Easy Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking) are homemade black beans cooked in the pressure cooker in minutes with no soaking required.  Enjoy them in tacos, salads or bowls, or prepare the recipe variations for Mexican-style whole or refried black beans! 

Refried black beans in a bowl with pico de gallo on top

I hope you love Mexican food because it’s going to be all about Mexican recipes from now until Cinco de Mayo!  We’re kicking things off with these Easy Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking) because no fiesta is complete without beans is it?

Today’s post is a black bean fiesta because I couldn’t just show you how to cook black beans in the Instant Pot (or pressure cooker).  I also included two variations for Mexican style whole or refried beans.

You’re welcome! 🙂

I was late to the Instant Pot party but I’m making up for lost time.  This appliance has quickly become a staple for me and I love it even more than my pressure cooker because it has so many amazing features.

I own this 6-Quart Instant Pot, but if you have a bigger family with bigger needs, the 8-quart might be a better size for you.

See all of my Instant Pot recipes here.

Instant pot black beans in pot with wooden spoon

How to make this recipe

The first recipe that I ever made in my Instant Pot was homemade black beans.  I’m a huge fan of making my own beans because they’re so much more cost effective and the texture and creaminess is unmatched compared to canned beans.

This is the simplest way to prepare homemade black beans, because no soaking is required and this recipe only includes a few simple ingredients.

You’ll need:

  • 1 lb. dried black beans, sorted through and rinsed
  • Aromatics for flavor, which includes onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf
  • Water

The aromatics will result in more flavorful beans.  You can choose to use all of the aromatics that I’ve included in the base recipe or use the ones that you have on hand.

You may notice that I didn’t include salt in the base recipe.  I always add the salt after the beans have finished cooking because salting them at the beginning can result in tougher beans that take longer to cook.

Instant pot black beans in white ramekin

Next, pop all of the ingredients into your Instant Pot and press the Beans/Chili button.  30 minutes of cooking time will automatically display, but I decreased the cooking time to 20 minutes as I like my beans to be on the firmer side (especially if I’m going to cook them longer in my recipes).

If you like your beans softer, cook them for 25-30 minutes.

Secure the lid and you’ll have a pot full of delicious black beans in under 30 minutes!

The beans are delicious right out of the pot and can be tossed into soups, salads, tacos and enchiladas.

How to use black beans:

There are so many wonderful ways to use black beans. Think chili, salads, tacos, burrito bowls and more! See the recipes below for inspiration.

Instant pot refried black beans in bowl

I decided to include recipes for Mexican-style whole and refried black beans as well because they make the perfect sides or fillings for your Mexican fiestas!

Both of these variations are incredibly easy and are almost the same except the whole beans include some chopped onion and oregano, and the refried beans are mashed with a potato masher at the end.

The whole beans are great as a side dish with Cilantro Lime Rice for tacos, enchiladas or fajitas, or use in my Fish Taco Bowls.

The refried bean recipe is phenomenal as a filling for burritos, tostadas or tacos or as a side dish topped with grated or cotija cheese.

Choose your favorite toppings and omit the cheese to make them vegan.

These Easy Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking) are so creamy and delicious that you may never want to buy canned beans again.  And why should you when you’re only 30 minutes away from making your own? 🙂

Instant pot refried black beans in bowl with queso and lime

If you make this recipe I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and rating below, or tag me at @flavorthemoments on Instagram!

Instant pot black beans in instant pot with wooden spoon

Easy Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking)

Servings: 12
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Additional Time: 0 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Instant Pot Black Beans are tender, creamy and the quickest way to make homemade black beans! Recipe includes 2 variations!
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Ingredients

Instant Pot black beans:

  • 1 lb. dry black beans rinsed and sorted
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 1 carrot cut into large chunks
  • 1 celery stalk cut into large chunks
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cups of water

Mexican style Whole Black Beans:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 onion finely chopped (yellow or red)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups black beans

Refried Beans:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups black beans

Equipment

Instructions 

Prepare the Instant Pot black beans:

  • Place all ingredients into the Instant Pot and seal the lid.
  • Select the Beans/Chili option, which will automatically pressure cook the beans for 30 minutes. I decreased the time to 20 minutes for firmer beans, especially since I like to cook them further in other recipes. If you like a softer bean, cook for 25-30 minutes.
  • When finished cooking, allow the Instant Pot to cool down naturally for 10 minutes, then open the vent for quick release.
  • Discard the vegetables and bay leaf and the beans are ready for use in your recipes!

Prepare the whole black beans:

  • Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 30 seconds more.
  • Add the beans and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, or about 5 minutes.
  • Top with pico de gallo if desired and enjoy!

Prepare the refried beans:

  • Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, cumin, salt and pepper to taste and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the black beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, or about 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and mash the beans with a potato masher until they reach the desired consistency.
  • Top with grated or cotija cheese, cilantro or hot sauce, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • The onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf are aromatics that lend great flavor to the beans.
  • The beans may stored in an air tight container and used within one week or frozen.

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 12mg, Potassium: 386mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 863IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Instant Pot
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Marcie
Keyword: instant pot black beans, pressure cooker black beans
All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.
Tried this recipe?Mention @flavorthemoments or tag #flavorthemoments!

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