The BEST easy Instant Pot black beans around! These pressure cooker black beans don’t require any soaking! I’ll show you my easy method + lots of ways to flavor them.
Grocery shopping is…weird right now. To say the least.
Most of us are less able to rely on our usual grocery items in the stores, and many of us are getting “creative” with what we have on hand. And sometimes that means we’re cooking things we’re less familiar with. (Can I get an amen?)
Today, I thought I’d walk you through a SUPER simple staple recipe: How to Cook Black Beans in an Instant Pot. It’s easier than you’d think (no soaking required!), and even if you’re a total Instant Pot beginner (been there!), it’s tough to mess up dried beans. They’re basically foolproof.
(PS – This method works for several other kinds of dried beans too! Pinto, kidney beans, and Great Northern beans all cook the same amount of time!)
Mostly, I hope I can make this as simple as possible so you can get back to cooking recipes you LOVE using what you have on hand.
Here’s everything you need to know about cooking Instant Pot black beans + LOTS of yummy ways to use them…
Instant Pot Black Beans: The Basics
Before we dive into this instant pot black beans recipe, let’s tackle some of the basic things you’ll want to know before you get started:
What Size of Instant Pot Do You Use For Instant Pot Black Beans?
I use the 6-Quart Instant Pot, though most sizes of the Instant Pot will work. As always with the Instant Pot, you don’t want to fill more than the “max fill” line inside the metal insert.
How Many Cups of Cooked Beans From 1 Pound of Dry Beans?
1 pound dry beans = about 2 cups. For every pound of dry beans (2 cups dry beans), you’ll get about 5 cups cooked beans.
- A typical can of black beans is about 14.5oz or 1 1/2 cups beans. So for every pound of dry beans, you’ll get a little over 3 cans’ worth of black beans.
Do You Have To Soak Beans Before Cooking In The Instant Pot?
No! Thanks to the pressure cooking, you won’t need to soak beans ahead of time. Pressure cookers are actually one of the best methods for cooking dry beans since they break down
How Much Liquid Per Pound of Dry Beans?
My favorite ratio is about 3 cups liquid to 1 cup dry beans.
- So, for 1 lb. (2 cups) of dry beans, you’ll use about 6 cups broth or water for cooking.
How Long Do You Cook Dry Beans In The Instant Pot?
Cook at HIGH pressure for 30 minutes + 20 minutes natural pressure release. Quick-release any remaining steam.
How To Cook Black Beans In The Instant Pot, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!
- Rinse your dry black beans in a colander or strainer. Sort out any damaged beans, rocks, etc. and discard them.
- Add rinsed & sorted beans to the Instant Pot.
- Add any flavor ingredients you plan to use (onion, bay leaves, etc.)
- Cover with water or broth.
- Secure the lid and double-check that the pressure valve is set to SEALING (not “venting”).
- Press MANUAL/HIGH PRESSURE and set beans to cook for 30 minutes. (My IP takes about 10-12 min to come to pressure for this recipe)
- When the beans are finished cooking for 30 minutes, naturally release the steam 20 minutes.
- Quick-release any remaining steam.
- Remove bay leaf & onion (if using) and season the beans to taste with salt.
Do I Need To Drain Instant Pot Black Beans?
If you plan to refrigerate or freeze your instant pot black beans, I highly recommend keeping at least some of the liquid so they don’t dry out. (Bonus: they’ll continue to develop their flavor!)
For serving, it’s up to you. Feel free to drain (and rinse) the cooked beans, if desired.
Can You Freeze Cooked Black Beans?
Absolutely, and it’s an AWESOME way to prep ahead and save money. Again, if you plan to freeze your cooked Instant Pot black beans, I recommend keeping them in some liquid for the best texture.
- TO FREEZE COOKED BLACK BEANS: Spoon them in about 1 1/2 cup increments (as much as 1 can) into freezer-safe bags or containers (leave room for expansion if using containers!) and seal, pressing out any excess air if possible. Freeze until solid. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
*Remember that 1 lb. dry beans = about 5 cups cooked beans, so you’ll get about 3 cans’ worth of beans from each pound dry.
3 Ways Season & Flavor Black Beans
Plain black beans are versatile, but I much prefer adding some extra flavor! Here are a few of my favorite combos to try…
BASIC DRIED BLACK BEANS:
- 1 pound dry black beans (2 cups) + 1/2 onion (I leave mine whole) + 1-2 cloves garlic, minced, 1-2 tsp. salt + 1 bay leaf + 6 cups water or sodium-free vegetable broth
CUBAN BLACK BEANS:
- 1 pound dry black beans (2 cups) + 1/2 onion (I leave mine whole) + 1 tsp. salt + 1 tsp. cumin + 1 tsp. chili powder + 6 cups water or vegetable broth + juice of 1 lime or 1-2 tsp. vinegar
BRAZILIAN BLACK BEANS (MY FAVORITE!):
- Dice & cook 2-3 slices bacon in the Instant Pot using the SAUTE function. Add 1 diced onion and saute until tender. Then, add 1 pound black beans (2 cups) + 3-4 cloves minced garlic + 6 cups water or vegetable broth + 2-3 tsp. salt. Cook as usual.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our No-Soak Instant Pot Black Beans recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Easy Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking Required!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry black beans – rinsed + sorted
- 1/2 onion* (I leave mine whole rather than dicing
- 1-2 cloves garlic* optional
- 1 bay leaf*
- 1-2 tsp. salt more or less, to taste
- 6 cups water or low-sodium/no-sodium vegetable broth.
Instructions
- Prep the Beans. To start, rinse the dry black beans in a colander or strainer. Sort out any damaged beans, rocks, etc. and discard them. Add rinsed and sorted beans to the Instant Pot
- Build Flavor. Add onion, garlic, bay leaf, and 1 tsp. salt, then cover with water or broth.
- Secure the lid and double-check that the pressure valve is set to SEALING (not "venting").
- Press MANUAL/HIGH PRESSURE and set beans to cook for 30 minutes. (It takes my instant pot about 10-12 minutes to come up to pressure.)
- When the beans are finished cooking for 30 minutes, naturally release the steam 20 minutes.
- Quick-release any remaining steam by carefully moving the sealing valve from "sealing" to "venting" (I like to wear oven mitts when I do this, just in case)
- Remove bay leaf & onion (if using) and season the beans to taste with salt.
- If for some reason your beans aren't quite tender yet, you can put them back in for another 5-10 minutes at high pressure & quick release the steam until you get to the softness you prefer. If your beans are older or your Instant Pot is a different size than mine, your exact cook time may vary.
Notes
- BASIC DRIED BLACK BEANS: 1 pound dry black beans (2 cups) + 1/2 onion (I cut mine into 2 large pieces) + 1-2 tsp. salt + 1 bay leaf + 6 cups water or sodium-free vegetable broth. You CAN use just beans + water, but I like adding the other ingredients for flavor!
- CUBAN BLACK BEANS: 1 pound dry black beans (2 cups) + 1/2 onion (cut into 2 large pieces) + 1 tsp. salt + 1 tsp. cumin + 1 tsp. chili powder + 6 cups water or vegetable broth + juice of 1 lime or 2 tsp. vinegar
- BRAZILIAN BLACK BEANS: Dice & cook 2-3 slices bacon in the Instant Pot using the SAUTE function. Add 1 diced onion and saute until tender. Then, add 1 pound black beans (2 cups) + 3-4 cloves minced garlic + 6 cups water or vegetable broth + 2-3 tsp. salt. Cook as usual.
- OTHER MIX-IN IDEAS: taco seasoning, green chilis, minced jalapeño, diced bell pepper, etc. (pick just 1-2)
- OTHER BEANS. This method works for several other kinds of dried beans too! Pinto, kidney beans, and Great Northern beans all cook the same amount of time!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/instant-pot-black-beans/
I’ll be making the beans for black bean and fresh corn salad. How long will the beans stay fresh in the fridge? Thanks
Hi, Becky! The USDA says cooked beans will stay fresh 3-4 days in the fridge. 🙂
Hi, to double the recipe is it the same amount of beans to water ratio?
Hi, Kayce. Yes. You’d keep the same water to beans ratio. Keep in mind the doubling the recipe may impact the cook time, so if your beans aren’t tender enough, you can cook them at high pressure in additional 5-10 min increments till they’re your desired tenderness.
Hello, do you mean cook for 30 minutes at pressure? Or 30 minutes total. I’m using a stovetop pressure cooker. Thank you
Hi Carey! You cook for 30 minutes at pressure 🙂 Keep in mind your times may vary slightly with a stovetop pressure cooker!
I, as a newlywed wife was happy to learn of this method and to become more proficient in my Instantpot cooking. Thanks for the tutorial.
Hi – Your instructions say “When the beans are finished cooking for 30 minutes, naturally release the steam 20 minutes.” Do you mean wait 20 minutes after they are finished cooking and then release the steam? Thanks very much!
Hi MC! Sorry for the confusion. After the beans have cooked for 30 minutes, the timer will beep. “Natural release” means that you leave the Instant Pot alone and let the steam release naturally (without flipping the pressure valve) for 20 minutes. Then, you’ll flip the valve to quick release the rest of the steam.
So, yes! Wait 20 minutes (natural release), then release the rest of the steam (quick release). Hope that helps!
Oh my goodness…. the other day I was craving black beans but was dreading having to wait for the beans to soak. On a whim I looked to see if there was a no soak method and found this. I bought the instapot long ago and barely use it. Tried the black bean recipe and this was fantastic!!! This instapot will get used much more often now!
I’m SO GLAD you loved them! The Instant Pot is such a game-changer for cooking dried beans!
Made the regular version to use in a favorite meatloaf recipe which requires a can of black beans. No more! I’ll be using these beans going forward. Thank you!
Oh, YAY! This is such a happy review!
I love the flavor options!
Me too! Love that it’s easy to dress them up a little bit!
Thank you for your specific step by step directions for this newbie instant learner!!
I’m SO glad it was helpful Tammy! I’m cheering you on!
This was really easy to make and it turned out delicious. I made the Cuban Black Beans version.
I’m so glad they were a win for you!! Thank you for your review!