Instant Pot Black Beans

One of the easiest ways to get Back to the Basics of Nutrition is to eat Real Whole Foods. Instant Pot Black Beans, full of fiber and protein, are the perfect way to start adding whole foods into your diet. Black beans are simple to cook, inexpensive, and can be used to create so many delicious meals. Plus, they are packed with added health benefits like helping to regulate blood sugar levels, reducing triglyceride & cholesterol levels, and even help you feel full!

Cooking dried beans used to require a lot of preplanning and at least 8 hours of soaking. Then along came the Instant Pot! These Instant Pot Black Beans require no soaking or preplanning and are just as convenient as canned beans. You don’t have to remember to soak the beans the night before. You can make them anytime with no prep needed.

There is nothing quite like the Instant Pot because it does all the work for you. Still, it seems like people either love it or hate it. I happen to LOVE mine and I am not being paid to say this. So much so that I actually have all 3 sizes. Occasionally, there will even be two going at the same time. It’s a super handy kitchen gadget to have around.

Instant Pot

For this Instant Pot Black Bean recipe you will only need one Instant Pot. The most common size is the 6 quart and it works great. As for ingredients, you will need dried Organic Black Beans, Spring Water, Garlic, Dried Onion Flakes, and a few Spices. There is no soaking required and the beans are ready to eat in less than an hour.

While you do the dishes, prep the vegetables for taco salad, or cook your protein, the Instant Pot will be cooking the beans perfectly without any effort of your own. The cooking time is for these black beans is only 40 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes of natural release at the end.

Natural release simply means you allow the Instant to naturally lower the pressure for 10 minutes. It does this on it’s own after the cooking is done. You will see an L000 on the screen, which means it is just starting to naturally release the pressure. When this reads L010, release the rest of the pressure by moving the toggle to “release”. This will quickly release the remaining pressure allowing you can remove the lid safely.

Ingredients

• Dried Organic Black Beans
• Spring or Filtered Water
• Organic Garlic
• Dried Organic Onion Flakes
• Organic Garlic Powder (no salt)
• Organic Onion Powder (no salt)
• Bay Leaf
• Better than Bouillon-Vegetable (optional after cooking)
• Salt (optional after cooking)
• Red Wine Vinegar (optional after cooking)

Kitchen Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Slotted Spoon
• Measuring Cup

One of the best things about making your own Instant Pot Black Beans is that you can season them to your liking. You get to control the amount of sodium and spice too! Simply add your favorite spices and herbs to create the flavor you like. Plus, you get the added health benefits of the garlic, onions, and the spices.

One word of caution: Don’t add any salt to the Instant Pot before cooking the beans. Dried beans with salt simply won’t cook no matter how long you cook them at high pressure. So make sure to only add the beans, water, and spices for cooking. Then once the cooking is done you can add salt, broth for flavoring, and even splash of red wine vinegar. I have found that very little salt is needed because you are always mixing these beans with other foods and flavors.

How to Make Instant Pot Black Beans:

Add 1 cup of Dried Organic Black Beans and 3 cups of Filtered or Spring Water to the Instant Pot. FYI: One cup of dried beans will turn into around 3 cups of cooked black beans.

Next, add 1 clove of sliced or minced Organic Garlic, 2 Tbsp of Dried Organic Onion Flakes, 2 tsp of Organic Garlic Powder (no salt), 1 tsp Organic Onion Powder (no salt), and 1 Bay Leaf. Give this a quick stir and then secure the lid of the Instant Pot and set the pressure to 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes of cooking, let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. All this means is that you are letting the pressure, that has built up during the cooking process, naturally release on its own. After the cooking time has ended the screen will show L000. This means it is starting to naturally release the pressure. When the screen shows L010, release the rest of the pressure by moving the toggle on the lid to “release”.

Once all the pressure is released, it is safe to remove the lid. Start by removing the Bay Leaf. Then season the beans with 1/2 tsp Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base, 1 tsp Sea Salt, and/or 1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar. All of these seasonings are optional. I highly recommend the Better than Bouillon though.

For Whole Organic Black Beans: Simply remove the beans with a slotted spoon and serve hot or cold.

For Organic Refried Black Beans: Remove the beans with a slotted spoon into a food processor. Start with 1/2 cup of cooking liquid at a time and pulse until smooth. Add additional liquid as needed to reach desired consistency. Optional Stir-In’s: fresh diced onions, cilantro, and/or jalapeno peppers.

More Ideas:

Also, be sure to check out my Organic Pinto Bean Recipe that can be used to make soup, rice bowls, refried beans, and more. Looking for a great Organic Source for Dried Beans??? You can find a great selection of organic beans grown right here in Idaho at 1000 Springs Mill. FYI: I am not being paid to say this…I love their organic products!

It’s almost magical how 1 cup of dried black beans goes into the Instant Pot and turns into all kinds of inspiration for different family meals. You can use these beans to make the best BBQ Black Bean Salad, for a quick chili, and in burritos. Another one of my favorite ways to use up the extra black beans is to make Black Bean Burgers (which you can freeze and enjoy later for a quick weeknight meal). They can also be smashed with a potato masher or in a food processor, with a little of the left over bean liquid, to make Refried Black Beans. Then use the black refried beans to make bean and cheese burritos or an Easy Black Bean Dip.

Below you will find my favorite way to cook Black Beans in the Instant Pot. It is super simple and I encourage you to use this recipe as inspiration to create your own! Just make sure that none of the spices you add for cooking have salt (as your beans won’t cook).

Remember to be creative with your food. It doesn’t have to be complicated and there is inspiration all around you. If you haven’t tried making beans in your Instant Pot, what are you waiting for?

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