Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soaking)

I’m so excited to share with you how I prepare black beans in the instant pot. Using a pressure cooker for cooking your beans is such a time saver. There is no need for soaking your beans and draining the liquid after!

With a little variation, this Instant Pot Black Bean Recipe is so amazing, serve it with Jasmine Brown Rice, Southern Collard Greens,  Baked Plantains, and Gluten-Free Vegan Cornbread.

Recently, I made Instant Pot Pinto Beans and it was so amazing, I was motivated to make this Instant Pot Black Beans recipe after a reader said she made my Instant Pot Pinto Beans with black beans instead and how delicious it tasted.

As always, I suggest you read the complete article for useful information. However, you can find the detailed recipe with exact ingredients and step-by-step instructions below.

Advantages Of Making Your Own Black Beans

There are so many advantages of making your own black beans from scratch using a pressure cooker. It is more cost-effective. A one-pound bag of beans costs less than $2 here in the USA, one-pound bag of black beans is the same as about 2 cups of dried black beans, this makes 12 servings of cooked beans.

Do you know how some canned beans have preservatives as ingredients on the label? Well, no need for added preservatives when you cook your beans from scratch in the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot cooked beans increase digestibility by 84% by breaking down the hard-to-digest proteins. 1.

Instant Pot cooking saves time, instead of soaking your beans for at least 6 hours, then cooking for another 45 minutes to an hour. You will save time using your instant pot.

Why Do You Love These Instant Pot Black Beans?

• Beans prepared in an Instant Pot have a lot superior flavor and texture than beans in a can. You can control how firm your beans are by adjusting how long they cook.
• Black beans are an extremely versatile ingredient. Many simple dishes, such as burritos and taco salad, can be made with these Mexican black beans.
• Making your own beans is probably healthier. Because you can regulate how much salt you add to your beans when you cook them from scratch, you don’t have to bother about the BPA in the can lining.
• Black beans are a great source of fiber and vegetarian protein. Along with other vitamins and minerals, black beans are a good source of iron, folate, and other nutrients.

How Long To Cook Black Beans In Instant Pot?

I cook my black beans for 45 minutes of high pressure followed by 20 minutes of natural release. It will take approximately an extra 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come under pressure.

Are Black Beans Healthy?

Dried black beans are very affordable, a great source of protein, and high in fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants. One cup serving of black beans contains 227 calories. Black beans are rich in iron, thiamine, magnesium, folate, and other vitamins and minerals for which many individuals take supplements.

The nutritional content of black beans, their adaptability, and their high vitamin concentration make them a good choice for both vegetarians and omnivores.

Keep You Fuller And Energized

A diet rich in fiber and protein will keep you satiated and energized, allowing your body to function while preventing you from overeating. Beans of any variety, but especially black beans, are an excellent food for those who wish to maintain or reduce weight healthily or avoid “empty calories.”

Improve Heart Health

The high quantities of phytonutrients in black beans, particularly the flavonoids known as petunidin, delphinidin, and malvidin, provide an important nutritional advantage. Studies have demonstrated that flavonoids have a favorable impact on cholesterol excretion and lipid (fat) metabolism.

Beans have been shown in studies to lower total cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood. This could lower your chances of getting heart disease. A daily dose of dried beans reduces heart attack risk by 38%, according to research.

Provides Antioxidants to Fight Disease

Black beans’ significant flavonoid and phytochemical components have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. As a result, they are protective against many forms of cancer including kidney, stomach, and colon cancers. Anthocyanins, substances also present in foods such as berries, are abundant in black beans, according to scientific research.

Early animal studies suggest that beans may also help to slow the development of breast cancer tumors, but additional human research is needed.

According to research, the colon cancer prevention value of black beans’ preventive properties is heightened. According to some reports, black beans have the highest antioxidant content of any bean due to their deep black color.

Regulate Blood Sugar

For diabetics, black beans have resistant starch, which is a form of fiber that passes through the intestines without being broken down into sugar.

Enhance Eye Health

Black bean antioxidants protect the eyes against AMD (age-related macular degeneration) and cataracts. National Eye Institute studies found that large dosages of antioxidants reduced the incidence of progressive macular degeneration by 25%. Antioxidants also reduced eyesight loss in high-risk groups by 19%.

Black beans are particularly rich in vitamin C, which, according to research, can lessen the risk of cataracts. Vitamin C may reduce the growth of cataracts and delay the demand for surgery in those who already have them.

Improves Digestion

Beans include resistant starch, which feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Additionally, the high fiber component of black bean nutrition aids digestion by preventing harmful buildup in the digestive tract. Fiber performs a function for the digestive system similar to that of a broom, helping to move waste through the digestive tract so that the bacteria that make up the gut flora can continue to maintain a healthy balance. This prevents undesirable digestive problems such as constipation, IBS, and others.

For more nutritional benefits check out Dr. Axe’s article.

How To Season Black Beans?

In general start with onion and garlic as the base, then add herbs like parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, and cilantro.  Certain kinds of beans taste better with certain herbs and spices. Depending on the regions of the world too, you can choose to make that are more popular in that region along with the popular spices and herbs used.

Mexican Beans – I would focus on using pinto beans, Mayocoba, and black beans – oregano, cilantro, cumin, and chili.

Italian Beans – white beans, cranberry beans, and chickpeas – parsley, basil, rosemary.

How To Cook Black Beans In Instant Pot

I prefer to make my beans with a Caribbean style of flavors, using thyme, coconut milk, and allspice. The result is the tastiest beans you will ever eat.

1. Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting and add oil into the pot.
2. Add onion, garlic, red bell pepper, thyme, Italian seasoning, allspice, cayenne pepper, and vegetable bouillon.
3. Cook stirring until the onion is soft and fragrant.
4. Add black beans, water, and coconut milk.
5. Place cover on Instant Pot, turn the lid to the closed position, and set the timer for 45 minutes if unsoaked or 30 minutes if black beans are presoaked.
6. Allow pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes.

How Long Do Black Beans Last In The Fridge?

You can store leftovers in the fridge or freezer, and these simple tips will help you store and reheat them well:

To refrigerate: Allow the beans to completely cool before storing them in the fridge or freezer in containers. Put the beans in any sized airtight containers that you want. They will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator.

To freeze: Freezing flat (great for saving space) Allow the beans to cool completely. Portion them into freezer-friendly zip lock bags and write the date on them. Seal the bags and remove the air as much as possible. Squish the beans until the bag is flat. Freeze for a maximum of two to three months.

To reheat: Thaw frozen beans in the refrigerator overnight if they are to be used. Over low heat, stirring often until they’re warmed through. They can also be heated thoroughly in the microwave, stirring after every 30 to 60 seconds.

Ways To Customize This Recipe:

Keep them as simple as possible. For basic black beans, you only need the beans themselves, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper. Use these beans in any recipe that calls for black beans. As with canned black beans, all that’s required is a drain and rinse.

Use everything except the spices. Black beans, garlic, onion, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper are more options.

Vary the seasoning. It’s completely up to you what kind of seasoning you want to put on your beans! Try chipotle powder, taco spice, or all-purpose seasoning.

Skip the cutting. Rather than slicing the onion and garlic, add 1 teaspoon of each onion and garlic powder.

Add additional vegetables. For a heartier black bean recipe, dice up one or two bell peppers of any color.

Chef’s Notes

• If your seasoning doesn’t contain any salt, you can add it along with the water or stock. If it is, wait until the very end since otherwise, the beans won’t cook correctly.

Other Instant Pot Recipes To Try

• Mexican Rice
• Jamaican Stew Peas
• Vegan Lentil Soup
• Instant Pot Jamaican Rice And Peas
• Instant Vegan Jackfruit With Potato Curry

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Difference Between A Pressure Cooker And An Instant Cooker?

PSI or pressure level is the primary difference between an Instant Pot and a conventional pressure cooker. On the stovetop, a typical pressure cooker can hit 15 PSI, while the majority of Instant Pot models (with the exception of the most costly Max model) can only reach 12 PSI.

Do Dried Beans Need To Be Soaked Before Pressure Cooking?

It’s optional. If you are the impatient and bean-hungry sort, you can cook dry beans without any soaking. Anyhow, the time it takes for beans to cook will always be longer if they haven’t been soaked beforehand, but they still do so.

What Is The Ratio Of Black Beans To Water In The Instant Pot?

The first time I used one pound of dried beans plus eight glasses of water and my beans were correctly cooked after 30 min of pressure cooking and 20 minutes of normal release, but there was still a lot of water in the Instant Pot, which needed to be drained…

Next time I used 1 pound of dried beans and 3 cups of water. A winner!

How Do You Make Beans Taste Good And Healthy?

Add salt, butter, herbs & spices, or a sauce to beans to improve their flavor. These instructions are applicable to both home-cooked beans and canned beans. They also enhance the flavor of other pulses, such as lentils and chickpeas.

How Much Protein In Black Beans?

1/2 cup of black beans (one serving) has 114 Calories, 8 grams of protein, and 0 grams of Fat.

Where to Find Black Beans?

Black beans are available in both dried and precooked forms. They are most commonly offered in precooked/canned or frozen forms.

Is there a difference in nutrition between cooked and canned black beans? As long as you purchase a high-quality variety, canned or frozen black beans typically contain the same amount of nutrients as freshly cooked beans. Purchasing canned black beans allows you to enjoy beans even when time is limited.

Seek for dried black beans in stores that sell items by the pound or in the “bulk bin” section of your preferred health food store. In any of these places, you will probably be able to purchase organic dried beans for a price that is much more affordable than you might expect if you can locate sprouting black beans, even better! When purchasing dried beans, you don’t have to worry about overbuying and having them go bad.

Dry beans are handy when you have additional time to prepare. Your cabinet is the best location to preserve uncooked black beans for up to a year if you keep them in an airtight container.

Are Black Beans Keto Friendly?

Owing to its high carbohydrate content, black beans should be avoided on a typical ketogenic diet. Low-carb bean substitutes like green beans, on the other hand, can be consumed in moderation.

Do Black Beans Make You Gain Weight?

Even though black beans are classified as starch, they will not lead you to gain as much weight as you may think. Thus, you may use black beans in your favorite soups, salads, and even veggie stews.

Friends, Let me know if you prepare this Instant Pot Black Bean Recipe! Share your thoughts in the comments. Everyone who reads your thoughts and experiences benefits, including me!

on Youtube,  Instagram, Facebook & Twitter!

Get discounted copies of my cookbook here.

Join our Facebook groups, sharing lots of delicious vegan and gluten-free recipes, health tips, etc., from our members. Please join us and invite your friends to Gluten-Free and Vegan For Beginners and Vegan Recipes With Love.