How to Make Perfect Black Beans in Your Instant Pot —restaurant style beans in under 45 minutes—no soaking required!
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Black beans are one of my favorite foods. I like them. A lot. Like, we have them at least once a week. I like them in tacos, in soup, heck, I even use black bean aquafaba in brownies. Black beans are good stuff. One of the reasons I wanted to get an Instant Pot was to be able to make dried beans from scratch more quickly than I did on the stovetop, so I could break my expensive habit of buying canned beans. But like I’ve said before, I was slightly terrified of my Instant Pot. I wouldn’t use it unless Irving was at home for months. And then I got over my fear and started experimenting. I have to say, I’m really liking it now that I’m used to it! Which leads me to this post — How to Make Perfect Black Beans in Your Instant Pot!
How to Make Perfect Black Beans in Your Instant Pot
The key thing to remember with your Instant Pot is that the cooking time isn’t the total time. These beans cook for 22 minutes, but it takes about 10 minutes for the pot to come up to pressure, and about 10 to release, so all in, these take about 45 minutes. Did I mention that you start with DRY beans? Yep. No soaking required. You could call these miracle beans if you’d like. I won’t mind.
When we go out to a Mexican restaurant I usually order “frijoles de la olla”—whole beans. Some (though not all) refried beans use lard in the cooking process, but whole beans tend to be vegan. However, if I can make restaurant style food at home I’ll take it—dining out with my two wild ones does not make for a relaxing evening!
When I make my black beans at home I add lots of flavor to make these taste just like those restaurant style black beans I love so much—the regular suspects—onions, garlic, cumin, salt. And then a few “top secret” ingredients. The first is bay leaves. Irving was the one who taught me this trick, and it makes beans so yummy! I had to laugh when I read this article about Chipotle’s bay leaves—ha! I promise, they are not yard waste! The second, my own secret ingredient, is VEGAN worcestershire sauce (yes, I promise, there is such a thing—some grocery store brands are even accidentally vegan!).
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It’s so easy to make Black Beans in Your Instant Pot!
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I hope you have a chance to make these black beans in your Instant Pot! Be sure to take a picture and share it on social media—I love to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to tag me. {#frieddandelions // @frieddandelions} Leave me a note and a star rating in the comments telling me how you like them, and what other Instant Pot dishes you love to make!
Frijoles de la Olla—How to Make Perfect Black Beans in Your Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry black beans
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 yellow onion sliced in rounds
- 2 garlic cloves sliced in half
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce be sure to read ingredients and choose a vegan sauce
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in your Instant Pot.
- Turn the steam release valve to sealing.
- Put the lid on your Instant Pot.
- Set your Instant Pot to cook on manual (high pressure) for 22 minutes (will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure).
- Allow to natural release for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes has passed, use a dishtowel to cover the steam valve and turn from sealing to venting. Steam will release for a few seconds—be careful because it will be hot!
- Once the steam has released fully, carefully turn the lid and remove. Give the beans a good stir.
- Serve!
Notes
Don’t Forget to Pin this Recipe!
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These are sooooo good! Soooo easy!!!! BUT! Definitely need longer cooking time! I cook mine for 50 minutes AND increase cumin to 1 tsp. I sometimes double recipe and freeze some! My 5 & 3 yr old granddaughters love them!!!
Thank you! Yes, depends on the freshness of the beans, and your preference for desired “doneness.” So glad you’ve tinkered to get them just the way you like them! My kiddos like them too!
Best beans ever! Thanks for the recipe. I’ve made it over and over. I’m not a great cook, but hubby loves this recipe and this one has been an easy repeat. 🙂
Oh, I am so glad! This is such a compliment—thank you for letting me know!!! My husband loves these too, so we’ve just started following the same method, but for pinto beans! I’ll have to get the details up in a new post!
I’ve already replaced 1 lb. of sausage with 1 lb if mushrooms in my breakfast casserole. Now I need to see if there is a replacement for the 1 lb. of grass fed beef ingredient. I’m thinking of using black beams, but need to have the equivalent volume of 1 lb. of the beef to make the right amount of casserole. From your recipe, it looks like 1 lb (2 cups) of black beans makes 4 cups of cooked beans. 4 cups is twice the volume of food I need for my recipe. So should I cook 1 cup of dried beans to get 2 cups of cooked beans, which would be about the same volume as 1 lb. of grass-fed beef?
You can definitely reduce this recipe in half, and keep the same cooking time. However, these beans also freeze really well, so you could make the whole batch, use what you need for your breakfast casserole, and freeze the rest for next time—either on their own, in tacos, or another breakfast casserole! Have fun—sounds like a delicious experiment!
Cool! I’ll cook the whole bag. Thanks!
Awesome, enjoy!
Fabulous recipe! I do think it could cook for closer to 25 minutes than 22 for al dente beans. I’m actually sauteing them a bit until they’re softer, but that doesn’t take away from the essential recipe. I’m so happy to have this mass of yummy beans on hand to enjoy. Thanks so much!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoy the flavors of this recipe! And for sure, everyone’s “doneness” preference is a little different—I’m glad you’re finding what best suits your tastes!!!
Just made these beans and they are SCRUMPTIOUSA! Instead of water, I used vegetable broth. Thank you, Sarah!
Oh yum!!! So glad you loved them!!! They’re a favorite around here as well!
This recipe is so flavorful! I will definitely be making these again soon! I have wanted to try an alternative to canned beans for a while now, so thanks! These beans made a perfect addition to tacos and would also be great as a side dish on their own! My entire family loved them!
Aw, thank you Karen! I’m so glad your family loved them! We love them in tacos too!!!
I doubled the recipe so it needed 32 minutes. I also wanted a mushier/more cooked consistency so I turned on turn “sauté” setting and cooked (stirring periodically) until it was the consistency I wanted. Will definitely do it this way again. Saved so much time! Thanks!
I’m so glad to hear!!! Thank you for letting me know how it went!!!
The recipe sounds delicous! Thank you for the share! How many calories are there?
I’m not sure, that would depend on the portion. You can run the recipe through an online calorie counter like My Fitness Pal if you’d like an estimate! And you’re right, they are delicious! Thank you!
Thank you!
“Frijoles de la olla” doesn’t mean “whole beans” – it means “beans of the pot!” Very appropriate for the instapot! Ha!
Yes, it translates directly to “beans from the pot,” and they are served as whole beans in restaurants, as opposed to refried beans. Perfect for the Instant Pot!
The correct translation is “Beans from the pot”. In this case the “de” is actually translated into “from”. I love cooking beans in the Instant Pot. I add a tiny bit of cayenne powder and sauté the onions in a little oil before adding them to the Instant Pot. The little kick from the cayenne powder makes a huge difference and you can always add as much or as little as you and your family can handle. I sauté the onions because it changes the flavor and it’s the only way my 10 year old will eat the beans if they have onion. I’m Guatemalan and my grandma and mom only added salt, an onion sliced in half, and a full head of garlic to their beans. Beans were always cooked in a pressure cooker and always starting with dry beans. I still can’t wrap my mind around soaking beans, since that’s not what I grew up seeing. I really enjoy the addition of the extra ingredients you listed plus my cayenne powder and sautéed onions. To me the additional ingredients is like everyday homestyle beans versus restaurant style I want some more beans.
p.s. I have found that since I double the recipe I have to add cooking time or they come out raw. I add an additional 15 minutes.
My husband is Dominican! I love all of the varieties of ways to prepare beans! They’re always so good!!! And yes, if you increase the amount of beans it would make sense to increase the time a bit as well!
Can you add salt when cooking’s? I was told can make them firm so add salt after cooking.
I add the salt during cooking, as described above. You can add it afterwards if you prefer!
Actually it means beans from the pot, but I agree it’s perfect for the Instant Pot.
If I double the recipe do I increase the cook time?
No, you shouldn’t need to. After the initial cook you might want to go a few minutes more, but that depends more of the freshness of your beans than the quantity!
I love this recipe, but I thought I should let you know that most worcestershire sauces are NOT vegan. They have anchovies in them 🙂 So if you’re trying to make this recipe vegan, make sure to check the ingredients of your worcestershire sauce first. Thank you for this recipe though!
Hi Melissa! Actually, many are, and I’ve specified in the post, video, and recipe to be sure to use a vegan one, as this is a vegan blog! In fact, even the Kroger house brand worcestershire sauce is vegan—hooray!!! I also like the Annie’s and Edward & Sons brands! Hope you are able to find one of them in your local grocery store!
365 Worcestershire sauce and Annie’s organic are both vegan.
I simply LOVE my IP! I have given one to almost every family member! I have never used black beans as a side dish, I have only used them in chilis etc. Would this recipe work as well for pinto beans?
The IP is great, isn’t it? We use black beans for everything—in tacos, as a side dish, as the main ingredient in black bean soup—so many possibilities! To make this recipe with pinto beans you’ll need to increase the time. I think 35 minutes should be good? They are bigger, so they just need a little more time in the pot! If you check them and they still aren’t done just close the lid again and go for a few more minutes at high pressure!
Your recipe is the first one I’ve made in my new instant pot. I was intimidated and afraid to use my instant pot until I read your instructions. Not only was it very easy to make, the black beans are delicious! Thank you for the easy and perfect black bean recipe!
Oh, I’ so thrilled to hear this! Thank you for the compliments! So glad you found the beans easy to make, and delicious too! I’m making another batch tomorrow—they are a staple in our house!
Oh, and I was totally terrified of my IP when I first started too! Thankfully, through trial and error, I’ve found that it’s not so scary after all! 🙂
Looking forward to trying this tonight. Do you think I could substitute beer for (part of) the water?
Yes, definitely! Not too much, as it could get a bit bitter, but probably up to half! Let me know how they turn out!
Can you use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water?
You could, though I think it would make the beans salty, so you’d have to adjust the salt. I’ve only ever made them with water, and they are SO flavorful just the way they are!!!
This recipe was thoroughly enjoyed by my family. Which even included my 3 year old asking for seconds and my 9 month old flipping out because he didn’t want to share any and wanted to eat all of these black beans! I did cook them for 30’ish minutes, they could have cooked for a little more still. But we like our beans really well cooked.
Thank you Vicky! I am so happy to hear that, and that your little cuties wanted more!!! My boys loved black beans when they were first eating solids too!!! Healthy and yummy, and perfect for little fingers!
These beans are fantastic! Mine weren’t done at 22 minutes, so I put them back for another 10, and then they were fall-apart creamy. I’m looking forward to eating them for dinner tonight!
So glad you loved them, and that you found a timing that works for your prefered texture!!!
Thanks a lot. My beans turned out perfectly al dente in the Instant Pot following this recipe. I’m looking for ways to eat vegan way more often. I’ll be sure to check out other recipes on your site.
I’m so glad! Thank you for your kind words—I hope you find many more recipes that you enjoy!
Can you use 2 lbs of black beans and double the seasoning and water?
I haven’t tried it yet! I’m guessing yes—if you give it a try will you let me know how they turn out? I think you may need to cook them a little longer?
Yes! I just made some:) time didn’t seem to be a problem… but if they seem uncooked after the steam is released just add another cup of water and let them cook for another 10 minutes and check them again. This has always worked for me!?
I made these last night and they are SO delicious! I always put off making beans from scratch because I don’t have a “go-to” recipe, but this will be my black bean recipe from now on!
As others have mentioned, it took me two additional rounds of cooking to reach my desired texture (plus the onions and garlic were not yet “melted” into the beans after the original 22 minutes) but one of the fantastic things about your recipe is I feel like you empowered me to go back and cook them some more. I never know whether I will ruin things by putting them back under pressure. I ended up doing an additional 5 minutes QR, then an additional 4 minutes plus natural release.
The dish towel trick was also new to me and I think it’s going to change everything when it comes to pressure release. I had been taught to put on an oven glove and tap the valve multiple times, letting out steam just a little bit at a time (which is probably still a good idea if there’s something foamy that goes way up high in the pot) but it takes so long and is so tedious that I find myself avoiding recipes that call for quick release. So thank you for sharing so much great IP wisdom!
Well, I just found this recipe AFTER I left the house and soaking my beans, shoot. Would you adjust the time then? And if so, what number and setting (still Manual?). Lastly, I’ve taken to programming it at night and waking up to having it all be done for me (including the pressure release). Like having it start at 5am, waking up at 6 and seeing it all done and the pressure released naturally. Is that advisable? Or do you recommend the 10 min wait and the QPR?
Hmmm, I don’t know about the timing for presoaked beans! Probably 10 minutes or less, but I’m not sure! And yes, you could let the pressure release naturally, all the way down, no problem!
I cooked them for 31 minutes in my Instant Pot and they still worked cooked all the way through. Cooking them for another 8 minutes now. Will report back – they sure smell good!
Good! Yes, everyone seems to have a different preference when it comes to bean texture 🙂 Hope you find just the right timing for you!!!
These turned out really great. I didn’t have any Worcestershire sauce and they’re still really tasty and kid approved! I did 22 minutes on beans that had been sitting in my cupboard for a while….and added 3 min more a few times (2-3 times–I can’t recall exactly as I was distracted with company) and then they were perfect! The liquid was mostly gone by the end though which is fine by me but I’m guessing that could be a problem for them cooking on the bottom.
So glad you liked them! Yes, you could add a bit more liquid if you’re going to cook longer! It will make them saucy 🙂 An inch or two over the beans is a good rule of thumb!
Good taste, but I had to cook them for an additional 10 min QR, and then another 10 min QR. I used newly purchased beans, so it’s not like they were sitting in my pantry forever before I decided to use them. If I try this again, I might choose to soak the beans first.
Go with what works best for you! I have consistent good luck between 22 and 28 minutes! But it seems like the time can really vary depending on beans, personal preference, etc.! Glad you enjoyed the taste!
Best beans I’ve ever had. We ate half as is and refried the other half to eat with gluten free chips. My 7 year old twins each asked for seconds.
Oh yay, this is the best! I’m so glad you loved them! My kiddos are 6 and 3, and they approve too 🙂 Thank you for stopping by to share your kind words!!!
I don’t care for cumin, should I substitute another spice?
I’d omit it then!
Tried these today. They were still a little crunchy after the first cooking but I cooked the additional 10 minutes with quick release as you suggested and they are perfect. Thanks.
I never thought to put a dish towel over the release valve! Genius!!
This recipe looks easy and delicious, I can’t wait to try it! Since the onion and garlic are left in larger pieces, do you remove them before serving? Also, if I leave out the Worcestershire sauce, do I need to add something else?
The onions and garlic almost melt right into the beans, so I leave them in! If you find any larger pieces at the end you can absolutely pull them out if you want. The worcestershire sauce really gives these beans a distinct (and good) flavor. I can’t think of a sub off hand, just maybe adjust the salt before cooking?
I also had to put this back in my instant pot. 22 minutes definitely wasn’t long enough for mine. The taste was great though.
It’s funny—the cooking time seems to vary from pot to pot, or maybe bean to bean? Mine have always been just right for my liking at the 22-25 minute mark, but others have preferred a longer cook time. Feel free to fiddle around with it until they are just right for you! Here’s the Instant Pot guideline where I based my cook time from, in case they’ve got other tips for you! http://instantpot.com/cooking-time/dry-beans-legume-and-lentils/
This has become my favorite go-to Instant Pot recipe for black beans! Delicioso! Thank you for sharing!
These were delicious. I don’t think I’ll buy canned beans again! I did have to cook longer in my instant pot. Next time I’ll do 32 minutes. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
It really seems to vary, darn beans! But they are so worth the trial and error to find the right timing because they are yummy!
I love my Instant Pot. I’m totally trying this next time I next a big batch of black beans!
Made this a few days ago. We loved it. Thanks. 🙂
Thank you so much for letting me know, Shellie! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!!
Now I want an instant pot even more. They are just made for cooking beans and I cook and eat a lot of them. They look so tasty and so quick!
I rarely use my Instant Pot to make beans, because I can never remember the bean to water ratio or how to cook them. Thanks for this!
I know, I am constantly having to look them up 🙂
Oh man, I need to make more beans in my IP. Starting with these!
I know, it makes them SO affordable!
I can’t believe you don’t have to soak the beans first! I usually forget, so this is HUGE for me. I’m going to make a batch this week!
I know! I couldn’t believe it when I first tried! It’s so crazy!
You mentioned bay leaves, but they are not in the list of ingredients!
Ah, thank you for catching that! That’s what I get for writing posts late at night!
How many bay leaves do you add? Thanks!
Thank you! You add 2! Just realized I left that one out! I’ll edit the recipe!