Learning to cook Instant Pot Black Beans is not only a time saver, but it can also help you to put healthy high protein meals on the table. Cooking beans in the Instant Pot is super simple using this easy and fast method.
Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Black Beans
Contents
- Time-Saver: The Instant Pot reduces soaking and cooking time significantly.
- Versatile Ingredient: These beans can be used in numerous dishes, from salads to burritos.
If you love this recipe then you’ll also want to try our Instant Pot Arroz Con Polo recipe and these Instant Pot Steak Fajitas.
Recipe Ingredients
When cooking Instant Pot black beans you will need the following ingredients:
- Small Yellow Onion: Adds a sweet, savory base to the dish and enhances the flavor of the beans.
- Green Bell Pepper: Provides a slight bitterness and crunch, complementing the softness of the beans.
- Kosher Salt: Essential for seasoning, it brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Ground Cumin: Lends a warm, earthy flavor that’s integral to the overall taste profile of the dish.
- Dried Oregano: Infuses the dish with a slightly bittersweet, pungent flavor that pairs well with the beans.
- Minced Garlic: Adds a spicy, aromatic note that elevates the overall taste.
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the vegetables, it adds a hint of richness to the dish.
- Dried Black Beans: The star ingredient, they provide a hearty, satisfying texture and a deep, earthy flavor.
- Water or Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth: Acts as the cooking liquid for the beans. The broth options add more flavor than water.
- Fresh Lime Juice: An optional addition, it imparts a tangy freshness that can lighten the dish.
- Cilantro: Adds a burst of fresh, herbal flavor at the end, enhancing the overall taste of the dish.
How To Cook Instant Pot Black Beans?
This method is for cooking dried black beans in the Instant Pot. Cooking dried beans takes 5 minutes longer than cooking soaked black beans.
Step One: Wash your black beans and add water to the Instant Pot. The ratio is 1 1/2 cups of liquid to 1 cup of beans.
Step Two: Chop and dice your onion and bell pepper and add to your Instant Pot. Next add your black beans.
Step Three: Add your olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic and oregano to the Instant Pot.
Step Four: Secure the Instant Pot lid. Turn the pressure cooker on and set the button to pressure cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. It will take around 8 to 10 minutes to pressurize and then the cooking will begin.
Step Five: 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!). This will ensure no cooking liquid spews out of the top of the Instant Pot valve. After 20 minutes there should not be any remaining pressure.
Step Six: Carefully remove your Instant Pot lid to enjoy your perfectly cooked beans! If you fancy a garnish add fresh lemon juice or lime juice and cilantro to your cooked beans.
Cooking Mexican Black Beans has never been easier! You’ll love this Black beans recipe. The seasoned black beans taste fantastic and are great for immediate use. You can also store these flavorful beans and add to recipes in the future.
How To Store Cooked Black Beans
- Fridge: Black beans will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
- Freeze: You can freeze black beans for up to 3 months but you have to drain the liquid first.
- Reheat: Reheat black beans by placing them in a microwave-safe dish, adding a splash of water, covering with a damp paper towel, and microwaving in short intervals until warmed through.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Love Mexican black beans but are unsure 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 seasoned black turtle beans to make a delicious beans recipe to enjoy.
FAQ’S
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.
Why Cook Black Beans in the Instant Pot?
There are two main benefits to cooking Instant Pot Black Beans:
Save Money Using Black Beans: 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.
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Black Beans Cook Fast: 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 black beans cooking time 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 using soaked beans rather than dry beans. This Instant Pot black beans Mexican 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.
How to Soak Black Beans Before Cooking
If you decide to soak your beans, here is an easy method: Rinse and sort through your black beans, discarding any bad ones. Rinse well under cold water until there are no traces of starch.
Fill a large bowl with water and add the black beans. Allow them to soak for 3-8 hours (or soak beans overnight). Drain well before cooking on high pressure.
What Is the 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.
This black beans Instant Pot water ration works every time and is the perfect ratio in any electric pressure cooker.
Can I Add Chili Powder to This Recipe?
Yes, you can add chili powder to this recipe. Try adding 1 teaspoon of chili powder when cooking your beans or sprinkle some on top after they are finished cooking for a bit of extra heat.
More Ways to Use Instant Pot Black Beans
Use Instant pot black beans as a base for soup or chili. We have a fantastic recipe here for Instant Pot Black Bean Chili.
- Black Bean Burrito Bowl: Add Instant Pot 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 more authentic refried beans taste. Try it on top of 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.
Instant Pot Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 Onion
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 Teaspoon 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
Instructions
- This method is for cooking dried black beans in the Instant Pot. Cooking dried beans takes 5 minutes longer than cooking soaked 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 the Instant Pot lid. Turn the pressure cooker on and set the button to pressure cook on high pressure for minutes. (30 minutes if using 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!).
- This will ensure no cooking liquid spews out of the top of the Instant Pot valve.
- After 20 minutes, there should not be any remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove your Instant Pot lid to enjoy your perfectly cooked beans!
- If you fancy a garnish, add fresh lemon juice or lime juice and cilantro to your cooked beans.
Nutrition
Notes
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