You’re going to see a lot of bean recipes on this blog and here’s the funny thing about that: I hated beans growing up. And when I say I hated beans, I mean I HATED them. I can’t pinpoint the one dish, nor do I believe there was just one dish that made me a bean lover, but I do know when the turning point happened.
In 2008, I had an amazing opportunity to go to Costa Rica and learn about sea turtle conservation. As I was preparing to go, as I was buying bug spray and hiking sandals, I realized I had a problem. Costa Rican’s love rice and beans. It is such an important part of their culture that I knew that it would be a part of many or all of our meals. The last thing I wanted was to appear ungrateful and not eat something served to me, so it was time to learn to at least tolerate beans.
Did I learn to love them on that trip? No, but after hiking in a rainforest, I had to admit that a bowl of rice and beans was actually pretty comforting (though, admittedly, my bowl was far more rice than bean).
And so began my journey from bean hater to bean lover.
I now eat beans daily, and I love cooking my own beans. Not that I have anything against canned beans (I use them weekly), but the flavor of home cooked beans is so much better. Plus they’re cheaper and it feels more environmentally friendly too (no cans to recycle).
Of course, cooking beans takes time, and it was something I used to only occasionally have time to do on the weekend. The Instant Pot, however, is a game changer. They cook so quickly that now I can cook dried beans anytime during the week.
Before I get into my method, a few things to note:
To Soak or Not To Soak
There’s a lot of debate on whether or not you should soak beans. A lot of people say soaking beans diminishes their flavor, but I almost always soak mine at least a few hours or overnight, if I remember. Why? Because for me, they’re easier to digest. Sometimes I forget to soak them or decide to make them at the last minute, and that’s fine – I can handle it every so often. But if I’m cooking beans weekly, I try to remember to soak them. Experiment and see what works for you. Be advised that non-soaked beans take longer to cook.
When to Salt
I love creamy beans, and Mark Bittman says that if you want creamier beans, salt them toward the end of cooking. This is how I used to do my beans on the stove, but it’s not so easy in the Instant Pot, since you can’t just add the salt part way through without releasing the pressure. At first I tried waiting and salting the beans when they were done, but they lacked flavor every time. So now I salt at the beginning, and I can still get the creamy beans that I want in the Instant Pot.
Cooking Time
The time I list in this recipe produces very broken down, creamy beans. Decrease the time if you want intact beans for a salad. Also, older beans take longer to cook, so be aware that there may be some variation. I do adjust the time depending on whether I soaked the beans, as I describe below.
My Method:
Rinse one pound of black beans and check for stones (don’t skip this step. I have found stones). If you’re soaking your beans first, place them in a large bowl, cover them with water (they will expand, so make sure the water is a couple inches above the beans). Let them sit uncovered at room temperature. Drain before using. If you’re not soaking, continue to the next step.
Add the beans to the Instant Pot with 3 or 4 smashed garlic cloves and two pinches of salt. Add 4 ½ to 5 cups of water (make sure they’re covered by at least an inch of water). Cover and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook.
If you soaked your beans overnight, set the timer to 20 minutes. Do a quick release when done.
If you soaked your beans for a few hours (what I usually do), set the timer to 22 minutes. Do a quick release (but let’s be real: I’m often doing many other things and let them sit 5 or 10 minutes before releasing the pressure and they are fine).
Once the pressure has been released, check the beans to make sure they are done. Also taste and add more salt, if needed. They are delicious straight out of the Instant Pot (one of my boys loves them this way). Serve with rice, on tacos, in enchiladas, burritos, and so on. The possibilities are endless.
To Thicken the Beans: I love thickening the bean water to make almost soup-like beans. Here’s how I do it: Heat a little olive oil in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add grated garlic (one or two cloves). Sauté for 30 seconds. Scoop out about two cups of beans, plus the cooking water (don’t drain!) and add the beans/water to the saucepan. Turn the heat up and simmer until slightly thickened. Garnish with lime and cilantro.
Leftovers: Yes, a pound of beans may seem like a lot of beans, but trust me: cook the entire pound. Always store leftovers in your fridge with the cooking liquid. This prevents them from drying out. Plus that bean water has a ton of flavor. Beans also freeze very well. I like to freeze them in mason jars or small freezer containers. Once again, don’t drain that cooking liquid before freezing!
