Instant Pot black beans are flavor-packed and tender with just the right amount of seasonings. They are super easy to throw together, with just 10 minutes of prep and no pre-soaking needed for the beans.

Years and years ago, I had an old-school pressure cooker. And I only ever used it a handful of times. And only ever to cook black beans.

To be honest, the thing kind-of scared me.

But we love black beans and use them all the time.

Fun fact: Black beans were one of my daughter’s very favorite baby food purees. If there was a veggie or protein or grain she didn’t particularly like, I’d just mix it with some of my homemade black bean puree and she’d gobble it up. #momhack

These days, we use black beans for bean and rice burritos, sweet potato and black bean enchiladas and this sweet potato, black bean and spinach skillet. Among many, many other uses.

Bring on the beans.

So anyway, I was happy and relieved when the Instant Pot came out and took the world by storm.  I traded in my pressure cooker and never looked back.

And of course, making black beans in the Instant Pot was one of my very first forays into the world of IP cooking.

And I’m thrilled to finally be sharing this recipe with you!

These Instant Pot black beans are so flavorful and tender (but not mushy) with just the right amount of seasonings.

They are super easy to throw together, with just 10 minutes of prep and no pre-soaking needed for the beans. Then you set it and forget it!

You’ll be amazed at how much more flavorful these are than canned beans. My husband will sneak spoonfuls of them anytime I make them because they are just so good!

(We would only eat black beans this way if he had his say. I do still, however, stock canned black beans in the pantry and use them for certain things. Just so darn convenient.)

But when it matters, when we’re really eating beans and their flavor matters, I always make them this way. It makes such a difference.

(You should also check out these creamy Instant Pot refried beans. Soooo tasty!)

OK, let’s get cooking so you can be a convert, too.

Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make pressure cooker black beans. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Notes on making Instant Pot black beans:

• You do not need to pre-soak your beans for this recipe. Just rinse them off, remove any broken pieces or errant beans of another variety, and they are ready to add.
• Use vegetable broth to keep these vegetarian. Otherwise, it’s fine to use chicken broth.
• Feel free to add a chopped green bell pepper if you’d like peppers mixed in with your beans. Sauté it with the onion at the beginning of the recipe.
• You can also add a finely chopped jalapeño to the beans for a little kick. (You would also want to sauté this with the onion in the beginning.)
• Use a slotted spoon to serve these or drain in a colander to remove the extra liquid. (But I do like to reserve some of the liquid for storing or freezing any leftovers.)

As for the timing, that’s the most common question, let’s just call it out right now.

How long do you cook black beans in the Instant Pot?

- One pound of black beans will cook in 40 minutes at high pressure in the Instant Pot, followed by a natural release. No pre-soaking needed! This timing is perfect for beans that are cooked through but not mushy and breaking down.

- But wait, you say, I did pre-soak my beans. No problem. Beans that have been pre-soaked will take 12 minutes at high pressure, followed by a natural release.

Oh, a disclaimer though: Instant Pot recipes often fail to mention the time it takes for the pot to come to pressure or to release it.

I have found it very misleading when trying to plan, so I wanted to be sure to include it here.

I’ve listed “additional time” as 30 minutes to account for the amount of time it will take for the pot to come to pressure and then the time for the natural release. The exact amount of time can vary, but that’s at least a rough estimate.

In case you’re in the market for one, I have and love this 6-quart Instant Pot.

OK, let’s get ready to eat!

You can definitely jazz up these beans with any of the following that you might want to serve them with.

Topping ideas for Instant Pot black beans:

• Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• Diced avocado or a dollop of guac
• Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Salsa or pico de gallo
• Sliced green onions
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Hot sauce or sriracha

Or, if you are looking for some ideas of how to incorporate them into your main meal, here’s some ideas to get you thinking.

Serving ideas for Instant Pot black beans:

• Use in tacos, quesadillas, burritos or enchiladas
• Sprinkle over nachos
• Serve alongside fajitas
• Make bean and rice bowls
• Use in soups, stews and chilis
• Make black bean burgers
• Add to grain bowls
• Use in a salad

Or just use as a substitute for any recipe that calls for canned beans. You’ll be making an instant flavor upgrade!

I’m sure you’ll find new ways to use these as you make them over and over. 😊

Finally, let’s talk what to do with the leftovers. This recipe makes a lot, which is great for meal prepping and having extras on hand.

How to store leftover cooked black beans:

- Cooked black beans will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

- You can also freeze the leftover cooked beans. Place in a freezer-safe bag, label and date it, and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat and use as desired.

I hope you give these a try soon. You’ll be amazed at how much more flavorful they are than what comes in a can.

Enjoy!

XO,
Kathryn

P.S. I have a recipe coming up soon that incorporates these beans, so stay tuned!

You can sign up for free e-newsletter to get all of my new recipes delivered straight to your inbox so you never miss a thing. I’ll even send you my free e-cookbook, Healthy Weeknight Dinners, as a thank you!

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Yield: 5 to 6 cups

Instant Pot black beans

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Instant Pot black beans are flavor-packed and tender with just the right amount of seasonings. They are super easy to throw together, with just 10 minutes or prep and no pre-soaking needed for the beans. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (1 lb.) bag of black beans, rinsed and picked over
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth or water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• Few dashes of hot sauce (optional)

Topping ideas (optional):

• Shredded cheese, diced avocado or a dollop of guac, Greek yogurt or sour cream, salsa, sliced green onions, chopped fresh cilantro, hot sauce or sriracha, etc.

Instructions

1. Set the Instant Pot to the Sauté mode and add oil.
2. Add the onion and sauté in the oil for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
3. Add the beans, broth, salt, cumin, oregano and bay leaves. Add the hot sauce, if using. Stir well to combine.
4. Seal the pot and set to cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.
5. Once the cook time is up, allow the pot to do a natural release.
6. Once the pressure has been released, open the pot and stir the beans. Use a slotted spoon to serve or drain the beans in a colander. (Don’t rinse though, you want the flavor!) You can reserve some of the liquid to store any leftover beans.
7. Serve with desired toppings or use in desired recipe.
8. Cooked black beans will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze leftover cooked beans for up to 6 months.

Notes

Beans: You do not need to pre-soak your beans for this recipe. Just rinse them off, remove any broken pieces or errant beans of another variety, and they are ready to add.

However, if you do have pre-soaked beans, that's fine, too. Everything else is the same, but cook them at high pressure for 12 minutes (instead of 40), followed by a natural release.

Broth: Use vegetable broth to keep these vegetarian. Otherwise, it’s fine to use chicken broth. 

Add-ins: Feel free to add a chopped green bell pepper if you’d like peppers mixed in with your beans. Sauté it with the onion at the beginning of the recipe.

You can also add a finely chopped jalapeño to the beans for a little kick. (You would also want to sauté this with the onion in the beginning.)

Serving: Use a slotted spoon to serve these or drain in a colander to remove the extra liquid. (But I do like to reserve some of the liquid for storing or freezing any leftovers.)

Leftovers: Cooked black beans will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

You can also freeze the leftover cooked beans. Place in a freezer-safe bag, label and date it, and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat and use as desired.

Ideas for using Instant Pot black beans:

• Use in tacos, quesadillas, burritos or enchiladas
• Sprinkle over nachos
• Serve alongside fajitas
• Make bean and rice bowls
• Use in soups, stews and chilis 
• Make black bean burgers
• Add to grain bowls
• Use in a salad

Recommended Products

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• 
  Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

½ cup beans
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 57Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 390mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 6g