Learn how to cook black beans in Instant Pot without soaking the dry beans. This is a simple recipe that will produce perfectly cooked beans every time. Use homemade beans in dips, salads, burritos, tacos, stews and soups.
Instant Pot Black Beans
Cooking your own black beans from dry legumes is cost-effective and easy and doing so in the Instant Pot is faster and more hands-free than on the stovetop.
Using a few flavor-boosting ingredients, dry black beans (that's right, no soaking required!) and this simple pressure cooker recipe, you will have delicious, healthy black beans in 60 minutes.
Cooked black beans are super versatile and can be used in many dishes such as refried beans, black bean salad, or added to a Tex Mex casserole or a hearty meat stew. They are a staple ingredient in many Mexican recipes.
Plus, they are nutritious, high in protein and fibre and plant-based.
How To Cook Black Beans In Instant Pot
You will find the full recipe with ingredients and nutritional breakdown in the recipe card below. Let’s break it down with step-by-step photos and video. You can use a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot.
You will need: dry black beans (we are using 1.5 cups of uncooked dry black beans, unsoaked, which should yield about 4.5 cups of cooked beans), ½ onion, bay leaves, garlic, stock cube (vegetable or chicken), salt and water.
Step 1. Add beans, water, stock cube, salt, bay leaf, garlic clove and ½ onion (uncut is fine as it’s easier to remove). These additions will flavor the cooking stock and the beans.
Step 2. Secure the lid. Set to Pressure cook on HIGH for 35 minutes (it will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to pressurize before cooking begins). Once done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15-20 minutes.
Step 3. Remove the lid. Remove onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Strain and rinse if you like. If making refried beans or using black beans in a stew or soup, you can reserve excess cooking liquid to add to those dishes.
How long to cook soaked black beans in an Instant Pot?
Cook soaked black beans in the Instant Pot for about 15-20 minutes on high pressure with a natural pressure release. The time varies based on how long the beans have been soaking. The recommendation is to soak the beans in slightly salted water for a minimum of 8-12 hours. You can do this overnight.
Storing Cooked Black Beans
To store cooked black beans, including freezing them for future use, follow these steps:
- Cool the beans: Cool the cooked beans completely at room temperature. You can spread them out on a baking sheet or in a shallow container to speed up the cooling process.
- Portion: Decide on the portion sizes you would like to freeze. It's a good idea to portion them according to your typical usage or recipe requirements. Consider using freezer-safe containers or resealable freezer bags for storage.
- Refrigerate: Cooked beans will typically keep for up to 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Pack & freeze: Place the cooled black beans in the containers or bags, leaving some headspace to allow for expansion during freezing. If you're using bags, remove excess air before sealing them to prevent freezer burn. Label with the date and contents for easy identification. Place the portioned beans in the freezer, making sure they are in a flat position initially to allow for easier stacking and storage. Leave them in the freezer until completely frozen. Once frozen, you can rearrange them for more space-efficient storage if needed. They can be stored in the freezer for several months, usually up to six months while maintaining good quality.
- Thaw and use: Transfer the desired portion of frozen beans to the refrigerator the night before you plan to use them. They will thaw gradually and be ready for use the next day. If you need to use the black beans immediately, you can thaw them in a microwave or by adding them directly to your recipe while cooking. Just be sure to adjust cooking times accordingly.
It's worth noting that freezing can slightly change the texture of black beans, making them a bit softer. However, they will still be suitable for various recipes like soups, stews, or bean salads.
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How To Cook Black Beans In The Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups black beans dry
- 3.5 cups water
- 1 stock cube veggie one
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 bay leaves if available
- 1 garlic clove, for added flavor
- ½ onion white, for added flavor
Instructions
- Add beans, water, stock cube, salt, bay leaf, garlic clove, and ½ onion (uncut is fine as it’s easier to remove).
- Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes (it will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to pressurize before cooking begins). Allow the pressure to release naturally for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the lid. Remove onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Strain and rinse if you like. If making refried beans or using black beans in a stew or soup, you can reserve excess cooking liquid to add to those dishes.
Casey
This recipe is a game-changer! I often skip making beans with tacos because it's such a process. I never thought of using the Instant Pot to make it easier. Thanks so much!
Chenee
This was super easy and they came out perfectly. I will never make black beans any other way!
Sara Welch
Enjoyed this with tacos for dinner and it couldn't have been easier! Definitely, a new favorite Instant Pot recipe!
Renee
This is such a quick and simple way to cook black beans, and so much healthier than canned beans, too! Precooking and freezing beans is the way to go.
Lauren Harris
These black beans were so much better than canned. I loved how easy they were to make in the instant pot too!