How to Use a Pressure Cooker for Refried Beans

Make refried beans quickly with a pressure cooker.

Refried beans, prized as a side dish in Mexican meals, can be used as a tortilla filling or as a tasty dip when combined with cheese and sour cream. Making refried beans from scratch is time-consuming if done the traditional way in a pot of boiling water. Speed up the process by using your pressure cooker to quickly cook and soften the pinto beans. Once the beans are cooked, it takes very little time to finish the rest of the preparation.

Things You'll Need

• Pressure cooker
• Measuring cups
• 2 cups pinto beans
• 1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 can (8-oz.) green chiles or chopped jalapenos
• 1 tsp. salt
• Potato masher

Instructions

1. Place 2 cups of dried pinto beans in 4 cups of water. Soak the beans overnight, then drain out the soaking water prior to preparing the beans.

2. Place the soaked beans and 1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil inside the pressure cooker. Add enough water so that the beans are covered to a two-inch depth.

3. Place the lid on the cooker, locking it in place according to the manufacturer's instructions. Heat it to full pressure for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat.

4. Remove the lid once the excess pressure has finished venting. Open the lid away from your face, as it may release scalding steam when opened.

5. Add 1 cup chopped onions, one 8-oz. can green chiles or chopped jalapenos and 1 tsp. salt. Mash the beans and additional ingredients together with a potato masher until the refried beans have the desired consistency.

Tips & Warnings

• Add cheese, green peppers, garlic or other ingredients as desired. Experiment with additions until you find a recipe you prefer.

• If there is too much cooking liquid, drain some off before mashing the beans.

References

• Utah State University: The Versatile Bean