Instant Pot Black Beans
Dried black beans cooked without soaking in the pressure cooker with onion, garlic and cumin. Six servings in 45 minutes.
Photograph credit: instant pot black beans by Raymond Yee · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Storing and Planning Ahead
Keeps in the fridge in their liquid for up to 5 days. Freezes for up to 3 months.
Making Instant Pot Black Beans
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Put the beans, oil, onion, garlic, cumin, bay leaf, water and salt in the pot.
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Lock the pressure cooker lid, set the valve to sealing and pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.
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Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then release the rest.
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Remove the onion halves and bay leaf and taste a bean; cook for 5 minutes more under pressure if they are firm.
Worth Knowing
- Add the oil to limit foaming.
- Let the pressure release naturally.
- Salt the water at the start for better flavour.
- Store the beans in their cooking liquid.
Behind the Recipe
Dried beans cost a fraction of tinned, and a pressure cooker removes the two reasons people avoid them: the overnight soak and the long simmer. Black beans cook from dry in 25 minutes.
Rinse them and pick out any stones or odd beans. Put them in the pot with onion, garlic, cumin and a bay leaf, and cover with water by about 4 cm. Add the salt now. The old advice to hold salt until the end does not apply under pressure, and salted beans taste better.
A spoon of oil in the pot stops the beans foaming and blocking the valve. Foaming is the usual reason a pot spits.
Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes; a quick release bursts the skins. The beans should be creamy inside and hold their shape. Cook for a few minutes more if they are firm. They freeze well in their cooking liquid. Cooked beans are the base of burrito bowls, soups and rice and beans, so a double batch freezes in portions and saves a lot of time later.
Serving Ideas
Rice · Tacos · Burrito bowls · Soured cream
If You're Missing Something
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
Quick Answers
How long does Instant Pot Black Beans take to make?
About 45 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 35 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 6.
What are the key tips for making Instant Pot Black Beans?
Add the oil to limit foaming. Let the pressure release naturally. Salt the water at the start for better flavour. Store the beans in their cooking liquid.
What should I serve with Instant Pot Black Beans?
Rice; Tacos; Burrito bowls; Soured cream.
Can Instant Pot Black Beans be made ahead or frozen?
Keeps in the fridge in their liquid for up to 5 days. Freezes for up to 3 months.
Is Instant Pot Black Beans suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Instant Pot Black Beans?
About 259 kcal per serving, with 15 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate and 3 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Instant Pot Black Beans Nutrition
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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