Want creamy, homemade black beans in a fraction of the time? These Instant Pot Black Beans cook up in about 20 minutes with no soaking required.  Enjoy them in your recipes, prepare the recipe variations for Mexican-style whole or refried black beans, or freeze for later use!

Instant pot black beans in a bowl with a spoon

One of the most useful things I learned in cooking school was pressure cooking. I use this cooking method often because I love having the option to cook dishes that normally take hours in a fraction of the time.

Thank goodness that the Instant Pot was created, because it makes pressure cooking much easier than the one I purchased when I was in cooking school.

My Instant Pot recipes include everything from pulled pork, which cooks up perfectly tender in about one hour, to side dishes like instant pot risotto, which is creamy and delicious with no bothersome stirring.

These Instant Pot Black Beans are also nothing short of a revelation.

Cooking beans on the stove top can take up to an hour or more, but these pressure cooker black beans cook up perfectly tender and creamy in about 20 minutes.

And there’s no soaking required.

You’re welcome. 🙂

Instant pot black beans in a bowl with instant pot in the background

Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • Instant Pot black beans are tender, creamy, and are guaranteed to elevate any recipe.
  • Making dried black beans in the Instant Pot is much more cost effective, and the texture and quality is so much better than canned.
  • They can be transformed into Mexican whole beans or refried beans, added to a multitude of recipes, or frozen for later use.
  • They’re gluten-free, vegan and great for meal prep.

Recipe ingredients

Pressure cooker black beans recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

  • Black beans. Be sure to rinse and sort the beans. Discard any beans that are cracked or broken.
  • Aromatics. 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.
  • Liquid. Use water, or make the beans even more flavorful by using chicken stock or vegetable stock.

How to make homemade black beans

The first recipe that I ever made in my Instant Pot was these 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 them, because no soaking is required and this recipe only includes a few simple ingredients.

Pro tip: Add the salt after the beans have finished cooking as salting them at the beginning can result in tougher beans that take longer to cook.

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

How to make pressure cooker black beans
  1. Rinse and sort the beans, discarding any that are cracked or broken.
  2. Place all of the ingredients in the pot and stir.
  3. Secure the lid and cook at High Pressure for about 20 minutes, then naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes and remove the lid when safe to do so.
  4. Discard the aromatics, season and serve!
Black beans in instant pot

FAQs

Do beans need to be soaked before pressure cooking?

The glory of these Instant Pot black beans is that they cook up nice and tender in 20 minutes without soaking beforehand.

What can I add to beans for flavor?

Add some aromatics to these pressure cooker black beans before cooking, such as onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf.

You can also use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water for added flavor.

How many cups of water to cook black beans in the Instant Pot?

Use 6 cups of water for 1 pound of dried beans.

How long does it take to cook a pot of beans in the Instant Pot?

Cook beans for about 20 minutes for a firmer texture, or 25-30 minutes for a softer texture.

Can I freeze pressure cooker black beans?

Yes! Once the beans have cooled, you can portion them into zip top bags or air tight containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight and add to your recipes, or heat gently on the stove top or in the microwave.

Homemade black beans in freezer bags

Serving suggestions

Add these homemade black beans to the following recipes:

Prepare the recipe variations in the recipe card below for whole black beans or black refried beans and serve as follows:

Recipe notes

  • Pro tip: Add the salt after the beans have finished cooking as salting them at the beginning can result in tougher beans that take longer to cook.
  • The onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf are aromatics that lend great flavor to the beans. You can also sub the water for chicken or vegetable stock to make them even more flavorful.
  • The beans may stored in an air tight container and used within one week or frozen for up to 3 months.
Pressure cooker black beans in a bowl

More Instant Pot recipes you’ll love:

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

Instant pot black beans in a bowl with a spoon

Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking)

Servings: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
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 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:

  • Sort the dried black beans and discard any rocks or beans that are cracked or broken. Rinse the beans well in a colander.
    1 lb. dry black beans, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 1 bay leaf, 6 cups water
  • Place all the ingredients into the Instant Pot and seal the lid. Select High Pressure and select 20 minutes for firmer beans if you plan to cook them further in your recipes, or 25-30 minutes for softer beans.
  • When finished cooking, allow the pressure to naturally release 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

  • Pro tip: Add the salt after the beans have finished cooking as salting them at the beginning can result in tougher beans that take longer to cook.
  • The onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf are aromatics that lend great flavor to the beans. You can also sub the water for chicken or vegetable stock to make them even more flavorful.
  • The beans may stored in an air tight container and used within one week or frozen for up to 3 months.

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.
Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

**This post was originally published in April 2018. The photos have been updated to include step by step photos, and the text has been modified to include more recipe information.

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