Make a big batch of flavorful beans in your Instant Pot to eat as they are or enjoy in other Mexican-inspired dishes, like our Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas with Cilantro-Orange Crema and Vegan Bean Gorditas. These tasty legumes feature a balanced spice blend of cumin, oregano, paprika, and chipotle chiles in adobo sauce for a satisfying, smoky profile that pairs perfectly with vegan sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro. Some other tantalizing topping ideas: shredded purple cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, chopped scallions, diced avocado, pepitas, and/or roasted corn. Think of these Instant Pot beans as a blank canvas, and the garnishes as your paint!

By Shelli McConnell,

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. dried small red and/or pinto beans (2 cups)
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 8 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
  • 1½ teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • Rinse beans; drain. Sort out any shriveled beans or pebbles. In a 6-quart Instant Pot multicooker combine beans, the next seven ingredients (through bay leaf), and 6 cups water.
  • Lock lid in place; set pressure valve to Sealing. Set cooker on Bean setting and cook 35 minutes. Let stand to release pressure naturally (about 20 minutes). Carefully release any remaining pressure. Open lid carefully. Stir in salt. Use beans in recipes as directed.
  • To store, cool beans completely. Transfer beans with any liquid to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Comments (7)

(5 from 3 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Becky E

We made these tonight in an Instant Pot and they were more like a soup-watery. They tasted great. Next time we'll use les water. we served it with Rice and oil free biscuits.

Bett

I think your cooking time is a bit long. I do small red beans at 24 minutes unsoaked, and Pintos about the same. If I did them for 30 minutes they'd be mush. Of course this will differ with age of beans, water hardness and altitude, but I recommend trying them with a shorter time and adding a few minutes if they're not entirely done after the bean cycle and a good 15-20 minutes to let the pressure come down naturally. The worst that can happen is that it takes a bit longer, and you only need to do it the first time if you will be using beans from the same source in future. With new brands or sources of beans I'd revert to this procedure. Fresh beans less than two years old take less time to cook. However not all beans are less than two years old.

Nancy W

What are the cooking time & temperature if beans are cooked in a: 1) CROCKPOT/slow cooker or 2) On the stovetop, please??

Nancy W

What's the cooking time & temperature if beans are cooked in a crackpot/slow cooker or on the stovetop, please??

Keri

Delicious and versatile. I don't have an Instapot so I used a crock pot and just increased the cooking time. Beans freeze well, so I made 2 pounds and froze in individual portions to add to rice or grits or salads. Really good with grits and fresh tomato!

DEBI DE JAGER

I dont have an insta pot or pressurr cooker?

Sara Owen

The Instant Pot can be replaced by a good (and cheap) crockpot with a high, low, and warm setting. There's no need for this aggressively marketed product. It seems they have reached this web site and organization with their ridiculous and aggressive marketing that has convinced many people that this is a necessary tool. It is not. I am a trained chef and had to discard almost everything in my kitchen because of massive hurricane damage. I am doing just fine with the small kitchen appliances I have, and crockpots and an electric wok are the workhorses in my house. You don't need an Instant Pot for this.

About the Author

Headshot of Shelli McConnell

About the Author

Shelli McConnell

Shelli McConnell graduated with a bachelor of science in consumer food science and a minor in journalism from Iowa State University. She began her career as a home economist in the Better Homes & Gardens test kitchen before moving into an editorial position within DotDash Meredith. She has since freelanced for 25 years and has served as an editorial project manager for many books and magazines, including three editions of the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book. She has also developed thousands of recipes for publications including Forks Over Knives magazine; Eat This, Not That!; Diabetic Living; Better Homes & Gardens; The Magnolia Journal; and more. McConnell loves to entertain and inspire, so when she’s not in her office, she’s usually in her kitchen. Find her on LinkedIn.
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