Name: Instant Pot Black Beans
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 lb dry black beans (rinsed); 6 cups water (or chicken broth or vegetable broth); 2 tsp salt

Pin113

Yum

113 Shares

This post may contain affiliate links (disclosure).

These Instant Pot black beans are tender, flavorful, and absolutely delicious! Best of all, no soaking needed! Making these black beans from scratch has changed me forever. I’m never going back to the canned stuff!

Pressure Cooker Black Beans

If you are looking for a great protein option that doesn’t involve any actual meat, this recipe for Instant Pot black beans works perfectly!

By cooking them in the Instant Pot pressure cooker, the beans cook slowly and tenderize in just under an hour. If I had made these on the stovetop in a pot, it would have taken several hours (and may not have turned out as good!).

If you don’t yet own the Instant Pot, you need it in your life! Click here for the model I recommend.

It’s also super easy to make! All you need are beans, water, and salt. That’s it!

If you want to infuse the black beans with some more flavor, you can always toss in a few bay leaves or a couple of cloves of garlic. That alone will really amp up the flavor but I sometimes just like to keep this recipe plain and simple.

If you don’t love black beans, you can swap them out and try making any of these three beans in the Instant Pot:

How To Make Black Beans In Instant Pot

Before you start cooking, make sure to rinse the beans under cold water to clean off anything that was left behind. Unlike traditional stovetop methods, there is no need for soaking.

Like the red colander on the picture above? Click to get the exact same one :)

After that is done, place the black beans, water, and salt into the Instant Pot. Close the lid and turn the valve to a sealing position.

Press the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” button and set the time to 45 minutes on high pressure.

When the Instant Pot is done cooking, push the valve to quick release (QR) the steam.

Note: Be careful when doing this step. The steam comes out very hot and quick and can easily burn you. Make sure to wait until all the steam is out before removing the lid.

Drain the beans and add more salt to taste if needed.

Instant Pot No Soak Black Beans FAQ

The ratio of beans to water in the Instant Pot is 1 lb black beans to 6 cups of water.

Can I cook 2 lbs of black beans in the Instant Pot?

That’s the question that I often get from my readers and the answer is yes! You can cook 2 lbs of beans in the Instant Pot just as easily as 1 lb :)

Just add 2 lbs of beans in the Instant Pot plus 9 cups of water (note that the beans to water ratio is different from 1 lb) and pressure cook on High for 45 minutes, followed by quick release.

It depends on the type of beans, as some beans take longer to pressure cook then others. For dried black beans, the pressure cooking time is 45 minutes, followed by QR. For cooking times of other type of dried beans, see my articles: how long to cook pinto beans in Instant Pot, cooking kidney beans in Instant Pot, great northern beans Instant Pot cook time.

No, that’s why these are No Soak Instant Pot Black Beans :) With the invention of the Instant Pot, I think soaking beans is a complete waste of time. Why soak beans when you don’t have to – the less work the better!

What if I already soaked the beans?

If you already soaked the beans, you can still cook them in the Instant Pot – for 1 lb of soaked black beans add 4 cups of water and pressure cook them for 20 minutes.

Are dry beans better than canned?

Yes, I much prefer dry black beans to canned for three reasons:

Cooked dry beans taste better than canned
Dry beans don’t include chemicals and preservatives that are often found in canned beans
Dry beans are much cheaper then canned and are a great way to save money

How many cups are in 1 lb of dried black beans?

1 pound dried black beans = 2 cups dried black beans

When you cook them, the beans expand and 1 cups of dried beans become 5 cups of cooked beans

For comparision, 1 can of black beans is only 1 1/2 cup of cooked beans – so much more expensive than dry beans!

How long to pressure cook canned black beans?

I get this question a lot, and the answer is – canned black beans are already cooked :) If you choose to cook canned black beans in the Instant Pot, you just need to cook them long enough to warm them. You can add 1 can of black beans with their liquid and 1/2 cup of water to the Instant Pot and use 0 (zero) minutes pressure cooking time, followed by quick release (QR). Then drain water and serve the beans! Canned black beans will be perfectly heated while the Instant Pot is coming to pressure – I use this “zero minute” cooking time technique on many vegetables that would be overcooked if you pressure cook them for longer then that – check out my page for Instant Pot zero minutes.

Seasonings For Black Beans

For my basic recipe I just add salt to cooking water, however you can add all kinds of seasonings to make these Instant Pot black beans more flavorful! You can add 2 tbsp of chili powder or 2 tbsp of taco seasoning to cooking water, or check out these homemade spice mix recipes you can use:

After the beans are cooking, you can also mix them with a jar of salsa – delicious! Here are some homemade salsa options for you as well:

What To Serve With Black Beans

With a simple black bean recipe like this one, there are so many ways you can serve these beans!

I love to make some chicken legs in the air fryer and serve it with a side of black beans and cilantro lime rice cooked in the Instant Pot. It’s so yummy!

You can also add the beans to your homemade taco bowls so you feel like you are eating at Chipotle, or add them to this healthy black bean and cheese enchiladas for dinner. The beans work as a protein serving in this vegetarian dish.

Need a low carb option? Serve these black beans with some cauliflower rice!

More Instant Pot Recipes

If you loved these tender black beans in the Instant Pot, check out some of the other Instant Pot recipes I have shared on the blog!

These are some of my current go-to’s:

Click Here To Pin This Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

No ratings yet