This Instant Pot Black Beans recipe pressure cooks dried beans in under an hour. Use soaked or dry black beans and the results are juicy and tender every time!

Perfect pressure cooker black beans
No more guessing when black beans are cooked. Forget standing over your stove. Oh, you can also kick canned black beans to the curb. This Instant Pot black beans recipe is so game changer for cooking dried black beans, soaked or not, you may never cook them any other way!
Before I talk all about pressure cooked black beans, allow me to say that these beans are so tender and delicious, I find myself eating them by the spoonful. They're seasoned with salt only, which is useful when adding them to other recipes.
Instant Pot black beans can be used for refried black beans, chicken burrito bowls, taco bowls, black bean and corn salsa, and taco pasta! Of course you can use these beans with any Mexican recipes.
Why I love Instant pot black beans
- soaked or no soak - toss unsoaked black beans right into the Instant Pot. Or, if you're prefer soaked beans, just lower the pressure cook time by half.
- minimal prep and no planning required - there's no precooking required. Just rinse beans, toss into the Instant Pot, press the button, and go to stuff!
- quick-cooking - go from dried black beans to perfectly cooked black beans in one hour.
- no babysitting - you don't have to stir or watch over a stove burner.
- bye bye canned black beans - ok, maybe keep some on hand for emergency.
- healthy and nutritious - naturally vegan, gluten free, loaded with fiber and protein
- save money - cooking dried beans from scratch is more cost effective than opening a can of beans.
- you control the sodium - add as little salt, or no salt, if you like.
- versatile - you can make so many delicious recipes with black beans. So many!
What you'll need
Grab the full recipe below!
- whole dried black beans - soaked or unsoaked beans
- water - or broth
- sea salt - this is optional and can be added to taste after pressure cooking the beans.
- Instant Pot - I'm using the 6 quart Instant Pot but you can use any size!
How to make this recipe
Add DRIED BLACK BEANS, WATER, and (optional) SALT to the Instant Pot. Pressure cook on HIGH 30 minutes (for unsoaked beans) or 15 minutes (for soaked beans) with a 20-minute natural pressure release (NPR).
Test the beans for desired softness by biting into a few. If they're soft to your liking, transfer the beans out of the cooker.
Note: If the beans aren't soft enough for you, repeat pressure cook process with 3-5 minutes on HIGH with another natural pressure release.
Soaked beans vs no soak
Soaking is not required for Instant Pot black beans. In fact, cooking black beans without soaking still gets you a pot of perfectly tender black beans in under and hour. However, if you are a bean soaker, you’ll want to cut the pressure cooker time in half. So, use a 15 minutes pressure cook time, but keep the 20-minute natural release.
Can I use chicken broth instead of water?
Absolutely! You can substitute any or all of the water with any broth when cooking black beans.
Why some beans take longer to cook
Older dry beans take longer to cook. When black beans aren't soft enough for my liking, I figure they're just older and need more than time than the recipe indicates. My solution is to simply run another 3-5 minute pressure cook cycle until they're done, even if it means repeating the process a few times, which I have.
Should I drain the juice from cooked black beans?
It depends on how you'll use the beans. The cooked bean juice, also called aquafaba, is a slightly thickened, silky sauce, which can be used in soups, sauces, entrees, and dips for flavoring and thickening. I say, keep the juice and use it for all the things because it’s so easy to drain or rinse if necessary. Also, storing your perfectly cooked black beans with their juice in an airtight container helps prevent them drying out. We like beans juicy and tender!
Can I freeze cooked black beans?
Yes! In fact, it's a real time-saver to make larger quantities of Instant Pot black beans to use for other black bean recipes. Pro tip: portion the black beans into 1 ½ cup amounts – which is the volume of a 15oz can – and add some bean juice for freezer burn protection.
To freeze, allow cooked beans cool completely and store in freezer-safe packaging up to 90 days, or longer if vacuum sealed. To thaw, transfer the beans to the refrigerator for an overnight stay and they'll be ready to heat and serve.
More recipes with black beans
- Totchos [Tater Tot Nachos]
- Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
- Vegan Tortilla Soup [Instant Pot or Stove]
- Loaded Black Bean Dip
- Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Vegetarian Enchiladas [No-Roll Method]
- 3 Bean Vegan Chili for Instant Pot, Stove, or Crockpot
Instant Pot Black Beans (Soaked or No Soak)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound Dried Black Beans, same as 2 cups
- 6 cups Water, or broth
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, optional
Instructions
- Sort BLACK BEANS to remove unwanted pieces, then rinse to remove dust.
- Place BLACK BEANS, WATER, and (optional) SALT in the Instant Pot.
- Secure lid and turn pressure release valve to “ Sealing” position. Select “manual” or “pressure cook" on HIGH for 30 minutes.
- When cook cycle ends, allow the cooker to sit undisturbed for a 20-minute natural pressure release (NPR). Safely turn pressure release valve to “Venting” position to release any remaining steam.
- Open the lid and taste test a few beans. If they’re soft enough, they’re ready to serve. If not, run another pressure cook cycle for 3 to 5 minutes. *See recipe footnote.
- Pressure cooked black beans can be enjoyed immediately.
- To store, allow beans to cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze up to 30 days (or more if vacuum sealed).
Traci's Recipe Notes
Equipment
- 6 quart Instant Pot or other size pressure cooker
- colander to rinse beans
NUTRITION
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
JB says
Pressure cooker black beans really are game changer, especially since we don't have to soak them. Black beans are actually getting made more often. Love this method!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yessss! I'm so glad you love them as much as I do 🙂 And they make the best refried beans!
Eileen Kelly says
These beans blow away my local place for the best beans ever. The recipe is so easy and the results are a delicious side dish. Will make them often.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Eileen! The feeling is quite mutual. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
cyndy says
Thank you for the perfect instructions. This was my first go around with black beans in the IP and they turned out great. Will be freezing and eating these all month.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay, Cyndy! So glad to hear it 🙂 I'll probably never cook black beans any other way!
Luci says
I love instant pot black beans! They're so easy and always taste delicious! Plus, they're perfect for when I'm meal prepping!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay, glad to hear it, Luci! They are so easy and delicious and we love to meal prep them too! Yay Instant Pot!
Julie says
I use black beans in so many dishes. Will have to try this.
The Kitchen Girl says
Oh awesome! Yes, us too! It was imperative that we create an Instant Pot black bean recipe and we LOVE how this turns out every time! 🙂 Enjoy!
Jeff says
These black beans come out perfect every time I make them. I hate soaking, mostly because I always forget lol, so I love that about this recipe.