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    Home » Instant Pot

    Easy Instant Pot Black Beans

    LAST UPDATED: May 1, 2023 PUBLISHED: May 1, 2023 By Pam Greer Leave a Comment As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Use your Instant Pot or pressure cooker to make the perfect pot of black beans! Then serve them over rice, use them in any recipe calling for canned beans, or freeze them!

    Black beans over rice with a cilantro salsa in a black bowl.

    One thing that almost all the healthy diets I have in common is the suggestion to eat beans every day. Luckily, I absolutely love beans.

    My two favorite ways to cook beans are with my slow cooker, like these Slow Cooker Pinto Beans with Bacon, and now my Instant Pot or pressure cooker.

    While some people say the best way is to simmer them low and slow on a stove, I simply don't have time to watch over my stove for hours.

    This recipe is for a basic pot of black beans. It's simply seasoned so that you can use the beans however you would like. Here I served it over rice with cilantro lime salsa.

    If you need more convincing to make a big pot of beans, read Why Beans are Good For You!

    Ingredients.

    • Black Beans - I use dried beans that I got from Costco. You can find dried black beans at any grocery store.
    • Garlic - peeled cloves.
    • Red Pepper Flakes - optional, for a little kick.
    • Herbs - I keep it very neutral if I'm not sure what I'm going to use the beans for, either a sprig of thyme or a bay leaf.
    • Shallots - or onions. I like the milder flavor of shallots.

    Instructions.

    Collage of beans soaking and then being drained.

    Do you need to soak beans before cooking in the Instant Pot? You are going to hear opinions on both sides of this. I've done it both ways and I've found that I tend to prefer the soaked beans. They seem to cook more evenly and they cook for much less time. Yes, you have to remember to soak them, but they only have to soak for 6-10 hours, so just start soaking them in the morning and they'll be ready for dinner!

    Place beans in a bowl and cover them with at least 2 inches of water. If you are not going to be home, cover them with more, some older beans can really soak up the water.

    When the soaking time is up, discard the water (again, some people say to use the water, but I prefer to discard it) and rinse the beans.

    Two photos of shallots and garlic, showing shallots being sliced and garlic peeled.

    Peel the garlic cloves, they are being left whole and they will become wonderfully soft at then end of cooking!

    Peel and thinly slice or dice the shallots.

    Two photos showing beans and other ingredients in the Instant Pot.

    Place the beans, shallots, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, salt and pepper in the Instant Pot.

    Pour in enough water to cover the beans. If you want a little extra broth, you can cover the beans by an inch or two.

    This is where my directions differ from some. I like to cook these beans on low pressure for 5 minutes and then do a complete NPR (natural pressure release - which means you don't turn the release pressure valve, you let the pressure come down on its own.) Cooking the beans on low and letting them do a natural pressure release results in fewer split beans and they come out perfect!

    When the pressure has been released, smoosh the garlic cloves against the side of the pan and stir them in the beans. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

    Black beans on rice with cilantro salsa on top.

    These beans are one of the reasons I love my Instant Pot so much! The pressure cooker does the work, no hovering over a stove adding water if you need to.

    These are very lightly seasoned, which makes them perfect for almost any recipe! You can take them in any direction you like. They are also perfect for freezing, so that the next time you need a can of black beans, you have your own so much better beans in the freezer!

    More Instant Pot bean recipes for you to try!

    Bowl of Black Eyed Peas.
    Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
    This Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas recipe makes the best black eyed peas ever! Creamy and rich and oh so delicious!
    Click here to see the recipe
    Instant Pot Ham and Beans Soup
    Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup
    This Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup tastes like it's been simmering all day, but it's ready in about an hour! 
    Click here to see the recipe

    Recipe.

    **As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Close up of a bowl of black beans topped with cilantro salsa.
    Print Pin Save Saved!
    5 from 32 votes

    Instant Pot Black Beans

    Use your Instant Pot or your pressure cooker to make the best black beans! These are lightly seasoned, making them perfect for so many uses! Using low pressure and NPR means the beans come out perfect every time!
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes minutes
    Natural Pressure Release 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 111kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound black beans soaked for 6-10 hours
    • 6 cloves garlic peeled
    • 2 shallots peeled and sliced
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 2 thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 4 cups water or broth

    Instructions

    • Rinse and drain beans.
    • Add beans, garlic, shallots, red pepper flakes and thyme sprigs to the Instant Pot. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. You can also wait and season at the end if you prefer.
    • Pour in the water and stir to combine.
    • Set the sealing valve to sealing, and the pressure to low. Cook at low pressure for 5 minutes. Then allow the pressure to release naturally (do not set the sealing valve to venting.)
    • When the pressure has released, remove the lid and the thyme sprigs. Smooshe the garlic cloves against the side of the pot and stir. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

    Notes

    These are very simply seasoned.  You could add 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, ½ teaspoon of cumin, and a bay leaf in place of the thyme sprigs for beans that are amazing in a burrito. 

    Equipment

    Instant Pot
    Instant Pot

    Nutrition

    Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

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    5 from 32 votes (32 ratings without comment)

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    Pam Greer from Sidewalk Shoes

    Hi, I'm Pam. I'm the person who plans whole vacations around where to eat and drink. Beautiful scenery is optional.

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