. But they will still be delicious without!

Other recipes to try:

  • Polynesian Rice (a family favorite!)
  • Skillet Beef Enchiladas (This easy dinner is so delicious!)
  • Black Bean Quinoa Bake (A great vegetarian dinner!)

KEEP IN TOUCH! You can follow me over on Instagram, Pinterest & Facebook. And if you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you, leave a comment and rate the recipe below. 

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Instant Pot Refried Beans

Refried beans that you make in your pressure cooker or slow cooker! These taste so delicious, just like at a restaurant!

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 pound dry pinto beans (about 2 cups)
  • 1 medium onion (optional)
  • 4 cups bone broth* (32 ounces)
  • 2 cups water or chicken broth (I use water and better than bouillon)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Place the beans in a large bowl. Take out any of the beans that look bad. Cover with cold water by 1 inch and soak 8-10 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans and then add them to the instant pot or slow cooker. You don't have to soak the beans but I prefer to.

FOR INSTANT POT
  1. Pour the bone broth and water over the beans. Make sure you don't go past the max fill line. (You can use all water or all broth. I like the added health benefits from bone broth so I use that and water with better than bullion paste). But just water will work. The broth adds a great flavor though!

  2. Chop the onion. I like to do this in a food processor. Add to the pot with the beans. Add 1 tsp. salt and a few bay leafs.

  3. Set the instant pot to manual for 40 minutes or 45 minutes if you don't pre-soak the beans. When done, do a natural release. Drain off most the liquid. Leave about 3/4 to 1 cup liquid with the beans. Add the butter to the beans. Using an immersion blender, blend till desired consistency. Or you can leave them whole. You can also transfer to a blender and lightly blend up. Add an additional teaspoon of salt (or more if needed) and the cumin.

FOR SLOW COOKER
  1. Place the soaked beans in the slow cooker and add the bone broth and water or chicken broth. Add the salt, onion and bay leaf. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours. Drain off most the liquid. Leave about 3/4 to 1 cup liquid. Add 1/4 cup butter (half of a cube of butter) to the beans. Using an immersion blender, blend till desired consistency. Or you can leave them whole. You can also transfer to a blender and lightly blend up. Add an additional teaspoon of salt (or more if needed) and the cumin.

Recipe Notes

The butter can be left out. But adds wonderful flavor to the beans!

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Hey, I'm Adell. I love chocolate, AZ winters & sharing recipes with you! This is a place where family favorites live on, cookies meet kale and a little bit of everything in between! Welcome! read more...

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