Instant Pot Refried Beans

One recipe makes a little more than 6 cups of Refried Beans

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, soak pinto beans in water for at least 8 hours (overnight is best). Ensure the water level is 4-5 inches above the beans to allow for expansion.
2. Drain and rinse the soaked beans.
3. Transfer the beans to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
4. Add garlic, onion, and 3 cups of water.
5. Cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes, then allow a natural pressure release.
6. While still in the pressure cooker pot, add the seasonings and use an immersion blender or food processor to blend until smooth.  Add water to thin if necessary to reach your preferred consistency.
7. Line a freeze-dryer tray with pre-cut parchment paper.
8. Spread the blended beans evenly across the tray.
9. (Optional) Use dividers to pre-portion for easy meal prep.
10. Cover with a lid and freeze until solid.
11. Freeze dry (my cycle time was 39 hours)
12. Once fully dried, process into powder using a food processor for easy storage.
13. Store in jars for short-term use or in mylar bags for long-term storage
14. Rehydration:
15. Add hot water to the beans at a 1:1 ratio.  Let sit for a couple minutes, stirring several times.  It might require a bit more water to reach your desired consistency, but start conservatively.  If you want to make a bean dip (for chips, etc) the water ratio will be closer to 1:1.5 beans:water to make it thinner.

Notes:

When you rehydrate, feel free to throw in extra seasonings such as cumin, garlic powder, or smoked paprika for a twist on the original.  Also, you can rehydrate with broth to make it more savory.

Nutritional Value Per ½ cup

Calories: 140  Protein: 7 g   Fat: 4 g   Carbohydrates: 22 g   Sugar: 1 g   Fiber: 6 g

Cycle times & rehydration for reference only. Your results may vary.