Perfect Instant Pot Black Beans (Soaked & Unsoaked)

Black beans cooked from dry beans are so much more flavorful than canned beans. Especially when you infuse flavors into the cooking liquid. And so quick and easy in the Instant Pot.

This guide covers instructions for cooking perfect black beans whether or not you pre-soak them. Although pre-soaking isn't necessary, it discusses its advantages.

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Jump to:

• 👩‍⚕️ Are dry beans healthier than canned?
• 🏆 Why are dried beans better than canned?
• 🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
• 👩‍🍳 Seasoned Instant Pot Black Beans
• 🔪 Recommended Equipment
• 📝 Instructions Overview: Basic Instant Pot Black Beans
• 📝 Instructions Overview: Seasoned Instant Pot Black Beans
• 🍽️ Favorite Black Bean Recipes
• 🙋‍♀️ Instant Pot Black Beans FAQ
• Perfect Instant Pot Black Beans

When you have a stash of cooked black beans in the refrigerator, you have an endless supply of last-minute, quick meals. For example, this Quinoa and Black Bean Wrap and Quinoa Salad are both ready in 30 minutes or less, as is this Mexican Black Beans recipe. You could also make some burrito bowls with rice, veggies, guacamole, and cheese or these refried black beans.

And if you have an Instant Pot, or other electric pressure cooker, it's the best way to cook up a pot of dried beans, IMO. Especially if you forgot to soak the beans first.

👩‍⚕️ Are dry beans healthier than canned?

Canned beans are hard to beat for convenience versus cooking beans, although pressure cooking helps to close that gap. And their nutritional value isn't much different from dried beans, except in one respect. Sodium. Even if you purchase low-sodium beans, drain and rinse the beans thoroughly.

Additionally, many canning manufacturers once used BPA in the linings of their cans. Today, BPA-laced linings are far less common. Regardless, check to make sure that you purchase BPA-free cans. This chemical can migrate from the linings into the food during processing and storage.

🏆 Why are dried beans better than canned?

There are at least 3 big reasons for cooking your beans from dried.

1. Flavor. The flavor of dried beans is far superior to canned.
2. Texture. When cooking from dried beans, you can control their texture and firmness. There will be no more mushy beans, unless, of course, you want them mushy.
3. Budget-friendly. Dried beans are much cheaper than canned beans, which cost anywhere from 4 - 5 times more. If you're on a budget, and most people are, dried beans are the way to go. (As a note: if you purchase heirloom beans, which are quite a bit more expensive, canned beans are only roughly twice as expensive.)

👩‍🍳 Seasoned Instant Pot Black Beans

Beans can be bland, and benefit from some seasoning. Here are some ideas for super flavorful beans.

Broth. When cooking the beans, substitute vegetable broth for the water. I like adding 1 teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon Roasted Vegetable Paste for every cup of dried beans, but sometimes use my own homemade vegetable broth if I have some on hand. Swanson's Vegetable Broth is another good option.

Spice it up. I add kosher salt, garlic cloves, and one dried ancho pepper to the broth or water. But if you use Better Than Bouillon paste in water for a broth, eliminate the kosher salt when cooking the beans. Other great choices to add to the cooking water or broth include cumin, onion powder, dried oregano, chili powder, and paprika.

Lime. If I'm eating the black beans on their own, I squeeze a little lime over them before serving. The lime sharpens the flavors.

Simple spicing. Or keep it simple and just add some Taco Seasoning at the end.

Add heat. Want a little heat? Sauté minced jalapeño or Serrano pepper with garlic in the inner pot of the cooker before adding the beans and water.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.

📝 Instructions Overview: Basic Instant Pot Black Beans

Whether you soak the beans first or not, the process of cooking the dried beans is exactly the same. The only difference is the amount of cook time.

Step 1 (Optional Pre-Soak)

Optional pre-soak brine. Add the dried beans to enough water to cover them by a couple of inches. Add one tablespoon of kosher salt (or 1 ½ teaspoons of table salt) to the water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature in the briny water.

Step 2

Rinse. Rinse the beans well in a colander and add them to the inner pot of an Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker). Add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches for presoaked beans or at least 3 cups of water for unsoaked beans.

Ending up with a little extra water is fine, but you don't want to risk not having enough water.

Step 3

Flavor. Add one teaspoon of kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon of table salt) to the water along with the garlic and dried ancho chile, if using.

Step 4

Cook. Seal the pressure cooker and select the time based on whether the beans are pre-soaked or unsoaked.

📝 Instructions Overview: Seasoned Instant Pot Black Beans

As with the Basic recipe, explained above, whether you soak the beans first or not, the process of cooking the dried beans is exactly the same. The only difference is the amount of cooking time.

Step 1 (Optional Pre-Soak)

Optional pre-soak brine. Add the dried beans to enough water to cover them by a couple of inches. Add one tablespoon of kosher salt (or 1 ½ teaspoons of table salt) to the water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature in the briny water.

Step 2

Rinse. Rinse the beans well in a colander and set aside.

Step 3

Sauté seasoning. Select the SAUTE function on your electric pressure cooker, and select MEDIUM heat. Add a dollop of olive oil to the inner pot of your cooker and sauté the garlic, dried Ancho chile pepper, and other herbs and spices you want to use for 5 minutes.

Step 4

Add beans. Add the beans to the inner pot and add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches for presoaked beans or 4 cups of water for unsoaked beans.

Having some water left over at the end of cooking is fine. If you don't have enough water, however, the pressure cooker will shut down when the water level becomes too low.

Step 5

Cook. Switch to the MANUAL function. (You may need to turn your pressure cooker off first.) Seal the pressure cooker and select the time based on whether the beans are pre-soaked or unsoaked.

🍽️ Favorite Black Bean Recipes

Besides serving a batch of cooked black beans on their own with a squeeze of lime juice for a side dish, these are more of my favorite ways to use them.

• Southwestern Black Bean Soup with Tomatillos and Corn
• Cuban Black Bean Soft Tacos
• Cheesy Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• Spicy Bean Burgers
• Healthy Mexican Casserole with Quinoa

🙋‍♀️ Instant Pot Black Beans FAQ

How many cups of beans do you get from one cup of dried black beans?

One cup of dried black beans makes about three cups of cooked black beans.

What is the best way to store cooked black beans?

Store cooked beans in a non-metallic airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

I store cooked beans in smaller one-cup portions in individual freezer bags or other freezer-safe containers for ease of use in recipes. Here's a great website with more information.