Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans

I’m sharing today’s black bean recipe in anticipation of Cinco de Mayo, one of my favorite reasons to throw a party. I’ll take any excuse to have tacos, margaritas, chips, and guacamole. And, of course, no Mexican celebration is complete without black beans! This Instant Pot black beans recipe is super flavorful and easy to make. You can cook beans from dry in the pressure cooker in just 45 minutes, which is a total game changer. I use them instead of buying canned beans, which means they’re BPA-free, lower in sodium, and cheaper too!

Why Cook Black Beans in the Instant Pot?

• No soaking. Here’s the best thing about using the Instant Pot to make black beans. You don’t have to soak the beans beforehand! Just place the dry beans in your multicooker along with spices and liquid and they cook to creamy, tender perfection.
• Quick. Since there’s no soaking, these black beans are on the table in under an hour. Even better, it’s hands-free.
• Versatile. Instant Pot black beans are a crowd-pleasing side for any taco night or Cinco de Mayo party. They’re also great to add to tacos, black bean enchiladas, chili, taco bowls, nachos, and more.

What You’ll Need

While you can technically follow this recipe to cook black beans alone in the Instant Pot with water, I like to spice it up! Scroll to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe with exact measurements.

• Oil – I use grapeseed oil, but any cooking oil works.
• Yellow onion – Or white onion, diced.
• Garlic – Freshly minced. If you don’t have fresh garlic, substitute ½ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove.
• Fresh cilantro – There’s a good amount of cilantro in this recipe. If you aren’t a fan, you can leave it out.
• Bell pepper – I diced a red bell pepper, but you can use any color you’d like.
• Black beans – You’ll need dry, uncooked black beans for this recipe. You can use this Instant Pot method for another type of bean, too, like pinto beans.
• Spices – I season these beans with a blend of Mexican-style spices, including cumin, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt.
• Salsa verde – Choose your favorite jarred salsa verde from the store, or you can make the homemade salsa verde from my carne asada recipe.
• Lime – Fresh lime juice does wonders to brighten the flavors.

How Many Cups Are in 1 Pound of Dry Black Beans?

You’ll notice that the measurement I give for the dry black beans is in pounds. If you’re working with cups, here’s a quick conversion for you:

• 1 pound dried beans = 2 cups dried beans = 5 cups of cooked beans.
• 1 ½ cups cooked beans is the equivalent of 1 (15-ounce) can of beans. This tip is super handy if you want to use your Instant Pot Black Beans in recipes that call for canned beans!

How to Make Black Beans in the Instant Pot

Cooking black beans doesn’t get much easier, and they come out perfect every time!

1. Sauté the aromatics. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Heat the oil and add the onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic. After 30 seconds, add the cilantro and red pepper, and cook for another minute or two.
2. Add the beans. Stir in the dried black beans and spices and cook for a minute. Pour in the salsa verde and water.
3. Cook. Cancel the Sauté setting and set your Instant Pot to Pressure Cook mode. Seal the lid and cook the beans on High Pressure for 45 minutes. Note that the Instant Pot will take time to come to pressure before the actual cooking time starts. Afterward, naturally release the pressure.
4. Finish and serve. Before serving, squeeze fresh lime juice over the beans and season to taste. Enjoy!

Ways to Serve Black Beans

These Instant Pot black beans are a delicious side on their own, and you can use them in any recipes that call for canned black beans. Here are some of my favorite serving suggestions:

• As a side dish: Serve these black beans with cilantro lime rice and a main, like cilantro lime chicken or this one-pan Southwestern chicken and rice.
• Topping: Add black beans to these vegetable tacos or a quinoa bowl, sheet pan steak fajitas, or a steak burrito bowl.
• Soup and chili recipes: Use these black beans in turkey chili.
• Filling: I love these Southwestern stuffed sweet potatoes with black beans.
• Salads: Toss these black beans into a Mexican chopped salad.

How to Store Cooked Black Beans

• Refrigerate: Cooked black beans will last in the refrigerator for 3-5 days in an airtight container.
• Freeze: If you’d like to freeze your black beans for later use, allow the cooked black beans to cool completely. Transfer them to an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag, and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Cinco de Mayo Recipes

• Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Mexican Street Corn Dip
• Chicken Pozole Rojo
• Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
• Easy Homemade Salsa