Instant Pot Black Beans
Instant Pot Black Beans made from scratch are full of flavor and easy to make – no soaking or draining the beans needed – just simple ingredients cooked in a pressure cooker and ready in 1 hour!
I absolutely love making vegan recipes in my instant pot!
You may already be familiar with these vegan Instant Pot Refried Beans, Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans, and healthy Instant Pot Baked Beans. They all are tried & true, delicious, no-fuss recipes. The hardest part is prepping the produce!
Why We Love This Recipe!
- Delicious and healthy. Pressure cooked black beans cook in their own juices, resulting in tender and flavorful beans that are low-fat, oil-free, and retain all their nutrients.
- No need to soak the beans. Using an instant pot lets you skip the extra step of soaking the dried beans before cooking. And they cook fast too!
- Set it and forget it. There’s nothing complicated. Simply dump in the ingredients, press a button, and let the Instant Pot do its magic. They turn out perfect, making it practically fail-proof!
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Ingredient Notes
Here is everything you’ll need (measurements are in the recipe card below):
- Black beans: This recipe is from scratch so you’ll need a 1-pound package of dried black beans, about 2 cups.
- Onion and garlic: These are added for superb flavor. If you don’t have fresh onions on hand, use 3 teaspoons of onion powder or 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Vegetable broth: The beans will soak up the vegetable broth, adding another layer of flavor when cooking. To cut down on cost and sodium I use 1 teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base to the 4 cups of water called for.
- Spices and peppers: I like to add cumin, 2 bay leaves, and 1 jalapeno. These would also be delicious with 1 teaspoon of oregano.
- Salt and pepper: Add up to 1 teaspoon each of mineral salt and pepper. I recommend mineral salt because it includes essential minerals and trace elements. I also find it to be more flavorful and don’t need as much.
- Lime juice: Freshly squeezed at the end of preparation adds a wonderful brightness of flavor.
Top Tips
- Keep them super simple. Use just the black beans, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper for plain black beans. Use these beans anywhere black beans are called for. Just drain and rinse the beans as you would with canned black beans.
- Use everything but the spices. You can also opt to use black beans, onion, garlic, vegetable broth, salt and pepper.
- Skip the chopping. Instead of dicing onion and garlic, use 1 teaspoon of EACH onion powder and garlic powder.
- Add more vegetables. For an even heartier black bean recipe, add 1 – 2 diced bell peppers of any color. Or try these Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans, which call for 2 green bell peppers and green olives.
How To Make Instant Pot Black Beans
Making homemade black beans in the instant pot only requires a few simple steps:
- Start by washing the beans. Rinse the beans under cool running water using a colander. Pick out and remove any odd-shaped beans.
- Add ingredients to the instant pot. Place the black beans in the bowl of the instant pot, add the onions, garlic, cumin, jalapeno (if using), bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and finish with the liquids.
- Pressure cook the beans. Manually set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 35 minutes, close the vent to SEAL. Once done, let the pressure cooker steam vent naturally for about 25 minutes.
- Taste for flavor. Taste the beans, adding as much lime juice, salt, and pepper as you like. The beans will soak up the remaining liquids as they cool.
Now all you have to do is enjoy the best black beans ever!
🌟 Bean Myths Debunked
Is It OK To Salt The Water When Cooking Dried Beans?
Absolutely! It’s perfectly ok to salt the beans when cooking. In fact, it adds more flavor and doesn’t keep them from fully cooking. The myth of salt interfering with cooking has finally been debunked (#6).
Most of the time, if beans don’t cook correctly, is because they are old or you have hard water (acidic water). Be sure to source beans from a place that replenishes them often and try using purified water or add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to the water.
Do I Need To Soak Black Beans Before Cooking?
No! Contrary to what you may have heard, there really is no need to soak the beans before cooking, no matter how you are cooking them. In fact, soaking the beans ahead of time means you’ll lose some of the flavors.
The only reason you may want to soak is to save a little cooking time, but even then, it will only save you 30 minutes to an hour. I always like to direct readers to this article about the myth of soaking beans and this No Need To Soak Your Beans.
Please note, if you’re sensitive to eating beans that haven’t been soaked, by all means, give them a soak, either a quick soak, or soak overnight in cold water. Personally, I have no issues with not soaking my beans, so I recommend doing what is best for you.
How To Store + Reheat
- To refrigerate or freeze in containers: Let the beans cool completely. Place them in airtight containers of the desired size. Refrigerate for 4 – 5 days or freeze for 2 – 3 months.
- To freeze flat (perfect for space saving): Let the beans cool completely. Portion them into freezer-friendly ziplock bags and label them with the date. Seal the bags, removing as much air as possible. Then squish the beans so the bag lays flat. Freeze flat for up to 2 – 3 months.
- To reheat: If the beans are frozen, let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat them in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often until warmed through. You can also zap them in the microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds to 1 minute, until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
Use these flavorful Mexican-inspired black beans in:
- Black Bean, Broccoli & Avocado Salad
- Black Bean Fajitas
- Chipotle-style Vegan Burrito Bowl
- Kale & Quinoa Burrito Bowl
- Nacho Bowl
- Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Make a black bean and rice bowl with Pico de Gallo or Mango Salsa
- or Black Bean Tacos and enchiladas!
More Instant Pot Recipes!
- Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans
- Instant Pot Applesauce
- Instant Pot Baked Beans
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
If you try this pressure cooker black beans recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintINSTANT POT BLACK BEANS
Instant Pot Black Beans made from scratch – no soaking or draining the beans needed – just simple ingredients that cook in one pot and ready in under 1 hour! Recipe is vegan and includes options for making them plain to use for any recipe calling for canned black beans.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 60 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Makes 5 cups 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Vegan, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried black beans, rinsed and odd beans removed
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and diced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano, optional
- 1 teaspoon mineral salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth
Instructions
Start by washing the beans. Rinse the beans under cool running water using a colander. Pick out and remove any odd shaped beans.
Add ingredients to the instant pot. Place the black beans in the bowl of the instant pot, add the onions, garlic, cumin, jalapeno (if using), bay leaves, salt, pepper and finish with the liquids.
Pressure cook the beans. Manually set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 35 minutes, close the vent to SEAL. Once done, let the pressure cooker steam vent naturally for about 25 minutes.
Taste for flavor. Taste the beans, adding as much lime juice, salt and pepper as you like.
Beans will soak up the remaining liquids as they cool. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Makes about 5 cups. Serves 8 – 10, 1/2 cup per serving.
Store: Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 – 5 days. To keep longer, store in freezer safe containers or baggies for up to 2 – 3 months.
Notes
Keep the beans super simple. Use just the black beans, vegetable broth, salt and pepper for plain black beans. Use these beans in any recipe calling for black beans. Drain and rinse them before using just as you would with canned black beans.
Use everything but the spices. You can also opt to use black beans, onion, garlic, vegetable broth, salt and pepper.
Skip the chopping. Instead of dicing onion and garlic, use 1 teaspoon EACH onion powder and garlic powder.
Add more vegetables. For an even heartier black bean recipe, add 1 – 2 diced bell peppers of any color.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: I used this Instant Pot.
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I have made this recipe multiple times, and it keeps coming out DELICIOUS!!!!! This is my go-to because it so so easy, nutritious, and healthy. My sister-in-law and her boyfriend (a chef) also had it, and they also LOVED it!!
These beans have so much flavor! Absolutely delicious! I use low-sodium vegetable broth and add a small chopped green bell pepper; red works, but green gives more of a Cuban flavor. If people are having to cook longer or use more liquid, perhaps they’re using old beans. I have made this recipe several times and it always turns out well, and so very much better than canned beans.
These turned out delicious, still firm enough to have a bite to each one. If you were going for a more refried bean texture that would smush well into a paste, I’d add more time. My broth powder was kind of salty, so if using bouillon I’d recommend tasting for salt after instead of adding to cook. The flavor is well-balanced and on point. Thanks for making my first instant pot recipe a success. :)
I make this often and it’s always a hit! My only modification is to use two packets of Goya seasoning in place of the spices in the recipe. Gives it a more Latin flavor.
Absolutely delicious! I have tried a few IP black bean recipes and this one is the best by far. Thanks!
Delicious!! Great recipe! I subbed onion powder and omitted the spices. Still fabulous and so easy. Thank you!
I needed more liquid for my beans. They did not cook evenly with the first try. But I put them back through with more liquid & that worked.
First time I have cooked beans in the instant pot. Turned out great! My whole family loved them! I really appreciated the variations that you gave as well. I’ll make this recipe in the future and try it with the variations. Thanks so much!
I’ve made these twice according to the recipe and both times they cooked very unevenly. Next time I’ll use both more liquid and more time.
but very good flavor!