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When it comes to cooking beans from scratch, Instant Pot Black Beans are a game changer. The pressure cooker will cook them to perfection so you don’t have to watch a pot on the stove. 

The process is almost completely hands-off!

jar of black beans next to Instant Pot

Below you’ll learn how to cook black beans in the Instant Pot a few different ways. Whether you like to cook dry beans, pre-soaked beans, or prepare seasoned beans with some spices, you’ll be covered with this quick tutorial. 

You can use the seasoned black beans as a side dish, over a salad, or in tacos, enchiladas, and more. 

Or, you can prepare plain black beans and use them in place of canned beans in recipes. You can freeze these for up to 3 months, so you’ll always have black beans ready when you need them.

How to Cook Instant Pot Black Beans

To prepare seasoned black beans, press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot, and allow the bottom to heat up. Add in the olive oil and yellow onion, and stir for 3 to 5 minutes. 

Stir in the garlic, cumin, and oregano, and stir briefly. Then immediately press the Keep Warm/Cancel button, so the garlic won’t burn.

adding water and seasoning to instant pot

Add in 1/2 cup of water, to help deglaze the bottom of the pot. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the Instant Pot.

This ensures you won’t trigger a BURN error during the pressure cooking cycle.  

Once the bottom of the pot looks clean, add in the remaining 4 1/2 cups of water, plus the black beans, bay leaf, and salt. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to the Sealing position. 

beans and water in instant pot with steam release valve

Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button to cook at high pressure for 50 minutes. It will take roughly 10 minutes for the pot to come to pressure, so the screen will read ON until then. (If using soaked beans, cook for 9 minutes instead.)

When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if using soaked beans). 

When the screen reads L0:10, move the steam release valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it’s safe to open the lid. 

Remove the bay leaf and use a fork to test one of the beans for tenderness, by mashing it against the side of the pot. It should be very tender and creamy in the middle. 

testing beans against instant pot

To eliminate the excess liquid in the pot, press the Sauté button and let the liquid simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the beans don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Keep in mind the liquid will continue to thicken as the beans cool, so I don’t recommend simmering for longer than 15 minutes. 

Season with additional salt (I add 1/2 teaspoon) and a tablespoon of fresh lime juice, to brighten up the flavor. Serve warm with fresh cilantro on top, if you like.

Leftover beans can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

how to Cook plain black beans

Combine 1 pound of dry beans with 5 cups of water. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to the Sealing position. Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button, and cook at high pressure for 50 minutes. (Or cook for 9 minutes if using soaked beans.)

When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if using soaked beans). When the screen reads L0:10, move the steam release valve to the Venting position to release any remaining pressure. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it’s safe to open the lid. 

Test a bean for tenderness by pressing one against the side of the Instant Pot with a fork. It should mash easily when it’s tender. Drain the beans, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

plain black beans in glass storage jars

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze black beans?

Yes, line a baking sheet or plate that will fit on a flat shelf in your freezer with parchment paper. Arrange the cooked beans in a single layer, so they will freeze individually instead of in clumps, and place in the freezer for 2 hours. Transfer the frozen beans to an airtight container so they’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months. It will be easy to measure and thaw exactly what you need with this method.

How long does it take to cook black beans in a pressure cooker?

Cooking times can vary by how fresh the dry beans are, but with that being said, you’ll find the cooking times below that I have consistently good results with.

Un-soaked beans: 50 minutes high pressure + 10 minute natural release
Soaked beans: 9 minutes high pressure + 15 minute natural release

Other cooking times suggested online (anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes at high pressure for un-soaked black beans) give me inconsistent results. When you commit to a full 50-minute cooking cycle, you’ll get perfectly tender beans that are creamy on the inside. This is my go-to cooking time for Instant Pot black beans now

What is the water ratio for cooking beans in the Instant Pot?

In general, the perfect ratio of water for cooking black beans in the Instant Pot is 2.5 cups of water per 1 cup of dry beans. If the beans are soaked, you can get away with only 2 cups of water per 1 cup of soaked beans.

I’ve also tested these ratios:

1 pound black beans + 3 cups water: This ratio left me with inconsistent results. The beans on the bottom were cooked, but the beans on the top were still hard because they weren’t fully covered in water as the beans expanded with cooking.
1 pound black beans + 4 cups water: Better, than the 3 cups, but still had a few beans on the very top that were a little too crunchy for my liking. I prefer consistently tender beans all around.
1 pound black beans + 5 cups water: Perfect! All of the beans turn out consistently tender with this amount of water. Yes, you will have some extra liquid in the pot when the beans are done cooking, but I’ll show you how to handle that, without draining off the flavor, below.

You can also cook only 1 cup of dry black beans in your Instant Pot if you want to. The cooking time will stay the same, no matter how many dry beans you use.

How many cups is 1 pound of black beans?

1 pound of dried beans = 2 heaping cups of dried beans = 5 cups cooked beans

To replace a 15 oz. can of beans in a recipe, you’ll need 1 1/2 cups of cooked black beans. So, cooking 1 pound of dry beans makes a little more than 3 cans of beans.

Do you need to soak black beans before cooking them?

No, it’s not necessary. But it will reduce the cooking time!

To soak black beans, cover the dry beans with roughly 3 inches of water in a large bowl. The beans will expand up to 3 times their size, so be sure to take this into account when choosing the size of the bowl.

Let them soak for a minimum of 6 to 8 hours, or overnight in the fridge. If you can remember to soak them in the morning, they should be ready for you to cook them at dinnertime.

Wondering how to use your plain cooked black beans? Use them to make black bean brownies, black bean soup, or bean dip!

instant pot black beans from scratch in a bowl

Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking Required!)

4.48 from 44 votes
Here's how to cook Instant Pot Black Beans using soaked or un-soaked beans. The pressure cooker makes the process almost completely hands-off!
prep5 mins cook50 mins Pressurization:20 mins total1 hr 15 mins
Servings:10

Ingredients
 
 

Seasoned Black Beans

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion , chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
  • 1 pound dry black beans (about 2 heaping cups)
  • 5 cups water
  • fresh lime juice , to taste

Instructions

Seasoned Black Beans

  • Press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot, and allow the bottom to heat up. Add in the olive oil and yellow onion, and stir until it looks softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, and oregano, and stir briefly, then press the Keep Warm/Cancel button, so the garlic won't burn.
  • Add in 1/2 cup of water, to help deglaze the bottom of the pot. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the Instant Pot, so you won't trigger a BURN error during the pressure cooking cycle.
  • Once the bottom of the pot looks clean, add in the remaining 4 1/2 cups of water, plus the black beans, bay leaf, and salt. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing. Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button to cook at high pressure for 50 minutes. It will take roughly 10 minutes for the pot to come to pressure, so the screen will read ON until then. (If using soaked beans, cook for 9 minutes instead.)
  • When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if using soaked beans). When the screen reads L0:10, move the steam release valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it's safe to open the lid.
  • Remove the bay leaf and use a fork to test one of the beans for tenderness, by mashing it against the side of the pot. It should be very tender and creamy in the middle. To eliminate the excess liquid in the pot, press the Sauté button and let the liquid simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the beans don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Keep in mind the liquid will continue to thicken as the beans cool, so I don't recommend simmering for longer than 15 minutes. Season with additional salt (I add 1/2 teaspoon) and a tablespoon of fresh lime juice, to brighten up the flavor. Serve warm! Leftover beans can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Plain Black Beans (Substitute for Canned Beans)

  • Combine 1 pound of dry beans with 5 cups of water. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing. Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button, and cook at high pressure for 50 minutes. (Or cook for 9 minutes if using soaked beans.)
  • When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if using soaked beans). When the screen reads L0:10, move the steam release valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it's safe to open the lid.
  • Test a bean for tenderness by pressing one against the side of the Instant Pot with a fork. It should mash easily when it's tender. Drain the beans, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, so you can use it in recipes.
  • To freeze cooked beans, line a baking sheet or plate that will fit on a flat shelf in your freezer with parchment paper. Arrange the cooked beans in a single layer, so they will freeze individually instead of in clumps, and place in the freezer for 2 hours. Transfer the frozen beans to an airtight container so they'll keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for roughly 1/2 cup of cooked seasoned beans. This is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee. 

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 695mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: healthy
Keyword: instant pot black beans

How to Store Black Beans

Cooked black beans will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or you can freeze them for a longer shelf life. To freeze black beans, line a large baking sheet or plate (that will fit on a flat shelf in your freezer) with parchment paper.

Pour the cooked beans on the lined pan, and arrange them in a single layer. This way they will freeze individually, instead of in big clumps. This makes measuring them later easier! Freeze for 2 hours, or until the beans feel frozen, then transfer to an airtight container to store in the freezer for up to 6 months. The beans should remain individually frozen this way, so they’ll be easy to thaw and measure for recipes later.

How to Use Them

You can use Instant Pot Black Beans just like you would canned beans, when you use the instructions for plain beans in the printable recipe above. Below, you’ll find some of my favorite black bean recipes.

Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite way to use black beans? 

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. Fantastic! I’ll never buy canned beans again. I had some small portions of beef round/chuck in the freezer some I defrosted them, sauteed (braised) with some onions and garlic, added some leftover enchilada sauce and some leftover chicken broth, added 1.5 cups of black beans and adjusted the water down to account for the other liquids. 50 minutes later, perfect! Beef was so tender, beans were spot on! Simple one pot meal that just needed some Mexican topping cheese and sour cream (oh, and a little Tapatio too…). Worked well either as a stew or taco filling. Was a total experiment that was really simple and delicious.

  2. I added 1lb (2 cups) of soaked canneli beans to my instapot with 4 cups of water. High for 9 minutes and natural release for 15. They were so mushy and broken apart, I had to turn them into a sauce. They were also still sitting in a lot of fluid – had to drain the mush beans. Really awful. This is frustrating and why I gave away my first instapot. Recipes are always off.

  3. Came out great but I feel beans need so much salt to have any flavor. Kind of like potatoes need alot of salt, I feel beans do too. I did sautee onion and garlic and added a bay leaf and a teaspoon or two of salt. Once done, I probably added an additional 2 teaspoons. Not a big deal, I just wanted more flavor.