My refried bean recipe:

Instant Pot (I have a large 8qt so you may have to scale this down, if you don’t have one you could do this all in a slow cooker or pot on the stove it’ll just take longer):

• 1250g (~2lbs 12oz) dried pinto beans (or your bean of choice)
• 1 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes (add these at the end if you’re doing stovetop/crockpot).
• 1 1/2tsp BBQ rub/smoked paprika
• 1/2tsp onion powder
• 1/2tsp garlic powder
• 1/2tbsp oregano
• 2halved onions
• 6-8 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 bay leaves and/or or 1/2 sheet dried kombu
• 3.75L/16cups water (or to max fill line on IP)

Fry:

• 1/3cup light olive oil/canola oil
• 3 medium onions, diced medium
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (adjust for spice tolerance)
• 6-8 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2tbsp guajillo chili powder
• 1 1/2tbsp pasilla chili powder
• 2tbsp other mixed mexican chili powders (new mexico, cascabel, etc, or more guajillo/pasilla)
• ~1tbsp chili powder (the american kind)
• 1tbsp cumin
• ~1/4tsp ground black pepper

To finish:

• 1 tbsp oregano, mexican style preferred
• 1/2tbsp epazote (or 1/2tbsp more oregano)
• 1-1.5tsp MSG/Accent
• 1tbsp bouillon powder, or better than bouillon, or adobo seasoning, or 2 sazon packets
• Salt to taste if needed

Rinse/sort beans (no need to soak), add to instant pot, add ingredients then add water to max fill line. Pressure cook high 45min, wait at least 15min then pressure release. Remove onion halves, garlic, bay leaves and kombu. Don’t worry if you don’t get all the garlic/onion.

While they cook, fry onion/jalapeno on med-high heat until onion is very browned almost burning, then turn down to medium and add garlic/tomato paste and fry another 2-3min. Add the chili powders/cumin, fry 30 sec then shut off heat.

Add remaining ingredients and fried onion mixture to beans after pressure release. Use immersion blender to blend to desired texture.