Quick and easy no-soak Instant Pot Black Beans! This recipe takes all of five minutes to prepare and just 28 minutes in the Instant Pot for perfectly cooked spicy black bean ragout. Serve it with tacos, over rice, or as a topping for vegan nachos.
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If you're vegetarian and are wondering why you should get an instant pot, here is your answer: BEANS, BABY!
This recipe for Spicy Instant Pot Black Beans is the first thing I ever tried making in an electric pressure cooker, and man oh man it knocked my socks off. I've been making these black beans for years and years, but always did them on stove top and it took HOURS to get them to tender perfection.
A couple of years ago my mom suggested we try making them in her Instant Pot, and, you guys, they were done in 30 freaking minutes. And I mean, *perfectly* done.
I went out and bought my own Instant Pot the very next day.
These are delicious, spicy, tender, perfectly cooked black beans that replicate that amazing puddle of beans you get on the side of your plate at a Mexican restaurant. They're easy, with just five minutes of prep time, and don't require any soaking before you cook the beans.
Are you ready for this?
What's in this recipe?
Time to gather up your ingredients! Here's what you need:
- Black beans --> We're using a pound of dried black beans today.
- Onion --> One big ol' yellow onion.
- Garlic --> Going in with a few cloves.
- Tomato paste --> Bringing a bit of tang.
- Spices --> Smoked paprika, oregano, bay leaves, and ground cumin.
- Chili flakes --> Optional, to bring the heat.
- Lime --> I used the world's oldest lime in those photos. Treat yourself to a fresh one!
- Salt --> For balance, yo.
Equipment:
You're definitely going to need an Instant Pot (or other brand of electric pressure cooker) to make these Instant Pot Black Beans. However, I did make them on the stovetop for many years, so I'll of course include instructions for both methods in the recipe card below.
How do you make instant pot black beans?
You guys, it's so easy you're not going to believe it. Let me talk you through it step by step.
Step 1: Give your beans a good rise, and put them into your Instant Pot.
Step 2: Add the onions, garlic, spices, tomato paste, salt, and water. Do NOT add the lime juice.
Step 3: Set your Instant Pot to Manual / High Pressure for 28 minutes. Be sure that the vent is flipped to "sealing" and then let it do its business.
Step 4: Once the pressure cooking cycle has finished, allow the Instant Pot to release naturally. If you're in a rush, you can release the remaining pressure at around the 20 minute mark.
Step 5: Stir in the lime juice.
That's it!
Ways to use Instant Pot Black Beans:
- As a vegetarian protein in a Meal Bowl. (Related: How to Make a Meal Bowl Without a Recipe)
- As part of your vegetarian taco spread. (Related: Tempeh Tacos)
- With some loaded vegetarian nachos
- As a big plate of rice and beans.
- In some tasty Black Bean Burritos.
- In a Vegan Wrap.
Really, you can use them in, or beside, or on top of whatever you like!
Can I freeze these beans?
You sure can! I love to make a big pot of them as a part of my weekly batch cooking (related: Batch Cooking For Beginners) and will use what I need during the week and then freeze the rest.
To freeze, I simply scoop out one-cup portions and smoosh them into freezer bags. These reusable silicon freezer bags are my favourite!
These beans will last 3-5 days in your fridge, and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Hey Nutrition Lady, are black beans good for you?
Yes my friends, yes they are.
Black beans are a good source of folate, dietary fiber, protein, phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium and vitamin K.
The protein-plus-fiber combination in black beans is one of the things that makes them special. A one cup serving contains 15g of fiber (over half of the daily recommended intake), and 15g of protein.
Much of the fiber is indigestible, which supports digestive health, particularly in the lower part of our digestive tract. The protein-fiber combination is also key in stabilizing blood sugar levels, as both protein and fiber move through our digestive systems at a moderate pace.
Black beans are also rich in soluble fiber, which is helpful for lowering blood cholesterol levels and supporting cardiovascular health.
Other vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes:
Instant Pot Pasta Sauce
Mung Bean and Coconut Curry
Red Lentil Dal
14 Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes
LOOKING FOR MORE BEANS?
Be sure to check out our other guides to cooking beans!
- How to Cook Mung Beans
- Instant Pot Pinto Beans
- How to Cook Adzuki Beans
- How to Cook Black Eyed Peas
- Instant Pot Chickpeas
Spicy Instant Pot Black Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black beans
- 3 cups water
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced or crushed
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 medium bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes optional - use more to dial up the heat
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Start by preparing all of your ingredients. Chop the onion, crush the garlic, and measure out the spices.
- Rinse the black beans well, and then add them to the Instant Pot insert.
- Add the diced onion, garlic, spices, tomato paste, salt, and water to the instant pot. Do NOT add the lime juice at this stage.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and ensure the vent is flipped to "sealing".
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual / High Pressure for 28 minutes. It will take about 20 minutes to come to pressure. When the cooking cycle is complete, allow to vent naturally. If you're in a hurry, you can release the remaining pressure after 20 minutes.
- Add the lime juice to the beans, and stir through.
- Allow to cool slightly, and then serve.
Stovetop Instructions
- To make this recipe on the stove top, increase the water to 6 cups. Place all of the ingredients except for the lime juice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer with the lid ajar until the beans are tender - this could take between 4-6 hours.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only
- Cooked black beans will last 3-5 days in your fridge.
- Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published September 9, 2013. It was retested, rephotographed, and updated with instructions for the Instant Pot on August 12, 2020.
Sarah - Sustainable Cooks
These were so perfect! I batch cooked them for the week and it was simple and delicious (even if I stupidly forgot the garlic).
pamela
So so good! I have another batch of these in the instant pot right now! I love how easily they freeze!
Claire
I made these for tacos along with some roasted peppers and onions and they are yummy! I doubled the recipe so I could have leftovers to freeze. I had to add 10 minutes for them to be done, but I'm sure that's because I doubled. Very easy, and I appreciate that they do not come out watery.
Heather
These instant pot beans are better than I've had in any Mexican restaurant. I spice them up or down depending on whether they'll be consumed by heat loving adults or delicate palate babies and children. It's a real winner of a recipe!
Lisa
This sounds good! If I were to double this with one pound of pinto beans, how much longer do you think I should cook them?
Katie Trant
Hi Lisa! I haven't tried cooking pinto beans in my Instant Pot, but I looked up some reliable sources that said to cook them with between 4-6 cups of liquid for 45-50 minutes at high pressure, with a 20 min natural release. Hope that helps!
Sue Pitts
Adding three cups water wasn’t enough! Burned the entire batch!!! Any ideas!!!
Katie Trant
Did you make it in the Instant Pot or on the stove top? 3 cups should be fine for the IP, but if you make it on the stove top you need to increase the water to 6 cups, as is stated in the instructions.
Emily
These are awesome! I already had some cooked beans in the freezer so I threw in the rest of the ingredients and simmered for about 20 minutes. Totally tasty. Can't wait to try this the proper way and see how delicious they get.
cheergerm
These look great, can't wait to try them!
themuffinmyth
They are amazing! I really hope you try them out. Good reminder - I need to make some of these again soon!
Jess
So good to hear your voice over the web! I don't know how you're juggling all of that, but think of how much you will have accomplished after this 9 month stretch - hang in, friend! Love black beans, and this dish looks incredible.
themuffinmyth
Thanks Jess! It'll be busy, but I'll get through it. A big ol' pot of beans certainly helps get through the busy weeks.
Jess
These look incredible! I so want to give them a go, and I've recently got a pressure cooker which I think could be great for cutting down the cooking time too - must try it out.
Good luck with your studying along with everything else and don't let yourself feel guilty if you can't fit everything in - that's just the way life is sometimes!
themuffinmyth
Ooooh, a pressure cooker! I've never played around with one, so I have no idea how that would work. I imagine you could cook the beans (with all of the add ins) until tender, and then switch to a pot without a lid for the thickening / reducing phase. Let me know how it turns out!
Jess
That's what I was thinking - you can just take the lid off the cooker so no need to swap pots 😉 I'll let you know how it goes (once I figure out how to get hold of dried black beans!)
kellie@foodtoglow
Thanks for the slow cooker tip! I use the same ingredients but much shorter cooking time, so if you say it's the key, I'll do it! And us loyal readers just want you to have a balanced life. If it means dipping in and out of blogging, so be it. Know that I'll be here waiting for your delicious recipes and incisive information and links. All best, for EVERYTHING
themuffinmyth
Yeah, you've really got to cook it down. These take a while, but they're well worth the time. I'll be dipping in and out a bit, but am making a real effort to carve out time for this place. See you soon!
andmorefood
oh my - this looks like such a comforting bowl of food. and anything with smitten kitchen always comes out great for me.
good luck with the juggling - it gets tough sometimes, but nothing feels as accomplishing when everything works out!
themuffinmyth
It is such great comfort food, and a fabulous canvas for so many things. I love having a big pot of these beans on hand for my lunches, I highly recommend it!
Leanne
These and the cauliflower pesto are my two favorite things in the SK cookbook-- aren't they to DIE for??! Every time I think of them, I think, 'It's been too long since I've made those,' and then I make them again. Yum! (Also: we have the same Dutch oven.)
And friend, you know life comes first. You know I/we love seeing you around these parts, but you've got to live, too. You'll rock that thesis defense and when you do, we'll be here to hear all about it!
themuffinmyth
I haven't tried the cauliflower pesto, but now it's on my radar! I love that Dutch oven, it's probably one of my favourite and most used kitchen pieces (well, as is all of my Le Creuset). Thanks for the kind words, as always! I'll be in and out, but I'd rather be here!