One of the easiest and best foods you can cook in the Instant Pot is beans: tender and perfect every time! Here’s how to make easy, no-soaking required Instant Pot dry beans. Use whatever beans you have on hand: black beans, pinto beans, white beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lima beans. This step-by-step recipe will give you the very best results with minimal effort.
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Cooking your own beans, from scratch, is a great way to save money, eat healthier, and enjoy tender and flavorful beans.
- Dry beans are cheap, costing just $2-3 per 1 pound bag.
- They’re easy to find in any grocery store; no speciality store needed to find this nutritious food.
- A fantastic plant-based protein option with complex carbs and fiber (keeping you full for longer).
- A fantastic meal prep food. Make a batch of beans on the weekend and use them to make a variety of nourishing, inexpensive meals throughout the week.
- Beans are super easy to make, particularly in the Instant Pot or slow cooker (how to make crock-pot dry beans).
- Home-cooked beans taste so much better than most store-bought beans. Trust me, there’s a huge difference!
Ingredients Needed to Make Instant Pot Beans
For basic Instant Pot beans, you’ll only need a few things. You can easily customize the beans with various flavorings and veggies to enhance the flavor profile.
What kind of dry beans can you cook and for how long?
With this recipe, you can make a variety of different dry beans in your Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. The type of bean will determine the cooking time. Here are the best varieties to cook and the appropriate cooking times for each bean type.
BEAN COOKING TIMES
- Black Beans: Cook for 30 minutes
- Pinto Beans: Cook for 30 minutes
- Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas): Cook for 40 minutes
- Kidney Beans: Cook for 35 minutes
- Navy Beans: Cook for 25 minutes
- Great Northern Beans: Cook for 25 minutes
- Lima Beans: Cook for 25 minutes
- Black Eyed Peas: Cook for 15 minutes, with a 15 minute natural release (then manually release remaining pressure)
For beans, I recommend always using a natural release, unless stated (like with the black eyed peas) to keep the beans soft and intact.
How Many Pounds of Beans Should You Cook?
I recommend cooking 1 lb of dried beans in the Instant Pot, particularly if you have a 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot. The problem with cooking more beans is that you’ll likely go over the fill line within the pot liner, which can cause the pressure cooker to overflow and fail.
DRY TO COOKED BEAN RATIOS
- 1 pound of dried beans = 2-3 cups of dried beans
- 2 cups dried beans = 6-7 cups cooked beans
- 1 1/2 cups cooked beans = 1 -15 ounce can of beans
Step by Step Instructions & Video
Step 1: Rinse Beans
Rinse the beans of choice under fresh water (such as: black beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, lima beans, etc.) and pick out any undesirables (stones, etc.). To do this easily, place the dry beans in a colander and rinse with cold water, running your hands through the beans to find any stones, etc.
Step 2: Add Beans to the Instant Pot
Add the dry beans to the Instant Pot. I use a 6 quart Instant Pot (like this). An 8 quart Instant Pot also works well for cooking dried beans as you’ll need room for both the water and beans and don’t want to go over the fill line.
Step 3: Add Water and Seasonings
Add the white or yellow onion (keep the halved onion intact, no need to chop), bay leaves, garlic cloves, olive oil (prevents foam from forming at the top), salt (I use 1 tablespoon for 8 cups water and 1 lb of beans, but this will be based on your taste).
Step 4: Cook for 15-40 Minutes Depending on Type of Bean
Lock the lid on the Instant Pot and set the Instant Pot to Manual, High Pressure for the designated time according the bean used (see below for specific cooking times, anywhere from 15-40 minutes depending on the type of bean). The valve on top should be set to Sealed.
Cooking Time Note:
The Instant Pot does take some time to come to pressure and begin pressure cooking. Once the warm up is complete, the timer on the pot will begin counting down based on the set cooking time. Warm up can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes.
If the water added is super cold, it may take longer for pressure to build so adding warm water can speed this up, allowing the Instant Pot to reach pressure faster.
Step 5: Let Pressure Release Naturally
Once the beans are done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 30 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure (use a hot pad holder or towel) and opening the lid. If you’re short on time, you can do a 15 minute natural pressure release, then a quick release. But the best results are always with a longer natural release.
How to Use a Natural Pressure Release
With a quick release, you’ll release pressure from the Instant Pot valve, moving the valve on top of the Instant Pot from sealed to open, after the cooking time is complete. With a natural release, you’ll allow the pressure to naturally release from the Instant Pot. For beans, I recommend always using a natural release, unless stated (like with the black eyed peas) to keep the beans soft and intact. If you’re new to using an Instant Pot, see my 16 must-know Instant Pot tips here.
Step 6: Remove Aromatics and Enjoy
Remove the aromatics (bay leaves, onions, garlic). Drain and rinse the beans, if desired. Or, you can store or serve the beans with some of the liquid. This all depends on how you plan to use the beans.
How to Store
Cooked beans are a great food to meal prep in advance and use throughout the week to make easy meals: on salads, to make tacos or burrito bowls, or add to soup.
Store a batch of beans in the fridge or freezer, in an airtight container. Store the cooked beans in some of the cooking liquid. This will keep the beans moist and fresh for longer.
Seasoning and Flavor Ideas
The best part about making beans at home, from-scratch, is that you can flavor them to your liking! I usually stick with just the basics: onion, bay leaf, garlic, and salt. If you’re in a pinch, you could even just do salt and beans (and water). Avoid acidic ingredients as they prolong the cooking time: lemon, vinegar, etc. Here are a few ideas for flavoring a pot of beans…
- Use Broth: Instead of water, use broth! Like chicken or vegetable broth.
- Add Salt: This is a given, but please add salt! I know some folks suggest that adding salt to the beans while they cook will prevent them from breaking down, but with the Instant Pot I haven’t found this to be true. Salt adds so much flavor.
- Add Veggies: For black beans or pinto beans, adding some chopped carrots, celery, peppers, onion, and garlic will give you delicious beans that you can eat straight from the Instant Pot. I add veggies and spices to make Instant Pot black soup with dried black beans.
- Add Spices: For black or pinto beans, I love to add cumin, chili powder, and (after cooking) fresh cilantro (lots of fresh cilantro). This is great for beans you’ll enjoy in tacos, burritos, etc.
Avoid Hard Beans With These Tips
- Use a Natural Pressure Release: By using the cook times recommended in this recipe and a natural pressure release after the cooking time is done, you should easily avoid dreaded hard beans.
- Use Fresh Beans: Another reason people end up with hard cooked beans is because their dry beans are too old. Buy the freshest dry beans possible, and don’t store them for years upon years in your pantry. Doing so will help you achieve perfectly tender beans every time.
7 Can’t-Miss Tips For Making Perfect Beans Every Time
- No Soaking Needed: You don’t need to pre-soak beans when cooking beans in the Instant Pot.
- Reduce Cooking Time if Soaking First: If you want to pre-soak your beans (for 8-12 hours) before cooking, decrease the cooking time by 5-10 minutes.
- Never overfill your Instant Pot: Check the fill line inside your Instant Pot to make sure you don’t go over this line.
- Store beans in the cooking liquid: Drain the liquid from the beans, using a colander, before cooking with or serving.
- 1 pound of dried beans = 2-3 cups of dried beans, 2 cups dried beans = 6-7 cups cooked beans, 1 1/2 cups cooked beans = 1 -15 ounce can of beans
- Natural Pressure Release, Always: It’s best to let the Instant Pot naturally release in pressure before opening the lid. If you must perform a quick release, wait for 15 minutes, allowing some pressure to naturally release. Then perform a quick release with the remaining pressure.
- Make-Ahead Tip: Use Instant Pot beans in your favorite recipes, store in the fridge, or freeze for later.
Easy Instant Pot Dry Beans (No Soak, Any Variety)
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot 6 or 8 quart size
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried beans any variety: black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, etc.
- 1/2 white onion or yellow onion, peeled and left intact
- 1 TB extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 medium garlic cloves peeled and left whole
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt *
- 8 cups water
Special Equipment:
- Instant Pot
- sieve or strainer to rinse the beans
Instructions
- Rinse the beans in a colander under fresh water, and pick out any undesirables (stones, etc.)
- Add the beans to the Instant Pot.
- Add all the remaining ingredients: onion, oil, garlic cloves, bay leaves, salt, and water. If you want to add any other seasonings (spices) or chopped veggies (carrots, celery) now is the time to do this.
- Lock the lid on and set the Instant Pot to Manual, High Pressure for 30 minutes (for black beans and pinto beans) or 40 minutes (for chickpeas). See cooking times in the notes below for other types. The valve on top should be set to Sealed.
- Once the beans are done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 30 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure (use a hot pad holder or towel) and opening the lid.
- Remove the aromatics (bay leaves, onions, garlic). Drain and rinse the beans, if desired. Or, store or serve the beans with some of the liquid. If you're storing the beans in the fridge (or freezer), I recommend storing the beans in some of the liquid to keep them fresh.
Video
Notes
- Black Beans: Cook for 30 minutes
- Pinto Beans: Cook for 30 minutes
- Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas): Cook for 40 minutes
- Kidney Beans: Cook for 35 minutes
- Navy Beans: Cook for 25 minutes
- Great Northern Beans: Cook for 25 minutes
- Lima Beans: Cook for 25 minutes
- Black Eyed Peas: Cook for 15 minutes, with a 15 minute natural release (then manually release remaining pressure)
- Use 8 cups of water per 1 lb of beans if you plan to use the beans in recipes like soups, casseroles, or stuffed peppers; not on their own and plan to store them in the fridge or freezer.
- Use 6 cups of water per 1 lb of beans if you plan to use the beans on their own (like burrito bowls or refried beans) and want the beans to take on more of the seasonings you add. Less water means the juice will be thicker, starchier, and more flavorful and the beans will be as well.
Nutrition
My Favorite
10 Ways to Use Home-Cooked Beans
- Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers (with black beans)
- Easy Vegetarian Quesadillas (with mashed pinto beans)
- Hummus (with chickpeas)
- Marinated Chickpea Salad
- Beet Hummus (with chickpeas)
- Instant Pot Chili (with kidney beans)
- Stove-Top Chili (with kidney or black beans)
- 30-Minute Chicken and Bean Nachos (with black beans)
- Vegetarian Tuscan White Bean Soup (with Great Northern beans)
- Freezer Bean Burritos (with mashed pinto beans)
- Ground Beef Taco Meat: Add 1/2lb ground beef and 1/2 lb of cooked pinto or black beans, then cook according to the recipe.
- Refried Beans: Mash pinto beans with a bit of the liquid, add cumin, salt, or chili powder.
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do I cook longer in higher altitudes
Hey Monica, I’m not sure. But I think there considerations when cooking at higher altitudes in the Instant Pot. This resource should help: https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/pressure-cooker-high-altitude-cooking-time/
I tried this. It worked like a charm. Tender beans in an hour! (30 min cook, 30 min cool). I chopped the onion and garlic and it worked well. There is a lot of juice left over so maybe a little less water would work too? Amazing that dried, black beans could cook so quickly.
Yay, Nanette. Thanks for sharing
Hey!! thanks for sharing
Going to try this recipe on my new Instapot ? Thanks for sharing looks delicious ?
Awesome, Jennifer. Enjoy!
So happy I found your site. New to Instapot and wanted to make Smoked Turkey (tails) & Baby lima beans SOUP form. Can you please advise. Thanks
Hey Fatisha, I’m not sure about that particular combo. I haven’t personally tested either, so I can’t speak to specifics.
Just started using my instant pot. I love cooking in it. Cooking pinto beans with home made jalapeno venison sausage tonight. Quick and easy is what I’m about. Thanks for all your recipe ideas.
Hi Kelley,
So happy you are loving your Instant Pot! 🙂
You’re welcome!!
I made beans the other day and soaked over night only because that’s what I always do. I added onion, 1/3 cup of molasses, 1 Tble. brown sugar, salt and pepper, salt pork and 1/4 tsp. dry mustard. covered with about two inches of water. I used two lb. bag of yellow eye beans. They were as good as those I bake in a slow oven.
Those awesome, Karen! Thanks for sharing!
Can bacon be added to cook with the beans?
Definitely. I would saute the bacon first with the saute function and then add the beans and water and any seasoning. That will build a lot of flavor!
Oh my gosh! These are sooo good! I followed the recipe exactly except I used a 15 bean mix since that’s what I had. I cooked them for 35 minutes & they were delicious. I will definitely make these again. Thanks for the recipe!
That’s awesome, Teena!
I’m wondering what the cook time would be for great northern white beans.
Thanks!
Hey Mary Lou, I would go with 35 minutes high pressure and then 30 minutes of natural release.
Why is soaking dried beans not required in an instapot?
Hey Patrica, It’s because of the pressure cooking method.
What size instant pot are you using? Can the quantity be increased if we have the big 8 quart variety?
Hey Amy, I use a 6-quart Instant Pot. I think you should be able to use an 8-quart pot without issue.
Hi, just got my Instant Pot a few days ago. Trying the hardest beans to cook first that I don’t mind over-cooking…soybeans. I usually have to soak them for two days, then cook for 4 hours. Bought the Ultra as it has a setting to be able to change cooking times according to altitude (I’m at almost 4000 ft). I’m setting the time for an hour. If it goes well, then it will have been worth the price for this Pot. The only settings that I really wanted was the pressure cooking part, the sterilizer, and the yogurt maker. I am, however, really curious about the cake setting. Can’t wait to try that one.
I have a 14 quart instapot and wonder if your instructions still apply if you want to cook 2 or 3 lbs of beans? When I make chili or Navy Bean Soup, I like to make a large batch and freeze it for later.
The recipe I have for the Navy Bean Soup instructions include adding the dry beans after you sauté the vegetables and then cook, but it does not address any larger quantity than 24oz of dry beans.
I plan on cooking 3 lbs of beans and need to know if they will take longer due to the volume.
If you have a recipe for Navy Bean Soup, I would also appreciate a link to the recipe!
Thank you in advance for your assistance!
Dane
Hey Dane, I wish I knew. I’m not sure.
Hi for how much time should I cook the dry baby Lima beans? Nice article btw 🙂
Tried pressure cooking on the insta-pot to cook beans for a bean soup. I measured 1/2 cup each of Black, red kidney, pinto, and garbanzo beans I set the timer for 40 minutes (I like soft beans). While they were cooking I went shopping for soup ingredients. By the time I returned they had been kept warm for 40 minutes and all of the steam had been released naturally. After separating the beans from the liquid, I prepared the soup. When it came time to add the beans and 1 cup of the liquid, the beans were perfectly cooked, drained, cooled and ready to be added to the end of the soup cooking time. Best bean soup I have made so far….it far outweighed any canned beans. Thanks for this recipe 🙂
Yay, Cindy! That’s amazing. Thank you for sharing. I bet the soup was delicious.
Going to try this recipe on my new Instapot 🙂 Thanks for sharing looks delicious 🙂
Great info! Two quick questions: will the recipe work the same for white (navy) beans? Has anyone tried dried lentils in IP?
I”ve tried some recipes for lentil stew and soup that use dry lentils and they have worked great.
Hi first time trying cannelloni beans I cooke them for 20 minutes let
The pressure come down ,when I opened the insta pot my beans came missy
And over done what did I do wrong
Hey Peggy, I don’t think you did anything wrong. We tested this recipe with black beans, pinto beans, and chickpeas. Cannellini beans should take the same amount of time, but it sounds like this may have been too long for the texture desired. I would reduce the natural release time in the future and do a quick release after about 10 minutes.
How much time should I cook dried baby Lima beans?
Hey Carol, From what I’ve read, 25 minutes high pressure with 10 minutes to allow the pot to naturally release.