Instant Pot Black Beans

Total Time

Prep: 5 min. Cook: 30 min. + releasing

Makes

20 servings

Updated: Jun. 27, 2023
Instant Pot black beans are the key to a lot of my family's meals, whether for a weekend breakfast or for taco salads and burritos throughout the week. For years, I've tried to find a homemade recipe as creamy and tasty as Mexican restaurant beans. This is that recipe. —Helen Nelander, Boulder Creek, California
Instant Pot Black Beans Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds dried black beans (about 4-1/2 cups)
  • 4 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1/2 cup lard
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • Optional: Queso fresco and cilantro

Directions

  1. Rinse and sort beans. Transfer to a 6-qt. electric pressure cooker. Add 2 teaspoons salt and 7 cups water. Lock lid; close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 2 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 20 minutes and then quick-release any remaining pressure.
  2. Drain beans; discard liquid. Return beans to pressure cooker. Add remaining 2 teaspoons salt, 5 cups water, lard, cumin and garlic powder. Lock lid; close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 25 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes and then quick-release any remaining pressure; do not drain.
  3. If desired, mash or puree beans in broth and sprinkle with queso fresco and cilantro.

Test Kitchen tips
  • Once the beans have chilled in the refrigerator, stir them and divide into 1-cup portions to freeze for convenient reheating in the microwave.
  • Lard makes the tastiest beans, but vegetable shortening also works well. Just don't omit the fat entirely, as it changes the texture of the beans.
  • Nutrition Facts

    1/2 cup: 203 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 5mg cholesterol, 475mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 7g fiber), 10g protein.