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Cooking beans in the Instant Pot is easy, once you know what you’re doing. Since you can’t check on the beans as they cook, you’ll need to use a well-tested recipe (like this one!) to get perfect results on your first try.

The most important part of cooking black beans in the pressure cooker is getting the bean-to-water ratio right. If you use the wrong ratio, you’ll wind up with some beans that are tender, and some that are still hard as a rock.

(Any bean that isn’t fully submerged in water won’t be cooked, FYI.)

I first wrote about these beans in my Instant Pot cookbook, but I’ve tested them even more since then. Follow the method below for perfectly tender and seasoned beans every time!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“Love this recipe. Perfect, awesome and so very delicious. I’m never soaking beans overnight again and only using canned black beans in a pinch. These were incredibly tasty.” – Melanie

black beans in a white bowl with wooden spoon and a lime by the pressure cooker.

Pressure Cooker Black Bean Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need for flavorful beans:

  • Dry black beans. Most of the time, I cook black beans without soaking them first, simply because I don’t plan that far ahead. The age of your beans can affect cooking time, so it’s best to work with beans that have been recently purchased, rather than ones that have been sitting in your pantry for years.
  • Pantry spices. For lightly seasoned beans, I like to add ground cumin, oregano, and a bay leaf. You can omit these if you are hoping to make beans that will simply replace plain canned beans in a recipe. (For example, you might not want seasoned black beans if you plan on making brownies with them.)
  • Salt. There’s a rumor that salt might prevent beans from becoming tender, but that’s not the case when cooking black beans. I wouldn’t recommend using more than 1 teaspoon of salt per cup of dry beans, though.
  • Water. If you’re used to cooking beans on the stovetop, you might be disappointed to see how watery black beans look when they are cooked in the pressure cooker. That’s because the beans MUST be fully submerged in water to cook correctly, so don’t reduce the water that this recipe calls for. You can always cook the liquid down later for a thicker sauce.
dry beans and spices labeled in containers on a white surface.

How to Cook Instant Pot Black Beans

Step 1:

Add the dry beans, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and water to the stainless steel bowl of the Instant Pot. Or, for plain black beans, omit the seasonings.

Use 3 1/2 cups of water for every 8 ounces of dry beans you plan to cook. (If you don’t own a kitchen scale, a half pound of beans is roughly 1 very heaping cup of dry beans.)

water and spices added to dry black beans in pressure cooker.

Step 2:

Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and move the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position. Use the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button on your machine to cook at high pressure for 30 minutes.

The pot will take about 15 minutes to pressurize, so the screen will read ON until the floating valve in the lid pops up. (Once that happens, you’ll know the pot is pressurized.)

instant pot set to cook for 30 minutes.

Step 3:

When the cooking cycle is complete, be patient. You’ll need to let the Instant Pot naturally release the pressure, which takes 25 to 30 minutes. Do not perform a quick release.

When the floating valve in the lid drops, you’ll know the pressure has been released and it’s safe to open the lid.

Remove the lid and then remove the bay leaf. (It’s a choking hazard, so don’t leave it in your beans.) The beans will look very watery, but should be tender. You can test a few by mashing them against the side of the pot with a fork.

Use a fine mesh strainer to drain the beans and then they are ready to serve.

cooked beans in the Instant Pot and drained in a mesh strainer.

Optional step

For a thicker, more seasoned sauce, you can reserve the drained cooking liquid and return it to the Instant Pot. Press the “Sauté” button and let it simmer until it’s thickened or reduced by half. It will become more concentrated in flavor, so you can add as much or as little as you want to the beans.

More Instant Pot Black Bean Tips

In case you’re curious, here’s what I’ve learned from weeks of experimenting.

  • Cooking in less water. I originally tried cooking 8 ounces of dry beans in 3 cups of water, but there were still some beans that weren’t fully submerged using a 6-quart Instant Pot. This was even the case when I doubled the recipe, using 1 pound of black beans to 6 cups of water. Any bean that was above the level of the water was NOT tender, and I don’t recommend consuming any undercooked beans for safety.
  • Adding onion and garlic. The cool thing about the Instant Pot is that you don’t have to saute the veggies and spices to develop an aromatic flavor. (You can, but it’s not necessary.) If you’d like to add onion and garlic, you can add a 1/2 cup of diced white onion and one clove of garlic per 8 ounces of dry beans that you cook.
  • Cooking soaked beans. If you would prefer to soak your beans first, cover them with 3 inches of water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. The soaked beans will double or triple in size. When you’re ready to cook the beans, drain away the soaking water and cover them with 3 1/2 cups of fresh water for every 8 oz of dry beans that you soaked. Cook at high pressure for 9 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Not all bean varieties cook the same. This tutorial is for cooking black beans only. Pinto beans, garbanzo beans, and cannelini beans may require a different water ratio or cooking time, so be sure to look for another recipe if you have another type of bean.

Black Beans (Instant Pot) FAQs

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 them 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?

Black beans require a little over an hour in the Instant Pot, but not all of that is active cooking time. You can cook them for 30 minutes at high pressure, then let the pressure naturally release for 25 to 30 minutes after that. If you’re cooking soaked black beans, cook them for 9 minutes at high pressure, then let the pressure naturally release after that.

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

I’ve spent weeks testing the correct ratio of water to dry black beans. I intially tried using only 2.5 cups of water to 1 cup of black beans, but that wasn’t enough. Then I tried 3 cups of water to 1 cup of black beans, and that was almost enough. (But there were still a few beans sticking out above the water level, and those pieces weren’t cooked.) It wasn’t until I used 3.5 cups of water per 1 heaping cup of beans that I got consistently perfect results.

How many cups are 1 pound of black beans?

1 pound of dried beans = 2 heaping cups of dried beans. You’ll get approximately 6 cups of cooked beans, give or take, when you cook 1 pound of dry 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 them, 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. Soak for 8 hours, then follow the directions in the recipe notes.

black beans in a white bowl with wooden spoon and a lime by the pressure cooker.

Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking Required!)

4.79 from 38 votes
My 8-year-old daughter just told me these are the “best beans” I’ve ever made. I agree, but I’m also excited because they are so darn easy to prepare. (No soaking required!)
prep5 mins cook30 mins Pressurization:40 mins total1 hr 15 mins
Servings:6

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 ounces dry black beans (see notes)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 ½ cups water

Instructions

  • Add the dry beans, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and water to the stainless steel bowl of your Instant Pot. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to "Sealing." Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Note: You can omit the seasonings for plain beans.
  • When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release until the floating valve in the lid drops back down. This should take 25 to 30 minutes, so be patient. This is part of the cooking process, so don't perform a quick release. When the floating valve in the lid has dropped, it's safe to open the lid.
  • Remove the bay leaf and use a fork to test several beans for tenderness. They should mash easily against the side of the pot. The beans will be completely submerged in liquid—this is necessary for proper cooking. (If you reduce the water in this recipe, any bean that is above the water level will be rock-hard.) Use a fine mesh strainer to drain away the excess water, and then they are ready to serve warm.
  • Leftover beans can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for approximately a 1/2 cup of cooked black beans, assuming you get 3 cups total from this recipe. This information is automatically calculated, so it’s just an estimate, not a guarantee. 
Bean Note: I use a food scale to make sure I’m cooking 8 ounces or 227 grams of dry beans. This is approximately a very heaping cup (close to 1.25 cups) if you don’t have a food scale. You can double the recipe if you will use more beans this week. 
How to Cook Soaked Beans: Cover the dry beans with 3 inches of water and let them soak for 8 to 12 hours. Drain the soaking water, then add the soaked beans to the pot with the spices and water listed above. (You could likely use a little less water for soaked beans, but I don’t think it’s worth the risk— any bean that isn’t submerged won’t cook properly.) Cook at high pressure for 9 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release until the floating valve in the lid drops, which takes approximately 25 to 30 minutes. 
Cooking Liquid Tip: If you want to serve the beans in a thicker cooking liquid, reserve the liquid after draining the beans and pour it back into the Instant Pot. Press the Sauté button and cook until the liquid has reduced by half. You can pour this liquid back into the beans for serving. (Use as much or as little as you prefer; it will be saltier when it’s reduced.)
Important Note: Do not use less liquid in the hopes that your beans will be less watery; this amount of water is necessary for consistently cooked beans. I’ve tested it with 1/2 cup less and a whole cup less, and I was disappointed with some of the beans turning out rock-hard because they expanded above the water level as they cooked. 
Update Note: This recipe was updated in 2025. (The original version is still in the YouTube video, if you’re curious. It will be updated at some point!) Both versions work, but the updated version prevents the beans from falling apart as much because it reduces the high-pressure cooking time, while still keeping the beans in the pot long enough to become tender. I also removed the step of sauteeing onion and garlic first, because I want my kids to eat these, and they are flavorful without that extra step. 

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 397mg | Potassium: 564mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: healthy
Keyword: instant pot black beans

Recipes That Use Black Beans

If you try these Instant Pot black beans, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how they turned out for you.

 

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. As a Certified Nutritionist Consultant (CNC), I love to make healthier food using simple ingredients. I test these recipes multiple times in my kitchen to make sure they will turn out perfectly for you.

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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.

    1. Fyi cannelli beans are a softer bean and need less cooking time. This recipe is specifically for black beans. I’ve been using this recipe for a few years and it’s worked perfect every time, even at different altitudes (from 300ft all the way to 7,000ft)

  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.

  4. Thanks for the recipes. Just fyi, you do still need to soak beans at least 4 hrs and rinse, to remove the other antinutrients, even though pressure cooker will remove most lectins.

  5. Came out perfect exactly as listed! My family likes our black beans a little softer/creamier and we did the 50 minute cook time for unsoaked beans, natural release of 10, and sauteed a little at the end to get rid of excess liquid. Thank you for this recipe – a keeper in my rotation.