Keep A Positive Mindset
When we surveyed our readers about their initial experience with the Instant Pot, many users had the advice to just have fun with the pressure cooker! Set aside any expectations, know the Instant Pot is an exceptionally safe kitchen device, and try something new. Even if it doesnt go according to plan, it should boost your confidence.
Over to you! Do you have any further questions about how to use the Instant Pot as a beginner? What foods or recipes do you plan to cook first? Anything else we can help you with? Leave your feedback and comment below!
How To Cook Any Kind Of Beans In An Instant Pot
If I only used my instant pot to cook dried beans, I would still consider the purchase 100% worth it.
For years, I used my slow cooker to cook dried beans. Then I got an Instant Pot, and now thats all I use.
Most of the time I use this super quick method to take beans from rock hard to soft and buttery in about an hour. But, sometimes I use my Instant Pots slow cooker setting to cook a pot of beans low and slow. It really just depends on the days schedule.
Either way, the hands on time to prepare a flavorful pot of beans is about 5 minutes, making this one of the easiest, most accessible recipes in my toolbox.
How To Soak Beans
Soaking is optional and we do not soak our beans, but if you want to soak them prior to cooking in the instant pot follow these steps.
Before prepping white beans, give the beans a rinse and remove any dirt or debris, if any. How much water you use to soak the beans will depend on the amount of beans youre using. If youre using 1 cup of Great Northern Beans, use 3 cups of water.
You need to cover the beans in water by at least 2 inches or 3 inches over the beans. If youre concerned to leave it without watching for hours like me I go for the 3 inches above
Soaking too long or in a warm area can cause the beans to ferment. If your home is warmer than usual, you should place the beans in the refrigerator to soak.
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Black Beans Instant Pot Water Ratio
I tested two different water ratios:
- 1 pound dried beans + 8 cups water: After 30 minutes of pressure and 20 minutes of natural release, my beans were perfectly cooked, BUT there was an excess of water in the Instant Pot that needed to be drained. I wouldnt have minded for just plain old black beans, but the excess water diluted the wonderful bonus Cuban flavors Id added. Plus, draining the beans was an extra step that I wanted to see if I could eliminate.
- 1 pound dried beans + 3 cups water: The winner! This ratio took 35 minutes of pressure cooking + 20 minutes of natural release, but no draining was required, as the beans absorbed nearly all the liquid. There was a bit of extra liquid in the Instant Pot, but I found that once I stirred the beans, I like having it there for serving, as it ensured the beans were not at all dry.
How Do I Know How Much Dried Beans To Cook For A Recipe
- First of all, let me start by saying that one pound of dried beans is equivalent to about 2 cups of measured dried beans. Therefore, if you don’t have a one-pound bag of dried beans, just measure out 2 cups of beans for this recipe.
- Dried beans will triple in quantity when cooked. So for 1 pound, or 2 cups, of dried beans, you will have 6 cups cooked beans.
- Most recipes call for 15 ounce cans of beans. This is about 2 cups COOKED beans.
- Therefore this recipe for dried beans makes 6 cups cooked beans or the equivalent to 3 cans of beans.
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What Is The Ratio Of Beans To Water
In the Instant Pot, the ratio of beans to water that I use most often is 4:1 . This works out to be 4 cups water for every 8 ounces of beans.
This allows for plenty of liquid, which turns into a flavorful broth as the beans cook.
You can use a little bit less water if you like. The amount of water doesnt have to be exact. A good rule of thumb is to make sure there is about 2 inches of water above the dried beans.
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Instant Pot Black Beans
We debuted our Instant Pot by making brown rice, so it was only natural that we try its perfect match: black beans!
Making homemade black beans is cost-effective and delicious, but it can be a little time consuming on the stovetop.
But with a little help from the Instant Pot, perfectly tender black beans are ready in under 1 hour with just 1 pot and 3 ingredients !
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Use Your Instant Pot To Soak Beans
If after reading Tip #1, youve decided to soak your beans, this section is very handy. The Instant Pot has a nifty Delay Start function that will save time .
If you select 8 hours, your beans will soak in the salted water for 8 hours. When that 8 hours is over, the Instant Pot will automatically start pressure cooking the beans.
I find this function to be incredibly useful. When I had an office job, I would set the timer before leaving for work in the morning. When I came home in the evening, a pot of freshly cooked beans greeted me. Alternatively, I set the timer before bed, and in the morning, I wake up to a pot of cooked beans.
Another caveat because I like to be really thorough. If beans really make you toot , this method may not be the best option. Thats because the beans will automatically start cooking in the water in which theyve soaked. And when beans are soaking, they release those oligosaccharides , which wont be drained out.
Health Benefits Of Beans
Beans have a variety of health benefits, including:
- Excellent source of plant-based protein: Beans are a great way to get protein, especially for vegans, vegetarians, and people looking for protein sources not from animals.
- Full of antioxidants: Antioxidants fight free radicals, which are chemicals that can cause various diseases.
- Good for heart health: Beans lower cholesterol, which can be a cause of heart disease.
- High in fiber: High fiber diets may help lower glucose levels in people with diabetes, as well creating a feeling of fullness and aiding in weight loss.
As always, if you’re following any diet for medical reasons, do check with your physician first.
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How To Power Soak Red Kidney Beans
Soaking beans can be a pain. If you happen to forget to leave them soaking the night before your meal, that can throw your whole day off. That delicious pot or chili or the red beans and rice may have to wait another day.
How frustrating!
Thanks to the Instant Pot this is not an issue anymore. Using this method, you can have your beans soaked and ready in under an hour.
- Save
The Beans Are Ready For Your Recipe
Remember, the beans are not fully cooked at this point but are really close. While this process is only meant to speed up the soak time for the beans it also greatly reduces the required cook time as well.
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They are ready to be added to another recipe and cooked according to that recipe.
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Rinse if necessary
If you are wanting to reduce the amount of sodium that is going into your dish, then place the cooked beans in a colander and give them a quick rinse.
- Save
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What If Your Instant Pot Doesnt Have The Chili Button
Dont worry. You dont have to miss out on making chili or bean dishes in your Instant Pot if it doesnt have a chili button. Most recipes use manual in the cooking instructions.
Check to see if the recipe includes any special instructions on time or ingredients to help you have a great finished dish.
Spicy Mexican Kidney Beans
A spicy version of Frijoles that requires absolutely no cooking! I soak the beans for the most even texture, but if you dont soak the beans, increase the cook time from 8 minutes to 30 minutes. And if you dont have kidney beans, feel free to substitute pinto beans and follow the instructions as written.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups
Vegan, Gluten-Free
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How To Cook Dried Beans In The Instant Pot
Do you know how to cook Instant Pot Beans? Beans can be tricky in the Instant Pot. Sometimes it seems like they come out hard and undercooked and sometimes they are cracked and overcooked. Learn how to get perfect beans every time this post. It doesnt matter if you cook soaked beans or un-soaked beans in the Instant Pot learn the tricks to get them both just right! While both ways are totally doable with these useful tips, we prefer no pre-soaking of the beans!
One of the things I love the most about my Instant Pot is the ability to cook un-soaked dried beans relatively quickly. My Instant Pot has transformed the way I cook dried beans. I never remember to soak beans the night before and the ability to simply omit that step is so lovely!
We eat a lot of beans here at SimplifyLiveLove. They are frugal and I always have them in my pantry. Our favorite types of beans to stock in the pantry are black or turtle beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans. I buy them in bulk and store them in 5 gallon buckets.
Keeping a stocked pantry helps me cook from scratch and having rice and dried beans on hands means we almost always have something to cook in a pinch. Curious what I always have on hand in my pantry to cook from scratch? Read this helpful post on pantry essentials and grab my free checklist so you can stock your pantry too!
Directions For Perfect Instant Pot Pinto Beans :
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Do You Have To Soak Dry Beans Before Cooking In An Instant Pot
Pour beans into the steel inner pot of pressure cooker and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. · now add everything else to the potthe beans, stock, taco seasoningand set . After 30 minutes of pressure and 20 minutes of natural release, my beans were perfectly cooked, but there . · lock the lid and set to high . Start with sautéing the onions in a bit of oil in the instant pot on sauté mode. · lock pressure cooker lid in place and set steam vent to . · add the water, onion, jalapeno, garlic, chili powder and salt. Rinse the beans and remove any stones or debris. Add the beans to the electric pressure cooker and cover with 6 cups of water. Do you have to soak dry beans before cooking in an instant pot? · place the beans and water into the instant pot. 1 pound dried beans + 8 cups water: So if you’re using 1 cup . · place lid on instant pot and close valve to seal.. Place beans, water, onion, and bay leaf if using in the inner pot of a pressure cooker.
Dried Beans Instant Pot : Pin on Favorite Recipes / Bring the water and beans to a boil using the electric pressure .· place the beans and water into the instant pot. Instructions · rinse the beans under cold running water in a colander. Place beans, water, onion, and bay leaf if using in the inner pot of a pressure cooker. After 30 minutes of pressure and 20 minutes of natural release, my beans were perfectly cooked, but there . Add the beans to the electric pressure cooker and cover with 6 cups of water.
Are Homemade Beans Better Than Canned Beans
Absolutely. Theres nothing wrong with having a canned bean backup in your pantry, but homemade beans definitely have the advantage. Heres why:
- Zero Waste No plastic container, bag, or aluminum can to recycle or throw into the trash.
- Lower Sodium Nothing in your beans but what you choose to add.
- Shelf Stable Dried beans stored in sealed containers will last a lot longer and without refrigeration or freezing.
- Cheaper Dry beans cost pennies per pound and are easily accessible.
- Better Taste & Texture You can flavor the beans with anything you fancy and cook them to your desired firmness.
- Easier to Digest Many people report having a much easier time eating beans that have been made at home compared to beans sitting in a can for months, if not over a year.
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Instant Pot White Beans
Learn how to cook white beans in the instant pot. We show you how to make Instant Pot White Beans step by step with video. Perfect for all your favorite white bean recipes.
If youre looking at how to cook beans fast, no soaking required, the instant pot is the best way to cook beans Make a batch now and then try them with our vegan white bean soup recipe!
The best part about this recipe is you can make these instant pot white beans no soak or make them using pre-soaked. No soaking will result
How Long Should I Cook The Beans In The Instant Pot
So this totally depends on the bean–both the type of bean, and the age of the bean.
You can mix and match beans in respect to cooking times. This makes it fun to experiment when you have some extra time on your hands.
However, I do have a rule of thumb that I follow throughout all of my recipes based on the type of beans that are required.
- 2-5 minute for Split legumes or smaller lentils such as split green peas, red lentils, black puy lentils, and urad dal, should cook for approximately 2-5 minutes.
- 10 minutes for softer split garbanzos. If you are wanting your split garbanzos, also known as chana dal, to mash up and spread throughout your dish, they can be cooked up to 10 minutes.
- 10 minutes for Small Beans such as navy beans, whole green mung beans, andblack-eyed peas, they only need to be cooked under pressure for 10 minutes
- 30-40 minutes for large whole beans such as kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans need to be cooked from anywhere between 30-40 minutes. I
- 30 minutes for Tender whole beans If the recipe is requesting tender but whole beans, 30 minutes should do the trick.
- 40-50 minutes for mushy whole beans. However, if you are wanting a creamy consistency, you will want to consider cooking them anywhere from 40 to 50 minutes.
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What Do We Do With Beans
Like I said, beans are a staple at my house and I almost always have a container of cooked beans in my fridge ready for some purpose. I add them to taco meat to stretch the meat, theyâre a staple in my kidsâ favorite taco soup, and we make a lot of pinto beans for bean burritos, nachos, and more. We also often have rice and bean bowls with guacamole and all the fixins. We also use dried beans in the best chili ever also made right in your instant pot!
Beans Pulses And Legumes
Did you know that there are three different types of lentils? There are beans, pulses and legumes and each of them have their own differences.
I grew up eating lentils and beans and when I came to this country, I was surprised to discover that people used the term lentils to ONLY refer to green lentils!
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How To Quick Soak Beans In The Instant Pot
Take your beans, in my case here, I am quick soaking one bag of red kidney beans, and add them to the pot with enough water to cover the beans by about an inch or so. Add a few teaspoons of salt. This helps soften the skins. You can omit the salt though if desired.
Next pressure cook on high pressure for five minutes and allow for a natural release. Drain off the liquid and your beans are ready for your recipe!
You do get some broken beans doing this, while soaking overnight can prevent that, but you are likely going to get broken beans when doing your recipe anyway. So in the end it matters little.
