Make Instant Pot Black Beans using soaked or unsoaked dried beans for delicious side dishes, taco or burrito toppings, or add to soups. A simple hands-off process means your time is free to relax!
Rinse and sort the black beans. Pick out any broken beans or foreign objects.
If soaking, place beans in a bowl, then cover with 4 inches of water. Soak for 8-24 hours.
Heat Instant Pot on saute function. Add olive oil and garlic.
Saute garlic until fragrant or about 30 seconds. Turn off saute mode.
Add the salt, bay leaf, vegetable broth, and water to the pot.
Unsoaked Black Beans Cooking Time
Cook unsoaked black beans on high pressure for 50 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.
Soaked Black Beans Cooking Time
Cook soaked black beans on high pressure for 9 minutes, followed by a 15-minute natural pressure release.
Serve immediately, or store for up to one week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To freeze, cool completely, then store in a freezer bag or container for up to three months.
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Notes
For more flavor, you can add cumin, diced jalapenos, cayenne pepper, ham hock, bacon, or even chili powder to the beans before cooking. You can make more beans if you like. For every cup of beans, the ratio will be one cup of black beans to three cups of water. If, for some reason, your black beans did not cook completely, simply reseal the Instant Pot and cook for 5 minutes longer with a quick release.