By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 3, 2026
Serves 4
120 min
Instant Pot Beans
Recipe GLPRe1332886895243
Perfectly cooked beans prepared quickly in an Instant Pot with minimal ingredients. This straightforward method yields tender, creamy beans ideal for meal prep, side dishes, or as a foundation for countless recipes. Choose black beans or white kidney beans based on your preference.
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Ingredients
1 cup dried black beans or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
6 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Rinse the dried beans thoroughly under cold running water and pick through them to remove any debris, discolored beans, or small stones.
Pour the 6 cups of water into your Instant Pot, then add the cleaned beans.
Stir in the kosher salt, distributing it evenly throughout the water.
Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes for black beans or 30 minutes for white kidney beans.
Once cooking is complete, allow natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then release any remaining pressure by carefully moving the valve to venting.
Open the lid and test a few beans—they should be tender and easily mashed between your fingers. If they need more time, close the lid and cook for another 5 minutes on high pressure.
Drain excess liquid if desired, reserving some of the cooking liquid (which contains nutrients and adds creaminess). Serve warm or use in recipes as directed.
Comments
Dried beans are stocked at every Charlotte grocer—Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, ALDI, Walmart all carry them for under $2 per pound, making this under 50 cents per serving. The Instant Pot method eliminates overnight soaking, but the stated 120 minutes is honest only if you count from cold water; actual hands-on time is five minutes. The recipe reheats perfectly for leftovers, feeds a family well, and requires zero attention once the lid closes. Only minor drawback: the result depends heavily on bean variety and age, so older beans can push well past 120 minutes, making timing less predictable for a weeknight.
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