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    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot

    Published: Jan 5, 2018 · Modified: May 30, 2022 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 75 Comments

    Instant Pot Black Beans

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN WATCH VIDEO
    4.80 from 44 votes
    Instant Pot Black Beans

    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!

    Instant Pot Black Beans in a bowl over rice with the Instant Pot in the background

    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 or my Quick Seasoned Black Beans instead.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • How to cook black beans in an Instant Pot
    • What can I make with black beans?
    • Storage, freezing & reheating tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Recipe Video
    • Recipe
    • Reviews & Questions

    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.

    Instant Pot Black Bean Ingredients prior to cooking

    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.

    a lime being cut in half on a wooden board

    They really are so quick, easy and super tasty!

    overhead shot of cooked Instant Pot Black Beans

    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

    What is the ratio of beans to water in an Instant Pot?

    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.

    Do you need to soak black beans before cooking them in an Instant Pot?

    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

    a bowl of Instant Pot Black Beans

    Instant Pot Black Beans

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    4.80 from 44 votes
    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!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 7 minutes minutes
    COOK TIME: 25 minutes minutes
    Pressure building & release time 30 minutes minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 32 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 servings

    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

    • Instant Pot
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 14gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 362mgPotassium: 952mgFiber: 10gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 288IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sally Jones-Rooy says

      May 17, 2023 at 4:43 pm

      2 stars
      I so wanted to love this....but I didn't.. I'm throwing it in the compost bin. 25 minutes didn't cook the beans to an edible consistency, so I added 5 more minutes. Still not cooked through. By then, the broth was gone, so I didn't dare pressure cook it more. I gave it my best taste effort, but after choking down a few mouthfuls, I gave up. I have a brand new Instant Pot..... cooked it on high pressure, let it release all by itself...what else should I have done?

      Reply
    2. Colleen says

      August 17, 2020 at 1:57 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        August 17, 2020 at 2:15 pm

        So pleased you enjoyed them Colleen. They do work so well with that rice dish!

        Reply
    3. Stephanie says

      June 18, 2020 at 4:02 pm

      5 stars
      My go to black bean recipe, no need to look any further! These black beans are so simple to make and so flavorful.

      Reply
    4. Tara says

      April 10, 2020 at 12:15 pm

      5 stars
      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

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        April 11, 2020 at 12:57 pm

        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.

        Reply
    5. alice says

      April 02, 2020 at 12:56 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        April 03, 2020 at 9:23 am

        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!

        Reply
    6. daniel says

      March 17, 2020 at 4:14 pm

      5 stars
      this is delicious! this recipe tastes great and the flavor profile works great with a variety of dishes.

      Reply
    7. Tara Hewins says

      March 11, 2020 at 12:29 pm

      5 stars
      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!!!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        March 11, 2020 at 3:27 pm

        I'm really pleased you are loving them so much Tara! Thanks so much for leaving a review/rating!

        Reply
    8. Barry says

      January 20, 2020 at 10:19 pm

      5 stars
      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!!!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        January 21, 2020 at 11:00 am

        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!

        Reply
    9. Joanna says

      December 29, 2019 at 6:36 pm

      Hi there! Quick question, can i use canned cooked black beans for this recipe? Perhaps even stop top?

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        December 30, 2019 at 5:45 pm

        Canned beans would just end up a mush in an Instant Pot. For the stove top though just follow the bean part of this recipe. It's basically the same! https://avirtualvegan.com/vegan-meal-prep-black-beans-rice/

        Reply
    10. Christine says

      October 17, 2019 at 1:04 pm

      5 stars
      Very tasty, though I needed to cook for 35 minutes high pressure with natural release to have tender beans

      Reply
      • Lisa D says

        October 22, 2019 at 9:12 am

        Yes, I might as well. My 25 min beans are almost crunchy. LOL I was afraid that doing 30 would be too mushy but I guess not. Otherwise, tasty recipe!

        Reply
    11. Aga says

      September 19, 2019 at 3:55 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe, I could not get enough of it, also a hit with my hard to please boyfriend, he loved it in a wrap. Amazing!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        September 19, 2019 at 9:26 pm

        I'm really pleased you both enjoyed it. Thank you!

        Reply
    12. KJ says

      September 07, 2019 at 9:26 am

      5 stars
      Holy smokes this recipe is YUM!!!!! My fiancé and I are both crazy about the flavor. Only change we made was omitting the mint. Wow this is the first black bean recipe I could eat by the bowl full!!!!!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        September 07, 2019 at 11:52 am

        That's awesome! I'm so pleased you are enjoying them. I too could eat them by the bowl full!

        Reply
        • Chongboi says

          January 07, 2020 at 3:02 pm

          I soaked the dried beans an overnight, can you please suggest how long I will I put in instant pot??

          Reply
          • A Virtual Vegan says

            January 07, 2020 at 3:23 pm

            The recipe calls for unsoaked beans. I have never soaked beans before cooking them in the Instant Pot so I'm not sure how long they would take. I would imagine about half the time. Maybe 10 to 15 minutes? That's a guess though. It will be a bit of trial and error on your part.

    13. Janet says

      August 04, 2019 at 6:18 pm

      5 stars
      I can't even count how many times I've made this recipe - It's like GOLD!! Just the way it's written is so flexible for rice bowls, burritos, tacos and salads. Sometimes after it's depressurized, while it's still hot, I add some frozen corn and a generous amount of salsa and let it sit for just a little while with the lid on again. Next level delicious!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        August 04, 2019 at 9:20 pm

        I love the corn and salsa idea! I'm really pleased you are enjoying the recipe Janet!

        Reply
    14. Luke says

      July 25, 2019 at 1:48 pm

      5 stars
      This is a good recipe to work with and can easily be adjusted and adapted to taste.

      Reply
    15. Susan says

      July 17, 2019 at 1:42 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve made this recipe twice now and it’s absolutely delicious. Thank you so much ?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        July 17, 2019 at 3:24 pm

        Thank you Susan. I'm really pleased you are enjoying the recipe!

        Reply
    16. Jainy says

      April 19, 2019 at 3:31 pm

      Do you think this recipe would work for pinto beans? Would I need to adjust the cook time?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        April 19, 2019 at 5:12 pm

        Funnily enough I made it with pinto beans last week because I ran out of black beans and didn't realize until dinner time. It worked really well. I think I might have preferred them to the black bean version. I cooked them for exactly the same time.

        Reply
    17. Lynn says

      March 29, 2019 at 1:18 pm

      5 stars
      Fabulous every time! I alternate between dried cilantro and dried mint.... always a hit! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        March 29, 2019 at 2:55 pm

        I'm so pleased you are enjoying them Lynn!

        Reply
    18. Quynh says

      March 06, 2019 at 8:47 pm

      4 stars
      The beans turned out delicious! I made it in the instant pot and will definitely make it again instead of buying it canned. It was fast and easy and so yummy! Thank you!!

      Reply
    19. Jason says

      February 28, 2019 at 2:34 pm

      What's the serving size for this?

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        February 28, 2019 at 9:38 pm

        The entire recipe makes about 6 to 8 servings. The nutritional info is calculated based on it making 6. I don't weigh or measure each individual serving.

        Reply
    20. Stevie Kenyon says

      February 25, 2019 at 3:59 pm

      4 stars
      My beans were not cooked enough, even with 35 min at high pressure and 20 min natural release. Surely it must have been something off with the IP, the beans, or the cook, since not many have had the same experience.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        February 25, 2019 at 4:38 pm

        Sorry to hear that. They should have been really soft after that amount of time. Is there a chance they were old beans? Old (or improperly stored) dried beans don't get properly soft no matter how long you cook them. When we buy them from the store we often have no idea how long they've been hanging around. Maybe try buying a different brand from another store and stay clear of bulk bins. I make this recipe all the time and have never had issues with them being undercooked, and they always get really good feedback so I'm confident the recipe is ok. Is your IP cooking everything else ok and did it definitely come to pressure?

        Reply
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    Melanie McDonald

    I'm Melanie McDonald (but you can call me Mel), best-selling cookbook author and creator of A Virtual Vegan. I share well-tested, flavour-packed vegan recipes with clear, step-by-step instructions. My goal is to give you the confidence to cook amazing vegan food from scratch.

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