Homemade Low-Sodium Refried Beans in the Instant Pot
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Refried beans from scratch are quick and easy to make in an Instant Pot. If you’ve only eaten crumbly refried beans from a can at home, you’re in for a delicious revelation. Cooking them in the Instant Pot will give you a smooth and creamy texture, and the flavors are easily customizable to your preference. So, if you can’t wait to eat the best refried beans of your life, break out your pressure cooker, and let’s begin.
Why You Should Make Your Own
If you are new to cooking from scratch, making refried beans is a game changer that can give you the confidence to work with ingredients you may have purchased premade from the grocery store. It is also an easy way to branch into pressure cooking. Instead of investing money and ingredients to make a full meal, for the cost of a bag of dry beans, you can take your Instant Pot for a test drive.
Preparing refried beans from scratch allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe so you can create low-sodium refried beans. Adding only 2 teaspoons of salt and unsalted chicken broth gives you maximum flavor without excess sodium.
Canned refried beans will do in a pinch, but you must try them from scratch for a truly creamy and satisfying side dish. With a few ingredients and a little time, you will have the most delicious refried beans you’ve ever tasted.
Benefits of Using the Instant Pot
Cooking from scratch ingredients is my favorite way to use my Instant Pot, especially refried beans. With minimal ingredients, you get the flavor and texture of the beans to shine. For quick cleanup, you can cook and blend the beans in the same cooking pot. All it takes is chopping a few ingredients, sauteing them, and letting the Instant Pot do the rest.
Soaking the beans overnight is essential to getting the proper texture. After that, just add the ingredients to the Instant Pot and let it do the work for you.
Ingredient List
Avocado Oil: I prefer avocado oil because of its neutral flavor, but you can use any cooking oil.
Onion: White onion is more traditional in Mexican cooking. I buy white onions to make pico de gallo so I typically buy two. You can substitute red or yellow.
Cilantro: One thing I love about pressure cooking the beans is the ability to use the scrap parts of vegetables for flavor. Since we’ll be blending the beans, you don’t need to use the tender leaves. The stems will impart great flavor and allow you to save the leaves for other parts of the meal that require that leafy texture.
Serrano Pepper: I love Serrano peppers for their consistent heat. They are hotter than a jalapeno. I only use one to impart a gentle warming and heat without being overpowering. If you like it less hot, use less or omit. If you like more spice add more, or use a spicier pepper.
Cumin: I use pre-ground cumin, but you can also grind your own and add them to the recipe
Dried Pinto Beans: Dried beans are cheap, easy to use, and delicious.
Homemade Chicken Stock: This is where the magic of this recipe lies. I implore you to make stock from scratch, whether chicken or beef stock. The gelatinous and fatty homemade stock adds an amazing texture without adding extra fat. You can use stock from the store, but I can’t guarantee you’ll get the correct texture since the canned stuff is basically flavorless water.
How to Make Refried Beans in the Instant Pot
- Soak the beans (night before).
Rinse 2 cups dried pinto beans in a large bowl and drain. Cover with fresh water so the beans are submerged by about 2 inches; let sit on the counter overnight. - Drain and prep.
The next day, drain the soaking water and set the beans aside. - Preheat the Instant Pot.
Plug in the Instant Pot and select Sauté; press the + button until it reads More for high heat. Wait until the display says Hot. - Build the flavor base.
Add oil, diced onion, Serrano pepper, cilantro stems, and cumin. Sauté about 7 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Press Cancel. - Pressure cook the beans.
Add the soaked beans, chicken stock, and salt; stir to combine. Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Select Manual (High Pressure) and set the timer for 11 minutes. - Natural release.
When the timer finishes, unplug the Instant Pot and allow the pressure to release naturally; wait until the float valve drops before opening the lid. - Blend until creamy.
Use an immersion blender to blend the beans until smooth and creamy. If they seem too loose, let them sit uncovered a few minutes to steam off moisture, then blend again to your desired consistency. - Alternative blending option.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the beans to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. - Serve.
Transfer to a bowl and serve warm.
Serving Suggestions
These refried beans are perfect for tacos, nachos, and burritos. I also serve them as a great side dish. One of my favorite ways to eat them as a side is to put extra sharp cheddar cheese and raw white onion on top.
Storage and Reheating
Store any leftover refried beans in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
This recipe yields about 5 cups of refried beans. Luckily, they can be frozen easily. I like to use what I need for dinner, set some aside for leftovers, and then put the rest of the refried beans into a Souper Cube to freeze for future fiestas. The one I have measures in one-cup blocks. Just freeze overnight, then remove from the silicone mold and place in a freezer storage bag. The beans will be good for six months.
To reheat, allow the frozen beans to thaw fully on the counter or refrigerator. I have tried putting the frozen block of beans in a pot and heating it gently. I don’t recommend it. It’s more trouble than it’s worth; you end up with dry spots and burning.
Place them in a small pot and gently heat on the stove. Make sure to stir often so they don’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.
Recipe Variations
These refried beans are completely customizable.
You can add whole garlic cloves during the cooking process for added savoriness. Or garlic and onion powder. After you try this basic recipe, you can decide what flavors you want to amp up and add the seasonings to match your preferences.
If you want to make vegetarian refried beans, use water or vegetable stock, instead of chicken stock.
If you aren’t vegan or vegetarian, I strongly suggest you use homemade chicken stock. Homemade stock adds a creamy mouthfeel without adding anything artificial. It also removes the crumbly texture that is common in canned refried beans.
These refried beans are easy to make and so delicious you’ll never grab a can of store-bought again. I would love to know if you’ve made them and how it turned out. Let me know in the comments. As always, take what you need from this recipe and leave the rest behind.
FAQs
Dried beans are naturally sodium free. By soaking them only in water, you keep it that way. You can add the salt when it will flavor the final product while limiting the amount of salt used. Canned beans often use salt for preservation that won’t flavor the beans so you end up with more sodium even if it doesn’t taste seasoned.
The Bluster and the Burrow
Low-Sodium Refried Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro stems rough chopped
- 1 Serrano pepper rough chopped
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups dried pinto beans soaked overnight
- 2 cups homemade chicken stock Or beef stock or water
- 2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soak the beans (night before): Rinse 2 cups dried pinto beans in a large bowl and drain. Cover with fresh water so the beans are submerged by about 2 inches; let sit on the counter overnight.
- Drain and prep: The next day, drain the soaking water and set the beans aside.
- Preheat the Instant Pot: Plug in the Instant Pot and select Sauté; press the + button until it reads More for high heat. Wait until the display says Hot.
- Build the flavor base: Add 1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 cup white onion, 1 Serrano pepper, 1/2 cup cilantro stems, and 2 teaspoon ground cumin. Sauté about 7 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Press Cancel.
- Pressure cook the beans: Add the 2 cups soaked pinto beans, 2 cups homemade chicken stock, and 2 teaspoon salt; stir to combine. Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Select Manual (High Pressure) and set the timer for 11 minutes.
- Natural release: When the timer finishes, unplug the Instant Pot and allow the pressure to release naturally; wait until the float valve drops before opening the lid.
- Blend until creamy: Use an immersion blender to blend the beans until smooth and creamy. If they seem too loose, let them sit uncovered a few minutes to steam off moisture, then blend again to your desired consistency.
- Alternative blending option: If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the beans to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Serve: Transfer to a bowl and serve warm.
Notes
- Use any vegetable scraps you have on hand. Before I make stock, I go through my refrigerator and look for anything that is past its prime. I’ve used garlic bulbs, wrinkly ginger, and cherry tomatoes, carrot numbs, chopped-up onions that are starting to get a little soft, you name it.
- Don’t use lettuces, squashes, cucumbers, or cruciferous vegetables like broccoli. Anything with a lot of water isn’t going to impart flavor and would just be a waste of ingredients. And broccoli or cauliflower is just going to give it a weird aroma and flavor.
- You can store the stock in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or freeze it for 3 months. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays or silicone molds to be able to pull it out and use a measured amount without having to let an entire block of stock thaw.
- When the stock cools, it should be gelatinous. This is a good thing. The gelatine is pulled from the bones, skin, and cartilage. It will melt when heated.
This is one of my favorite ways to use my Instant Pot. These beans are so flavorful and creamy. Perfect for tacos or as a dip.