Perfect Instant Pot Black Beans cooked in your pressure cooker from dried, require no soak and are not mushy.
If you want to avoid BPA in canned black beans and save money, batch cook black beans in Instant Pot, freeze and use in salads, casseroles, brownies, nachos and soups.
Pressure Cooker Black Beans
I’m so excited, I finally perfected Instant Pot black beans!
I have to say pressure cooker black beans recipe is one of the longest recipes I had to test. Over 10 times. I just couldn’t figure out how long to cook black beans in Instant Pot.
Instant Pot chickpeas – no problem. Brown rice and quinoa – perfectly cooked. But black beans… No matter what time I tried, Instant Pot black beans came out mushy.
I finally “cracked the code”. There is a secret and simple science behind perfect, firm and not bursted Instant Pot black beans.
Ingredients
OK, this Instant Pot black beans recipe is perfect for batch cooking. We are making simple black beans with no added salt. All you need is dried black beans and water.
No soaking required. I just rinse beans with cold water and then drain. Because beans are dirty, yes.
How to Cook Black Beans in Instant Pot
I armed myself with 6 quart and 8 quart pressure cookers and set out on major testing spree. The 6 quart is Cosori and not Instant Pot but it doesn’t matter. They all cook the same more or less.
Testing black beans in 2 different size pressure cookers was life changing. As much as life changing cooking black beans can be…
- Add black beans and water to Instant Pot. Ratio is 1 to 3 approximately.
- No need to stir.
- Close the lid and set pressure vent to Sealing.
How Long to Cook Black Beans in 6 Quart Instant Pot?
For 6 Quart Instant Pot: Cook on High Pressure for 12 minutes.
Release Pressure: After cooking is done, let 6 quart Instant Pot bring pressure down on its own – Natural Release. Do not do Quick Release, your beans will be undercooked or fall apart.
See the float pink pin is up? It means there is sill pressure inside the pot. When it’s down, it is safe to open the pot and food has finished cooking.
How Long to Cook Black Beans in 8 Quart Instant Pot?
For 8 Quart Instant Pot: Cook on High Pressure for 12 minutes.
Release Pressure: After cooking is done, let 8 quart Instant Pot bring pressure down on its own for 10 minutes and then release remaining pressure immediately. If you let your 8 Quart Instant Pot release pressure naturally all the way, black beans will be overcooked.
That was “the secret” why my black beans kept coming out overcooked in 8 quart Instant Pot.
What happens is that when pressure is coming down food keeps cooking. Because 8 quart pot is larger than 6 quart, it takes almost twice longer to bring down pressure inside it. So beans cook longer.
If you are new to whole pressure cooking game, check out my Instant Pot guide for beginners. I also go over which Instant Pot you should buy depending on your lifestyle.
I’m so happy I “cracked the code” and Instant Pot black beans are one of my favorite healthy Instant Pot recipes now. I just love black beans so much. I used to soak them overnight and then cook on the stove for hours. It was fine, just not as convenient as now.
I stopped buying canned beans of any kind years ago because of BPA and glyphosate. And organic canned beans without BPA are very expensive. Now, cooking dried black beans without soaking in Instant Pot is life changing.
Try Black Beans In:
- Black bean brownies
- Black bean quinoa casserole
- Black bean mango salad
- Black bean nachos
- Instant Pot black bean soup
How to Store Cooked Black Beans
Cooked black beans refrigerate well for up to 5 days. You can use them in place of canned black beans with a ratio of 1.5 cups drained cooked beans = 15 oz can.
I like to triple the recipe at a time and freeze black beans for later. I measure 1.5 cups into resealable sandwich bags, let air out, seal and freeze for up to 6 months. To thaw, I place bag with frozen black beans on a counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight. Or place in a bowl with hot water for 5 minutes and then drain. Easy-peasy.
Broth: Do not discard the liquid. It is a delicious and nutritious veggie broth. Use as a base for making any soup. Especially, Instant Pot black bean soup.
Enjoy! And please let me know in the comments below if my magic recipe worked for you too.
More Instant Pot Basics Recipes
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- Instant Pot chickpeas
- Instant Pot brown rice
- Instant Pot quinoa
- Instant Pot bone broth
- Instant Pot yogurt
- Browse collection of 30 healthy Instant Pot recipes.
Instant Pot Black Beans
Perfect Instant Pot Black Beans cooked in your pressure cooker from dried, require no soak and are not mushy.
- Prep Time: 1 minute
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: North American
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried black beans, rinsed & drained
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- In Instant Pot, add black beans and water. You can eyeball water just enough to cover beans by an inch.
- For 6 Quart Instant Pot: Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cooking on High for 12 minutes. After cooking is done, let 6 quart Instant Pot bring pressure down on its own – Natural Release. Do not do Quick Release, your beans will be undercooked or fall apart.
- For 8 Quart Instant Pot: Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cooking on High for 12 minutes. After cooking is done, let 8 quart Instant Pot bring pressure down on its own for 10 minutes and then release remaining pressure immediately. If you let your 8 Quart Instant Pot release pressure naturally all the way, black beans will be overcooked.
- Open the lid. That’s it! Your Instant Pot black beans are ready.
Freeze for Later: I like to transfer black beans with a slotted spoon to a large colander placed in a sink, drain and rinse with cold water. Then I measure 1.5 cups (equal to a 15 oz can drained) into the sandwich bags, let air out, seal and freeze for up to 6 months. To Thaw: Place on a counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight. Or place in a bowl with hot water for 5 minutes and then drain. Easy-peasy.
Broth: Do not discard the liquid. It is a delicious and nutritious veggie broth. Use as a base for making any soup. Especially, Instant Pot black bean soup.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.
Perfect for my black bean brownies
★★★★★
That is what I mostly cook black beans for. And for the mango black bean salad and other salads too.
First time using my insta pot. Simple and easy.
★★★★★
Awesome!!! Happy to hear, George.
Would this work for green lentils? Or any advice on how long it would take to cook dried lentils?
I have not tested lentils yet. In a soup – yes, but not on their own. Lentils do not cook same as beans so I can’t say. Sorry.
Instant Pot black beans came out perfect. Thanks so much!!!
★★★★★