Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking Required!)

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

Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking Required!)

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: healthy

Keyword: instant pot black beans

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 30

Pressurization:: 40

Total Time: 1 15

Servings:

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

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!)

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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