Pinto Beans / Refried Beans Recipe

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans with Onion, Garlic, and Chiles

(Makes about 6 servings, original recipe created by Kalyn)

2 cups dried pinto beans (I used unsoaked beans, but if you want to soak the beans they will cook a bit more quickly)
1 T + 2 T olive oil, lard or bacon grease
1 cup chopped onion or 3 TB dried onion flakes
2 T minced garlic or 1 heaping teaspoon or dried garlic flake
1 T salt (or more to taste)

Put beans in pressure cooker with enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Add 1 T olive oil & 1 T of salt to cooker, then lock lid, bring to high pressure, and cook 30 minutes (probably only about 20 minutes for soaked beans.) After 30 minutes, turn off heat and let pressure release naturally. (I think you could also release the pressure quickly if you were in a hurry, since the beans will be mashed anyway.)

When pressure has released, add chopped onion, minced garlic. Lock lid again and pressure cook 10 minutes, then let pressure release naturally. (Again, I think you could release pressure quickly if you wanted to.)

When pressure has released the second time, remove lid and without draining, mash or puree beans to desired consistency. I like my beans rather creamy, so I used my immersion blender, being very careful not to overblend and liquefy the beans. At this point, beans may be more runny than you want, but I like the idea of keeping the flavor/nutrients that is in the cooking water.

When beans are as smooth or chunky as you prefer, heat 2 T oil in a heavy, nonstick pan. Add beans and simmer over low heat, stirring often, until beans have thickened to desired consistency. For me this took about 10 minutes. Serve hot, topped with grated cheese and thinly sliced green onions if desired.

Fun Fact About Pinto Beans:

Sensitive to Sulfites? Pinto Beans Can Help

Pinto beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. Sulfites are a type of preservative commonly added to prepared foods like delicatessen salads and salad bars. Persons who are sensitive to sulfites in these foods may experience rapid heartbeat, headache or disorientation if sulfites are unwittingly consumed. If you have ever reacted to sulfites, it may be because your molybdenum stores are insufficient to detoxify them. A cup of pinto beans supplies 128.3 mg of molybdenum–that’s 171.0% of the daily value for this trace mineral.