My Instant Pot Black Beans recipe makes a simple, tasty, healthy & budget-friendly dinner. They are really quick and easy to make with no soaking involved. They are great to have on hand for simple dinners and meal prep!
Ever wondered how to make really tasty black beans in an Instant Pot? Well, I'm here to show you how with this really easy and flavourful Instant Pot Black Beans recipe.
This recipe is an adapted version of my Slow Cooker Black Beans so if you don't have an Instant Pot hop on over to that recipe instead.
Here' why I am loving these black beans:
- The recipe is quick & easy
- No soaking required!
- Just set the Instant Pot and forget - It's completely hands-off
- It's incredibly budget-friendly
- Black beans are super healthy
- It's oil-free and really low in calories
- It's perfect for batch cooking
- The beans reheat really well
- It's freezer friendly
- The beans can be repurposed into lots of other meals/recipes
- You can switch up the seasonings with whatever you have in your pantry
How to cook black beans in an Instant Pot
It really is so simple to make perfect black beans in your Instant Pot and there's no need to soak your beans before you start! This is no soak recipe.
Here's how it's done:
Step 1 - Add all of the ingredients except the lime to the Instant Pot and give them a stir.
Step 2 - Set the Instant Pot to 25 minutes on Manual/Pressure Cook and leave it to do its stuff.
Step 3 - Cut the lime in half and squeeze it over the beans just before serving.
They really are so quick, easy and super tasty!
What can I make with black beans?
Try serving these delicious Instant Pot Black Beans quite simply with some rice and some of my Green Sauce. The combination is incredible. I like to top it all with some diced bell pepper, tomato or green onions for added texture and colour like in my picture. They are also awesome in a bowl with guacamole and tortilla chips for scooping/dipping.
Leftover cooked beans can be used in:
- Vegan Meal Prep with Black Beans & Rice
- tacos
- nachos
- burritos
- buddha bowls
- salads
- wraps
- add to tofu scramble or vegan scrambled eggs
- top avocado toast
- you can even add more broth and blend them up into a soup
I just love simple recipes like this that can be recycled into loads of other things!
Storage, freezing & reheating tips
Instant Pot Black Beans are really versatile and absolutely perfect for batch cooking because they reheat and freeze perfectly. I often make double or triple and freeze them for another day.
Store cooled leftover black beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze allow the beans to cool completely then spoon into an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before using.
To reheat, place the beans in a pan on the stovetop and heat over medium-low heat until piping hot. They can also be microwaved.
Recipe FAQs
As per this recipe, for 450 grams / 1lb of black beans you need 3 cups (720 mls) of liquid. I like to use stock rather than water for more flavour. This will produce perfectly cooked black beans and most of the liquid will be absorbed, with a little leftover to keep them nice and moist. It means the flavours aren't diluted and you don't have to do any draining.
You don't have to soak the black beans before cooking them. This makes it super convenient! They cook fast straight from dried and have so much more flavour when they aren't soaked first.
If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!
Recipe Video
Recipe
Instant Pot Black Beans
Author:Ingredients
- 2½ cups (450 grams) dried black beans , no need to soak before using
- 1 medium onion , chopped finely
- 4 cloves garlic , chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes , or 1 fresh chili, (you can omit the chili if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried mint , optional but recommended if you have it
- 3 cups (720 ml) flavourful broth/stock
- 1 lime , juice only
- up to 1 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste if required
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all ingredients except the lime to the Instant Pot and stir.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and seal the vent.
- Cook on high pressure MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK in newer models, for 25 minutes for tender, soft beans, (or 30 minutes of you prefer really soft slightly mushy beans) and leave the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid. Please note that the beans continue to cook during the natural pressure release so if you skip this step and vent manually your beans will turn out much firmer.
- Add salt to taste then squeeze the juice of the lime into the beans and give them a quick stir before serving.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.
Colleen says
These beans exceeded my expectations in every way. They're super easy to make and really flavorful. We combined these with the Coconut Lime Rice and the two together were excellent.
A Virtual Vegan says
So pleased you enjoyed them Colleen. They do work so well with that rice dish!
Leslie says
I have made these beans 3 times. They are very tasty but I don't think there is enough liquid in the recipe. After cooking and full NPR, my beans have always been fairly firm and there is little to no liquid left. Today I added an additional 3/4 c of broth in the first stage of cooking and cooked them for 45 minutes. That still leaves the beans quite firm and little to no broth left. So I added another 3/4 c and put them on for another 10 minutes. These beans are not that old (however, we never know how long they have sat in warehouses. etc.). 2 1/2 c of black beans is about 1 lb. My other recipes for 1 lb of blackbeans have 4-6 c of liquid or a measurement of 1" above the beans. Are your beans super fresh? Are you getting them from a place like Rancho Gordo? That may account for the difference.
A Virtual Vegan says
Sorry you're not happy with them. This recipe isn't intended to be a super liquidy one though. You can see in my photo and videos how it should look.
If they were really saucy they would be no good for tacos, salads, burritos etc. You can of course add more liquid though if you prefer them that way and that won't affect the cooking time. You might well need to up the seasonings etc if you do though because extra liquid will dilute the flavours.
My recipes are tested by me and a team of recipe testers and we all found that 25 to 30 minutes was optimum for cooking. 25 for firmer beans, 30 for slightly mushier well-cooked beans. Instant Pot themselves actually suggest 20 to 25 minutes cooking time for unsoaked black beans: https://instantpot.com/instantpot-cooking-time/#tab-id-3
If yours aren't soft after 45 minutes then it's likely to be the beans you are using. Like you say you never really know how old they are or how they have been stored. Perhaps try some from a different source next time.
In answer to your other questions, I always test my bean recipes with beans from multiple sources and my recipe testers would also have bought different beans to me. All of our beans came from regular grocery stores. I have no idea what Rancho Gordo is. We don't have that here.
Hope that helps!
Stephanie says
My go to black bean recipe, no need to look any further! These black beans are so simple to make and so flavorful.
Tara says
this is the second time I'm making these. I haven't stopped thinking about them since the first time! I mistakenly added the lime juice before cooking. Will this alter the flavor at all? Should I still add the lime juice after? Thanks
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you are enjoying them! The reason the lime is added at the end is that a lot of the flavour disappears with cooking. If you add it after it preserves the lime flavour. Yours will be fine though and yes, you could always add a squeeze after cooking too to give the flavour a boost.
alice says
Time for natural release is not listed. How much time should you give to natural release? I know the beans continue cooking during natural release and I don't want to open too soon. Thanks much.
A Virtual Vegan says
There is no specific time. Just wait until the natural pressure release has happened and the pin drops. Don't open it before that happens. Then they will be perfect. And if you don't happen to notice the pin drop it doesn't matter if they sit there a bit longer. Hope that helps!
daniel says
this is delicious! this recipe tastes great and the flavor profile works great with a variety of dishes.
Tara Hewins says
I literally just ate this by the spoonful as soon as it was ready!! This is the best black bean recipe I've ever tried! If you don't like spicy I'd use less chili flake but I think it adds just the right amount of flavor/heat. This is a keeper!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you are loving them so much Tara! Thanks so much for leaving a review/rating!
Barry says
I don’t usually take the time to leave comments but this recipe deserves all the credit I can give. I make a double batch twice per week and eat a generous helping every day. I’ve even made spice packs that sit in my cupboard so I only need the beans, onion, garlic, and water to go with it. They are quick and easy to make an will impress even the most apprehensive dinner guest.
Thank you!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much Barry. I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a rating/feedback. I love the spice pack idea by the way!