When I got my first Instant Pot, I immediately wanted to try making Instant Pot beans from scratch! Not only did my black beans turn out delicious, but it only took around a half hour to make them, with no pre-soaking required! This is sure to become one of your favorite Instant Pot recipes!
Jillee’s Take:
I should also note that this information (and much, much more!) can also be found in my e-book Everything Instant Pot! It’s a great resource for Instant Pot users of every skill level. You can buy it in my shop, or get it for free as an OGT Plus member!
Should I Pre-Soak My Beans?
Soaking beans before cooking them does help them cook a bit faster, but I find it unnecessary when pressure cooking them. The process is already much faster than traditional cooking methods, so I don’t really feel the need to speed the process up further.
Some folks like to soak beans before cooking because they believe it makes them easier to digest and mitigates their gas-inducing effects. If you prefer to soak your beans before pressure cooking them, use the adjusted cooking times for pre-soaked beans near the end of this post.
How To Cook Beans In An Instant Pot
Start by putting your desired amount of beans (or legumes) into the inner pot. Then add enough cooking liquid to cover them by about an inch. (You can always cook them in plain water, but I like to use broth or stock. It’s an easy way to add more flavor to your finished beans!)
Add any spices or aromatic ingredients you want to use to the pot, like minced garlic, diced onions, or dry herbs. Seal the lid and cook on High pressure for the time recommended in the tables below. (Note that if you are cooking a lot of beans, it may take a while for the pot to pressurize, but that’s normal!)
When the timer goes off, allow 10 minutes of Natural Release, then use the Quick Release handle to release the remaining pressure. You’ll have perfectly cooked beans or legumes that are ready to use however you see fit! :-)
Cooking Times For Instant Pot Beans
Below you’ll find two tables with cook times for making beans in your Instant Pot. Use the first table if you’ll be cooking dry beans, and refer to the second table if you’ll be cooking pre-soaked beans.
| Cook Times For Dry Beans & Legumes | |
|---|---|
| Black beans | 25 minutes |
| Chickpeas | 40 minutes |
| Great Northern beans | 25 minutes |
| Kidney beans (red) | 25 minutes |
| Kidney beans (white) | 35 minutes |
| Lentils (green or brown) | 10 minutes |
| Lentils (red, split) | 6 minutes |
| Lentils (yellow, split) | 20 minutes |
| Navy beans | 25 minutes |
| Pinto beans | 25 minutes |
| Peas | 8 minutes |
| Cook Times For Pre-Soaked Beans | |
|---|---|
| Black beans | 8 minutes |
| Chickpeas | 15 minutes |
| Great Northern beans | 8 minutes |
| Kidney beans (red) | 8 minutes |
| Kidney beans (white) | 12 minutes |
| Navy beans | 8 minutes |
| Pinto beans | 8 minutes |
3 Bonus Tips For Instant Pot Beans
1. Don’t Overfill The Pot
When cooking beans, avoid filling your pot more than halfway. Not only do they expand in size as they cook, but they also produce foam. Too much foam can cause it to shoot out of the release valve when you depressurize the pot, so avoid overfilling if you don’t want a big, foamy mess to clean up!
2. Don’t Quick Release Immediately
Due to the foaming issue I just mentioned, it’s not a good idea to use the Quick Release handle immediately after cooking. I recommend allowing 10 minutes of Natural Release before using Quick Release to give the foam time to subside.
3. Freeze Some For Later
It’s easy to use Instant Pot beans in place of canned beans! Just measure out 15-ounce portions of cooked beans into paper or plastic cups and freeze until solid. Peel away the cups, transfer the frozen beans to freezer bags, and use your perfect portions of beans in your favorite recipes!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Cook Dry Beans In An Instant Pot?
To cook dry beans in an Instant Pot, rinse them thoroughly before putting them in the pot with enough water to cover them. Seal the lid and cook on High pressure for the recommended time (see tables above). After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quickly release the remaining pressure.
Should I Soak Beans Before Cooking Them In An Instant Pot?
Soaking dry beans before pressure cooking them is optional, but you certainly can do it if you want! Just cover the beans with water and let them sit overnight, then rinse well before cooking.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Instant Pot Pinto Beans?
To make Instant Pot pinto beans, you typically need to cook them on high pressure for around 25 minutes (plus or minus a minute or two, depending on how firm you want them to be).
More Ideas You'll Love
What’s The Right Ratio Of Beans To Water In An Instant Pot?
I just eyeball it — after adding my rinsed beans to the Instant Pot, I add enough water (or other liquid) to cover them by about one inch.
Can I Make Refried Beans In An Instant Pot?
Sure! Cook your pinto beans in the Instant Pot as directed above, then drain them while reserving two cups of the cooking liquid and half of cup of the beans. Use an immersion blender to puree the remaining beans in the pot, adding the cooking liquid as needed until they reach your desired consistency. Lastly, stir in the reserved beans.
What’s your favorite way to eat beans?
This has been such a $ saver for our family. I just got a 2 lb bag of dried beans for the same price as 2 cans of cooked beans. one pound of beans = 4 cans. The way prices are creeping up (and in some cases soaring), thank you Jillee for helping us all.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee,
Thank you so much for the times for the Pre-soak. I have IBS and I have to soak mine with a tablespoon of Baking Soda. that is what takes the gas out of the bean. But My question is what is the time for Pre Soaked White Lima bean and Black-eyed peas? We ( my son and I ) have been eating those two for a long time.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I would greatly appreciate the times for these in the instant pot. Also, does the time change for an instant pot mini duo?
Hi Sheri, I soak any beans (doesn’t matter what kind) a minimum of 8 hours. Or just let them soak overnight. Cover the beans with about 2-3 inches of cool water and let them soak at room temperature. If it is warm in the kitchen, then you can put them in the fridge.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee,
How long would I cook the white lima beans and Black-eyed peas in my mini Instant pot duo? I noticed that you have different times on your pre-soak times. Many thanks!
Cook lima beans for 14 minutes, or 10 minutes if they’ve been soaked. Cook black-eyed peas 16 minutes, or 6 minutes if they’ve been soaked. :-)
Thank-you so much!!!1
I’m from Tennessee, where we make pots of Soup Beans (pinto beans), made with chunks of side meat (pork). I would assume you would just add it with the beans? Would you need to cut the pork into small cubes?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I would cut the pork into cubes, and then add a little oil the Instant Pot and press the sauté button. When the Instant Pot is hot, add the meat and brown it for a few minutes, or until browned. Then add the beans and cooking liquid and cook normally. Browning the meat will add a lot of flavor! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’d like to recommend rinsing and examining the beans prior to adding to your pot. Sometimes there are bits of pebbles, dirt or debris in the bags.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does anyone know if these times will work at high altitude?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.They absolutely will! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Your IP, like all pressure cookers, tries to maintain a pressure differential between the inside and outside of the pot. So, as the elevation increases (and outside pressure decreases), the inside pressure also decreases. And, with that pressure decrease, the temperature also decreases. Lower temperature = increased cooking time. Cooking time should increase by about 5% for each 1000 feet above 3000 feet. Thus, if you live at 10,000 feet (and few of us do), increase cooking time by 40%. https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/pressure-cooker-high-altitude-cooking-time/
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, I am at 6,000+ ft and I have to add additional time to everything in my IP. Thanks for the actual math!
Great post!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ever tried adding a tablespoon of oil to the beans before cooking them? I figure they may be about the same as rice. With rice the directions says to add oil to help with the foaming. Wouldnt that work for beans too?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It definitely won’t hurt!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Take a screen shot and save as a pdf. I just did 2 separate ones: one for dried one, and one for soaked.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee, is there a printable chart with these times on it? We LOVE beans and this would be quite helpful to tack inside a cabinet!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Theresa! I would definitely suggest purchasing my Everything Instant Pot eBook – there’s a link to it in the third paragraph of this post. :-) The eBook has everything you need to know about an Instant Pot, including a page all about beans that you could print out.
If you’re looking for something free, then try the printable here: https://jillee.co/2LNWOoM It has cooking times for all sorts of foods, not just beans!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was just told to add herbs and spices at the end of cooking. If added at the beginning, they would lose their flavor. Can you explain this? Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.With the quick cook time, I don’t think this would be necessary. Even on the stovetop I add mine at the beginning so the flavors incorporate throughout. Parsley might be an exception.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you were making a soup, for example, and added parsley at the beginning of the process – your soup may end up with a subtle flavor of parsley throughout the soup. If, however, you added the parsley right at the end – your soup would have little specks of fresh flavor from the parsley. So I wouldn’t say that they “lose” they flavor, it’s just that the flavor gets dispersed throughout the dish, making it a more subtle flavor that’s harder to notice. :-)
While this is a general rule-of-thumb for more delicate herbs like parsley and cilantro, I would never add hearty spices like red pepper flakes or nutmeg at the end of cooking – they actually need to be cooked and have their flavor disperse throughout the dish.
When it comes down to it, it’s really up to you! Add a little at the beginning and a little at the end, and adjust from there :-)
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