Beans are one of the best staples in our house – they are inexpensive, and everyone goes crazy for them. Not to mention we are a Mexican family so beans are a pretty big deal.
We can use them for bean burritos, for dipping tortilla chips, for burritos, or even for enchiladas, sopes, or gorditas.
Thankfully they are super easy to make in the Instant Pot too – although soaking the beans is not required to make them in the Instant Pot, we opt to soak them for 12-15 hours to reduce their phytic acid content (more on why we do that here).
Although you can make these beans with dry Pinto Beans, we opt to make our refried beans with Peruano Beans. You can pick up Peruano beans at your local hispanic market – they are lighter in color than the Pinto and have a creamier taste. They are also known as Peruvian beans.
If you make with Pinto beans, they will be darker in color – don’t get me wrong, they are just as good.. we just love the lighter colored Peruano bean a little more.
- 1 C. dry peruano beans ( or, substitute pinto beans, which are darker in color)
- 6 C. water
- 2 chipotle chile peppers in the sauce
- 2-3 Tbsp sauce from the chipotle pepper can
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 1 1/2 tsp salt (or more, to taste)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Optional: Start by soaking 1 C. of dry beans overnight (12-15 hours) in water at room temperature. At the end of the 12-15 hours, dump the water and rinse the beans. At that point you will have roughly 2 C. of soaked peruvian beans.
- Add the drained beans to the Instant Pot, and cover with 6 C. of water.
- Add the garlic and onion, along with 2 whole chipotle chile peppers from the can, and 2-3 Tbsp of chipotle sauce (from the can).
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and close the valve. Set the pot to high (manual) for 40 minutes.
- At the end of the 40 minutes, allow the pot to release the pressure naturally.
- Remove the insert, and with a slotted spoon, place the beans in your blender. Add 1/2 of the remaining liquid from the Instant Pot insert into the blender with the beans.
- Make sure when you transfer the beans to the blender you include the chipotle peppers, garlic and onion.
- Blend on low in your blender until well mixed - the beans won't be completely smooth and that is OK.
- In a large skillet on the stove, heat 1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Once hot, pour the beans from the blender - they should be pourable, but not too runny. If they aren't pourable, then add a little more water.
- Cook on the stove on low/medium for 10-15 minutes or until thickened up. Once you turn off the stove they will thicken quickly but still be liquid enough where you can dish them out, and use them as bean dip, too.
- At this time, add 1 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste).
- Enjoy with a little fresh Mexican queso, in a burrito or, as a dip with tortilla chips.
