The easiest and best way to cook dry beans. This simple method uses an electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot) to cook dry beans in under 90 minutes (no soaking required). Use any variety of beans. See the notes for cooking times for each bean type.
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
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 to determine the amount of water in the Instant Pot when cooking beans...
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.