Instant Pot Black Beans (5-Ingredient, Vegan)

The Instant Pot is my go-to appliance when it comes to beans. Not only does it take much less time, but it’s also extremely hands-off, and it doesn’t require pre-soaking the beans either! Moreover, Instant Pot black beans taste more fragrant than the stove-top version.

Today I want to introduce an easy Instant Pot black bean recipe that uses Asian herbs to create very flavorful beans that are delicious by themselves or alongside other dishes. 

Compared to many other Instant Pot recipes out there, this recipe uses less liquid to create a great balance and a richer result. Instead of creating a pot of blended beans with salty soup, this recipe yields well-seasoned beans with just enough liquid to serve with.

Ingredients

• Fresh herbs are key. This recipe uses fresh green onion and ginger to impart a vibrant aroma to the beans.
• Shaoxing wine adds another layer of flavor. If you do not want to use alcohol in the dish, replace it with soy sauce or skip it all together.
• Use vegetable broth instead of water. At the end of the cooking, most of the broth will be absorbed by the beans, creating a more delicious result.

Other seasoning options:

• Sometimes I add 1 teaspoon of cumin powder to the broth to boost its taste.
• If you prefer spicy beans, add 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of cayenne powder to the broth.

Soaking vs. no-soaking

The biggest merit of the Instant Pot black beans is, they don’t require soaking. So why am I talking about soaking beans? Here are the reasons:

1. Pre-soaked beans cook more evenly and preserve their shape better when cooked. On the other hand, beans that haven’t been soaked tend to fall apart during cooking. 
2. Some scientific research suggests that soaking beans will reduce gas-producing substances. In plain-speak, you’ll be less likely to fart if you eat pre-soaked beans.

How to decide whether or not soak the beans before cooking:

1. If you like your black beans a bit chewy and with a perfect appearance, do soak the beans.
2. If you have digestive issues and eating beans causes gas, soaking the beans will ease that problem.

Cooking method

• Rinse the beans to remove any dust or dirt, then drain them.
• Saute the aromatics in the Instant Pot to release their fragrance.
• Add liquid, beans, and salt.
• Set up the Instant Pot and let it cook.

That’s it! You’ll need about 5 minutes of active cooking, then the rest of the recipe is hands-free.

How to serve

These Instant Pot black beans are very flavorful by themselves, but here are some great ways to serve them and create a quick, hearty, and healthy meal:

• Make a hearty and protein-packed breakfast by serving these black beans with scrambled eggs, sliced tomato, sliced avocado, and hot sauce.
• Serve the Instant Pot black beans over steamed rice. You can add a sunny-side-up egg and some salsa on the side, to create a light lunch (I ate it as soon as I cooked these beans!). 

Add these beans over rice and braised meat (such as pulled pork) or rotisserie chicken to make a more substantial meal. Consider adding homemade chili oil for an extra flavor boost!

More delicious Instant Pot recipes

• Instant Pot Chinese Sausage Rice 
• Instant Pot Pork Ribs (Chinese-Style)
• Instant Pot Oxtail Soup
• Asian-Style Instant Pot Pulled Pork
• Instant Pot Eggs (Perfect Hard-Boiled & Soft-Boiled Eggs)
• Asian Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.

Instant Pot Black Beans

By Maggie Zhu

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Add & Release Pressure Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

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A super easy recipe that creates buttery black beans with a rich flavor. Both no-soak and pre-soaked methods are included. Serve them with rice, you’ll have a meal ready in no time! {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable}

To make this dish gluten-free, use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine.

Ingredients 

• 1 lbs (450 g) dried black beans (about 2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 green onions , sliced and separated
• 2 " (2.5 cm) ginger , minced
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 cup vegetable broth

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Instructions

• (Optional) Add the dried black beans into a big bowl and water to cover them by 2” (5 cm). Soak overnight, or at least 6 hours.
• Rinse the black beans a few times and drain them.
• Set the Instant Pot to “Saute”. Once it shows “hot”, add the oil, green onion, and ginger. Saute until fragrant and starting to brown, about 2 minutes.
• Add the Shaoxing wine and deglaze the pan by scraping off any brown bits with a wooden spatula. Turn off the “Saute” function. Add the beans and the salt and stir to combine. Pour in the vegetable stock.
• Put the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the valve is set to “Lock”. Set the pressure on “high” and set the timer for 15 to 20 minutes for soaked beans, or 35 to 40 minutes for dried beans. Use less time if you want the beans to be intact and a bit chewy or use more time if you want the beans to become super soft and create a stewy texture.
• Once done cooking, let rest for at least 15 minutes to release the pressure naturally. Then you can use the quick release by pressing the quick release button or using a spatula to move the valve to “unlock”.
• Now the beans are ready to eat. You can store them in a sealed container in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for 2 months.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 233kcal, Carbohydrates: 37.7g, Protein: 14.6g, Fat: 3.2g, Sodium: 645mg, Potassium: 961mg, Fiber: 8.9g, Sugar: 2.2g, Calcium: 80mg, Iron: 3mg

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Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.