How to Cook Beans in the Instant Pot
You won’t believe how easy it is to cook flavor-rich, perfectly tender beans from scratch in the Instant Pot! Includes a handy chart of bean-specific cook times, the ideal water:bean:salt ratio, and two super simple bean recipes to get you started.
- Prep time
- 2 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 7 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 pound beans of choice ((such as chickpeas, cannellini beans, pinto beans, black beans))
- 5-6 cups water or vegetable broth
- 2 - 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt ((or 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt))
- Other seasonings as desired ((bay leaves, black pepper, fresh or dried herbs, whole spices, chopped onions, garlic cloves, etc.))
Instructions
- 1
Optional: add the beans to a large bowl or the Instant Pot inner pot and cover with cold water (about 6 cups). Soak for 8 hours or overnight. Then drain and rinse.
- 2
Add the beans and water or broth to the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Add salt any other seasonings of choice. Stir to combine.
- 3
Secure the lid and select the Pressure Cook setting. For soaked beans, cook for 7-9 minutes for cooked but firm beans, or 10-12 minutes for softer beans. For unsoaked beans, cook for 30 to 40 minutes.
- 4
When the timer beeps, allow a natural pressure release for at least 10 minutes (or 15-20 minutes). Perform a manual pressure release to vent any remaining steam. Open the pot, discard any aromatics, and transfer the beans to your glass tupperware. I like to store the beans in the cooking liquid, as it keeps them moist and is flavorful.
- 5
Store cooked beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in 1 1/2 to 2 cup increments for 6 to 8 months.