Instant Pot Beans: How to Cook Dried Beans in a Pressure Cooker with No Pre-Soaking Required: The EASIEST, FASTEST way to cook dried beans with success.
Do you guys have an Instant Pot?
No?!!!
Well, you need to get on it and get one ASAP!! I mean, like yesterday! I was skeptical of these magical pressure cooking pots, but I figured that since I am looking for answers on all things food-related, I owed it to you all to get one and see if all the buzz was true.
It was.
The number one reason to fall in love with your pressure cooker is when you make Instant Pot Dried Beans!
If beans aren't your thing, check out my collection of Easy Healthy Instant Pot Recipes.
These pressure cookers are the BEST thing ever for a person who is busy but wants to cook home-cooked meals. I was hooked the first time I used my Instant Pot--which by the way was when I tried to make my 5 Ingredient Pot Roast with a frozen chuck roast and it was ready in less than an hour!! Crazy--right?!!
My latest obsession is making my dried beans in the Instant Pot.
I use beans in so many dishes like Black Bean Tacos, Minestrone, and Tuscan White Bean Pasta, that to be able to make beans quickly without pre-soaking, is a dream come true for me.
And in seriously a matter of 5 minutes prep and less than an hour, I have cooked dried beans that are ready to use. Not to mention, pressure cooking the beans results in the most tender beans I have EVER had! They have a better texture than canned beans.
Instant Pot Beans
Okay, let's break cooking dried beans without soaking them down for you.
YES, you can cook dried beans WITHOUT soaking first. I know, mind-blowing!
How To Make Instant Pot Beans
- Rinse and sort your dried beans--just look over your dried beans to be sure there are no rocks that have snuck in!
- Place 1 pound of dried beans with 8 cups water in your Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for the directed time.
- Once cook time has released, let the pressure release naturally for at least 20 minutes before trying to do a quick release of pressure.
- Once the beans have finished cooking, add in a splash of apple cider vinegar and salt. The salt flavors the beans and the vinegar helps make the beans easier to digest.
- I do like to store cooked beans in a bit of the cooking liquid to keep them moist and tender while they sit in the fridge, this is not necessary, but suggested.
Instant Pot Bean Cook Time
- Black Beans--30 Minutes on High Pressure
- Chickpeas--40 Minutes on High Pressure
- Kidney Beans--35 Minutes on High Pressure
- Pinto Beans--25 Minutes on High Pressure
- Navy Beans--25 Minutes on High Pressure
- Great Northern Beans-- on 35 Minutes High Pressure
How to Flavor Beans
Instead of just cooking dried beans in water alone, I like to add a little flavor to my beans. This step of course is optional but highly encouraged.
- Along with beans and water, add half an onion and bay leaf.
- You will want to add salt or homemade taco seasoning AFTER your beans have been cooked. Adding salt BEFORE cooking dried beans can make it harder for your beans to break down and soften properly.
How do I know how much dried beans to cook for a recipe?
- First of all, let me start by saying that one pound of dried beans is equivalent to about 2 cups of measured dried beans. Therefore, if you don't have a one-pound bag of dried beans, just measure out 2 cups of beans for this recipe.
- Dried beans will triple in quantity when cooked. So for 1 pound, or 2 cups, of dried beans, you will have 6 cups of cooked beans.
- Most recipes call for 15-ounce cans of beans. This is about 2 cups of COOKED beans.
- Therefore this recipe for dried beans makes 6 cups cooked beans or the equivalent to 3 cans of beans.
How do I store leftover cooked beans?
You can cook extra beans in your pressure cooker to have on hand for recipes.
- Store leftover cooked beans in the refrigerator for 5 days. I keep the beans with a bit of the cooking liquid (much like you see in canned beans to keep them moist.) Just drain before serving.
- Or freeze prepared beans in 1 to 2 cup portions in freezer-safe bags/containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can add a bit of cooking liquid to the beans you plan to freeze as well.
A Few Hints For Cooking Instant Pot Dried Beans
- If you like your beans SUPER soft, without a bite left to them, cook for an additional 10 minutes under high pressure.
- If you have pre-soaked your beans, reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes.
- Never fill the inner pot of your pressure cooker more than ½ full when cooking beans.
- It is best to let the pressure release naturally for beans to retain shape. However, you may do a rapid release after 10 minutes, by putting on oven mitts and pushing the steam valve to release. Just be careful not to stand too close--that steam can burn your face!
- If you find beans to be hard on your stomach or make you gassy, either pre-soak beans overnight first and/or add ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar after cooking.
- You will most likely have liquid left after cooking the beans in the instant pot, just drain off the liquid before using it in recipes.
Recipes to Use Cooked Beans
- Healthy Black Bean Baked Tacos
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos
- Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
- Vegetarian Lentil Chili
- Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili
Let's Make Instant Pot Beans
Instant Pot Dried Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried beans rinsed and sorted (this is equal to 2 measuring cups full of dried beans)
- 8 cups water
- 1 bay leaf optional
- 1 onion, sliced optional
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar optional
Instructions
- Place beans, water, onion, and bay leaf if using in the inner pot of a pressure cooker.
- Place lid on Instant Pot and close valve to "seal."
- Cook on High Pressure for Following Times:Black Beans--30 Minutes on High Pressure Chickpeas--40 Minutes on High Pressure Kidney Beans--35 Minutes on High Pressure Pinto Beans--25 Minutes on High Pressure Navy Beans**--25 Minutes on High Pressure Butter Beans--40 Minutes on High Pressure Great Northern Beans-- on 35 Minutes High Pressure
- Allow to naturally release until pressure subsides, or at least 20 minutes before doing a quick release.
- Once beans have finished cooking, stir in salt and vinegar if using. Store cooked beans in a bit of the cooking liquid to keep them moist and tender while they sit in fridge, this is not necessary, but suggested.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- For incredibly soft beans without much structure left, add 10 minutes to cook time.
- For pre-soaked beans, decrease cook time by 10 minutes and decrease the water to 5 cups.
- For every additional pound of dried beans, add 2 cups of water for pressure cooking.
- Note on Navy Beans: Navy beans can get mushy if not pre-soaked. So if preparing them for baked beans or something you want to hold its shape, it is best to soak them for 8-12 hours in cold water and then drain and cook for 15 minutes on high pressure with natural pressure release.
- For cooking in your pressure cooker at a higher altitude, keep in mind these Instant Pot Altitude Conversions.
Kelly
I love simple one-pot dinners-they would be even easier in the instant-pot!
Kristen Chidsey
For sure!!
Jenni
Hm... I want to see you make a roast in the instant pot!
Kristen Chidsey
I have done that several times--take this recipe https://amindfullmom.com/5-ingredient-slow-cooker-pot-roast/ and set for meat/stew for 30 minutes. Perfection!
Rochelle
Can I set this for manual high pressure for 30 Min?
Kristen Chidsey
Absolutely Rochelle! The bean function is just fancy pre-set (but cooks on high)
Dpham
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I never seem to have enough time in the morning for breakfast. The instant pot looks like it would solve that problem. So I'd love it if you try more breakfast recipes. Baked eggs, perhaps?
Kristen Chidsey
That is a great idea! And I agree, breakfast is KEY. While you wait for that recipe--check out my overnight oats. You prep the night before and grab and go. https://amindfullmom.com/overnight-peanut-butter-banana-pudding-oatmeal-vegan-gluten-free/
Heather
I just subscribed! My family loves beans, especially mixing 1lb pinto beans with 1 lb ground beef for tacos. Stretches our taco meat further and is cheaper than adding more beef! I would love to see a recipe in the instant pot for a teriyaki pork roast, or any pork roast. Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!! Welcome to A Mind "Full" Mom family! And I always stretch taco meat with some type of pulse. Pork Roast is a great idea!!
Shell
I was blessed with an IP for Christmas. I would love to see some Asian inspired recipes. Thanks for the education on pulses. My DH wants more in the meal plan, so now I feel confident adding them quickly at supper time. Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
Shell, so glad I inspired you! And I am planning on working in some Asian recipes!
Kimberly
Please do a Mexican enchilada.
Kristen Chidsey
That sounds great!
Kimberly
Please do Mexican food.
Kristen Chidsey
You can never go wrong with Mexican food!
Brie Arellanos
I already subscribed recently 🙂 Chicken tortilla soup sounds yummy! Anything to save time in the kitchen is great for me 😉
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!! Love having you here Brie! Any time saving recipe is great for us too. Here is a similar recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup https://amindfullmom.com/chicken-chili/ To make it more like soup than chili, add in additional 2 cups chicken stock. And you can hit stew on Instant Pot and set for 25 minutes--and done!
Julia
Just subscribed ????
Would love to know how to make a buffalo chicken dip, one of my sons faves.
Kristen Chidsey
Julia, that is a great idea!! That is one of my family's favorites as well.
Isabel Acosta
I would like to see a cheesecake recipe or a lasagna recipe
Kristen Chidsey
Both sound delicious!
Aubrey Palmer
Hmm, maybe Creme Brule or some kind of custard?
Kristen Chidsey
Oh yes, dessert sounds like a great challenge!
Alexandra Robertson
I subscribed! I would love a recipe for a pasta dish in the Instant Pot! Is that even possible lol.
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! So happy to have you Alexandra! And pasta in the instant pot--I will work on it--stay tuned!
Traci
Can you also test to see if various pasta-substitute veggies (such as “zoodles” which are zucchini or other raw veggies cut spiralized to look like spaghetti), or spaghetti squash (which would kind of have to be already cooked, I believe, so whether to add it at the end or at what point during cooking -so it doesn’t turn into mush- would be a factor there) would work in your pasta recipes, pretty please?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Traci! That is a GREAT idea for the new year! I have an Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce Recipe coming up next week. For pre-spiralized veggies, like zucchini you would mix right into sauce at end and just let warm at the end of cooking. For spaghetti squash, I need to experiment with cooking the squash at the same time as the sauce (by putting spaghetti squash on trivet) Let me work on that (and it may not be until after the holidays) Take care!
Ally's Sweet & Savory Eats
How had I not subscribed to your newsletter yet already??? Sorry about that! I'd love to see you make RIBS in the insta-pot!
Kristen Chidsey
Ribs in the Instant Pot?! I need to try that! Hope you are well my friend!
Jennifer
Pulled or Kayla pork! I love a good pork sandwich!
Kristen Chidsey
Yes, me too!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan
I sure don't have an Instant Pot - but I wish I did as these beans are the bombdiggity! With a vegetarian daughter in the house, I've been making all sorts of pulses / legumes and this would be a wonderful rotation - loving how you flavored them as I too love some flavor in all things!
Julie
I'd love any kind of "one-stop," "throw it all in" dish you can make in the Instant Pot.