You can make homemade refried Instant Pot Mexican-style beans that taste just like they came from your favorite restaurant. These beans have extra flavor added using bacon, spices, onions, garlic, and jalapeños. No soaking is required, and you can have these beans ready to go in about an hour.
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You guys know by now I love Mexican food like my Air Fryer Chimichangas and my Tequila Queso Fundido. It's my all-time favorite, and I always judge Mexican food by the beans.
So, I've always wanted to make my own beans that taste as good as a restaurant's but have not been successful until now. After many tries and taste testing at restaurants (all for the cause!), I think I have landed on a good one.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You get restaurant-style refried beans at home using just your Instant Pot
- No presoaking required, the Instant Pot does all the work so you can go from dried beans to restaurant-quality refried beans in about an hour
- This recipe includes bacon to infuse even more flavor, just like my Bacon Wrapped Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
- Adding lard makes a big difference when you're trying to get as close to authentic as possible, like my Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef, lard is the secret to truly great beans, and once you try it, you'll understand why
- Bacon and lard are both optional, but highly recommended for the best flavor
Key Ingredients For This Recipe
- Dried pinto beans - Affordable, protein-rich, and perfect for creamy refried beans. You can also use black beans if preferred.
- Yellow onion - Adds a sweet, savory base flavor.
- Jalapeño - Brings mild heat and depth.
- Garlic - Adds bold, aromatic flavor.
- Beef, chicken, or vegetable stock - Boosts flavor more than water alone.
- Bacon - Adds smokiness and richness.
- Lard (or olive oil/butter) - Traditional fat that gives authentic texture and taste.
- Chili powder - Adds warmth and spice; use store-bought or homemade (recipe below) for custom flavor.
*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
💡 Expert Tips
- Don't presoak the beans. One of the many benefits of an electric pressure cooker is that you don't need to soak the beans ahead of time. They could be too mushy if you do.
- Save the cooking liquid! Once you mash and blend everything, you will see why you need the liquid. Once you add about 2 cups, you can decide if you want to add more.
- Mashing the beans before blending them makes the process easier.
- Refrigerate any leftover beans for 3-4 days, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
How to Make Instant Pot Mexican-Style Beans
Step 1: Rinse the pinto beans. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and cook the bacon for 3-4 minutes.
Step 2: Sauté onions and jalapeño for 3 minutes, then stir in garlic. Add broth, scrape the bottom, then add beans, water, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes, let release naturally for 15-20 minutes, then quick release. Remove bay leaves and drain beans, saving the liquid.
Step 3: While the Instant Pot is empty, place the insert back on and turn the Instant Pot back to sauté. Add the lard and allow it to melt. Place the beans back into the pot along with the cumin, onion powder, oregano, chili powder, and ½ cup of reserved juice. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 4: Manually mash the beans with a potato masher. Add another cup of the reserved liquid and continue to mash. If you want beans with chunks, this is as far as you need to go, or use a hand blender or a blender to puree the beans into a smooth consistency. Add any extra liquid as needed. Taste for any seasoning needs and adjust as desired.
What to Serve with Mexican-Style Beans
These beans are endlessly versatile. Try them as a filling for burritos or tacos, a side with carne asada or Spanish rice, a dip with tortilla chips, or spread onto a tostada with your favorite toppings.
Recipe FAQs
Allow any leftover beans to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. These beans will last 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
If the beans are frozen, let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Warm the beans gently on the stove or in the microwave. The beans thicken as they cool, so if you'd like to thin them out, add a bit of water or vegetable broth.
Yes, once the beans have cooled completely, store them in a freezer-safe container. These beans will be good for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Yes, black beans work well in this recipe and make a great substitute for pinto beans if you prefer an earthier flavor and darker color.
Yes, simply omit the bacon and use vegetable stock in place of beef or chicken stock. You can substitute olive oil or butter for the lard as well, both work well and keep the beans completely plant-based.
This recipe is designed for dried beans, which give the best texture and flavor for this method. Canned beans are already cooked and don't hold up the same way in the Instant Pot, so if you're short on time, cook canned beans on the stovetop instead rather than pressure cooking them.
No, one of the best things about making these in the Instant Pot is that no presoaking is required. Soaking dried beans before pressure cooking can actually make them too soft or mushy for this recipe.
Yes, this recipe scales up or down easily. Just adjust the ingredient quantities proportionally, cook time in the Instant Pot will stay roughly the same either way.
How To Make Homemade Chile Powder
Here is the grinder I use for all of my cooking. It's a small, inexpensive coffee/nut grinder and works well for grinding chiles like in this recipe, nuts, other spices, and more.
It's easy to make homemade chile powder using dried chile peppers. Take each dried pepper and cut off the stem.
Take out as many seeds as you would like, this is where any of the heat will be. Cut the peppers into small pieces so that they will fit in your coffee/nut grinder or small food processor.
Pulse and grind until you get a powder. Store any unused powder in a sealable container.
If you get a chance to make these Instant Pot Mexican Beans, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes in your inbox.
Instant Pot Mexican Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 slices bacon, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno, cored, deseeded, and minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef stock (can sub chicken or vegetable stock)
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2-3 tablespoons lard (can sub olive oil or butter)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder homemade* or store-bought, see notes
Instructions
- Rinse the pinto beans in a colander or strainer and ensure there are no rocks, foreign pieces, or weird beans. Set the beans aside.
- Roughly chop the onion and mince the garlic and jalapeno. Cut up the bacon into small pieces, about 1".
- Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE and cook the bacon for 3-4 minutes. Add the onions and jalapeno and saute for an additional 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine.
- Add the broth and scrape the bottom of the pan insert if there are any burnt pieces on the bottom. Add the beans, water, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Lock the lid on the Instant Pot, make sure the vent is sealed, and turn it to Pressure Cook HIGH for 45 minutes. Once the cycle is complete, allow the steam to naturally release for 15-20 minutes and then manually release the rest.
- Open the Instant Pot and remove the bay leaves. Carefully drain the beans saving the liquid. You will need this for mashing the beans. I strained the beans into a strainer and place a bowl below it to catch the liquid. The beans will need to be out of the pot for a few minutes.
- While the Instant Pot is empty, place the insert back on and turn the Instant Pot back to saute. Add the lard and allow it to melt. Place the beans back into the pot along with the cumin, onion powder, oregano, and chili powder, and ½ cup of reserved juice. Cook in the lard for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Manually mash the beans with a potato masher. Add another cup of the reserved liquid and continue to mash. If you want beans with chunks, this is as far as you need to go. I prefer my beans smoother. You can use a hand blender or a blender to puree the beans into a smooth consistency. Add any extra liquid as needed.
- Taste for any seasoning needs and adjust as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don't presoak the beans. One of the many benefits of an electric pressure cooker is that you don't need to soak dried beans ahead of time. In fact, presoaking can make them too soft or mushy for this recipe.
- Save the cooking liquid. Once you mash and blend everything, you'll see why you need it. Add about 2 cups first, then decide if you want more.
- Mash the beans before blending them, this makes the process easier and gives you more control over the final texture.
- Want black beans instead of pinto? They work well in this recipe and give a slightly earthier flavor and darker color.
- Making these vegetarian or vegan is easy, just omit the bacon, use vegetable stock in place of beef or chicken stock, and substitute olive oil or butter for the lard.
- This recipe is designed for dried beans, not canned. Canned beans are already cooked and won't hold up the same way in the Instant Pot, so if you're in a pinch, cook canned beans on the stovetop instead.
- This recipe scales up or down easily, just adjust the ingredient quantities proportionally. Cook time in the Instant Pot stays roughly the same either way.
- Serve these beans in burritos or tacos, alongside carne asada or Spanish rice, as a dip with tortilla chips, or spread onto a tostada with your favorite toppings.
- Refrigerate any leftover beans for 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Michelle says
I made this recipe last night & instead of adding the jalapeño pepper, I added a small can of mild diced green chilies & 2 extra slices of bacon & my son said they were the best refried beans he has ever had.
I am going to serve them with homemade Carne Asada, homemade Spanish Rice, homemade Pico de Gallo, & homemade Guacamole & Flour Tortillas for dinner
Emily says
Thanks, Michelle, that sounds like a delicious meal. I'm so glad everyone liked them 😊
Brianna May says
This looks so tasty!
Sara Welh says
Another great recipe for my Instant Pot! Served this with dinner last night and it did not disappoint; an excellent and delicious side dish!
Emily says
That's so great! I'm glad this recipe was a hit and everyone enjoyed it.
Tavo says
I love the choice of seasoning. Much healthier than buying canned refried beans!
Emily says
I'm so glad you liked these beans!
Anjali says
These beans turned out perfectly in the instant pot!! We used them as a filling for burritos and they were a hit!
Emily says
Awesome! Thanks for trying them, Anjali!
Irina says
WOW! Your recipe is a treasure! First, we are in love with Mexican cuisine! Second, I try to use an instant pot as often as possible. So, I made your recipe for dinner tonight, and it turned out perfect!!
Emily says
Sounds like me, lol! I'm glad these were a hit in your house.😀