Instant Pot Black Beans: Easy Cooking Guide

Instant Pot Black Beans: How To Cook The Best Beans In Your Instant Pot

My sister has the most amazing black beans burrito recipe and when mum made a batch of black beans in the Instant Pot last week, we couldn’t get enough of them. Learning to cook beans in the Instant Pot is not only a time saver, it can help you to put healthy high protein meals on the table.

Today Mum is sharing her method for cooking black beans in the Instant Pot – and we’re giving it to you.

If you haven’t got an Instant Pot yet, consider buying one here: Instant Pot Duo

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What Are Black Beans?

Black beans are small shiny dark brown beans with a rich nutty flavour. They are popular in Mexican, Caribbean and Brazilian cuisine. Black beans are often used in chili, soups and stews.

In the US black beans are known as black turtle beans because they were a popular ingredient in turtle soup. Personally I don’t like the sound of turtle soup but I do love Black Bean Soup…it’s delicious and the flavorful beans make this soup a family favorite.

What Are The Benefits?

Black beans are high in soluble fibre which help to reduce cholesterol levels. They also have lots of folate which is important for a healthy nervous system.

Black beans are also a great source of magnesium, which is important for healthy bones and muscles.

They are a great source of protein and can be used in a variety of ways. Black beans have saturated fat which is the good kind of fat.

Why Cook Black Beans In The Instant Pot?

There are two main benefits to cooking black beans in the Instant Pot. First you can get more bang for your buck.

Buying dried black beans in bulk is always going to be cheaper than buying canned beans. We like to buy our beans and store them in containers for easy use.

Secondly, the pressure cooker is the fastest way to cook Mexican black beans and saves you time.

How Long Does It Take to Cook Black Beans in the Pressure Cooker?

The cook time for black beans can vary depending on whether or not the beans are soaked.

• Soaked Black Beans Instant Pot Cooking Time: 20-25 Minutes
• Hard Black Beans (No Soak) Instant Pot Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Do You Need To Soak Black Beans?

Some recipes suggest used soaked beans rather than dry beans. This Instant Pot black beans recipe does not require you to soak beans.

The main benefit of soaking beans before cooking in the Instant Pot is to reduce the cooking time.

If you decide to soak your beans, here is an easy method:

1. Rinse and sort through your black beans, discarding any bad ones.
2. Rinse well under cold water until there are no traces of starch.
3. Fill a large bowl with water and add the black beans.
4. Allow them to soak for 3-8 hours (or soak beans overnight).
5. Drain well before cooking on high pressure.

In a nut shell, you do not have to soak black beans but the benefits are that they cook a bit faster.

How Many Cups Is in 1 Pound of Dried Beans?

1 pound of dried black beans is equal to around 2 1/2 cups.

After cooking 1 pound of dried beans you will get around 5 cups of cooked black beans.

Black Beans Instant Pot Water Ratio

When cooking black beans ensure you have at least 1 1/2 cups of water or broth for every cup of beans.

Instant Pot Black Beans Ingredients

When cooking seasoned black beans you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 small yellow onion 
• 1 green bell pepper 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups dried black beans (Will make 8 servings)
• 3 Cups Water or Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
• Fresh Lime Juice (Optional) 2 Tbs
• 1 teaspoon cilantro

How To Cook Black Beans in Your Instant Pot

This method is for cooking dried black beans.

Add your black beans and water to the Instant Pot.

Chop and dice your onion and bell pepper and add to your instant pot.

Add your olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic and oregano to the Instant pot.

Secure lid, press Pressure Cook on High, and set to 25 minutes . (30 minutes if non soaked)

It will take around 8 to 10 minutes to pressurize and then the cooking will begin.

When the Instant Pot timer goes off, set a separate timer for 20 minutes and allow the steam to release naturally (that means don’t push any buttons!).

Carefully remove your instant lid to enjoy your perfectly cooked beans!

If you fancy a garnish add Fresh Lemon juice and cilantro to your cooked beans.

Tip: (If you have presoaked your black beans then knock five minutes of the pressure cooking time and cook for only 20 minutes).

What To Serve With Black Beans??

Love Mexican beans but not sure how to serve them? Here are some serving suggestions:

Black beans are of course traditionally served with rice and corn tortillas, but they make for great side dishes too.

You can serve black beans as a side dish with Mexican style quinoa , instant pot white rice, brown rice, Spanish rice or even pasta.

You can also serve black beans with fried plantains, cooked sweet potato or even in a taco salad.

You could also add diced tomatoes to your Black beans and make a delicious beans recipe to enjoy.

More Ways to Use Instant Pot Black Beans

-Use Instant pot black beans as a base for a soup or chili. We have a fantastic recipe here for Instant Pot Black Bean Chili.

Black Bean Burrito Bowl

-Add black beans to a burrito bowl along with rice, cheese, lettuce and salsa. Check out this Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Recipe With Black Beans.

Refried Black Beans

-Make ‘refried’ black beans by mashing cooked black beans with a fork and adding spices. Add cayenne pepper if you like them spicy! You can also add tomatoes for a more authentic refried beans taste. Try it on top of these Instant Pot Stuffed Poblanos.

Black Bean Burgers

-Make black bean burgers by mixing mashed black beans with spices, onion, bell pepper and fresh cilantro. Add an egg if you like to help bind it all together. Form patties and cook them in a skillet until golden brown.

Batch Cooking Black Beans

If cooking regularly for your family I would suggest prepping a few batches of black beans at once. Simply double your recipe and stick to the same cooking times as indicated above.

Can You Freeze Black Beans

Black beans will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can freeze leftover beans for up to 3 months but you have to drain the liquid first. If you are freezing, don’t add any extra ingredients before freezing.

Simply freeze your plain black beans and add the flavour to your recipes as you use your beans for your recipes.

Are too Many Black Beans Bad For You?

No, black beans are full of essential nutrients and good for you.

However if you experience any discomfort after eating them it’s best to call your doctor just in case.

Do You Love Beans? Learn How To Cook More Beans In Your Instant Pot..

Whether cooking Kidney beans, pinto beans or another type of dried bean, read this article to learn the basic cooking times for Instant Pot Dried Beans.

So what will you be using your black beans for? Lets us know what delicious recipe you use in the comment below.

Angela Milnes is a Qualified Early Years Teacher who has specialised in teaching. She has a wealth of experience teaching young children and adults. Angela has also taught cooking classes and loves to share both family recipes and easy instant pot recipes here on The Instant Pot Table. Follow her on Pinterest!