Hearty, Smoky Instant Pot Pinto Beans are an easy, versatile dish that you'll come back to again and again. The best part: you only need five ingredients to make them (not counting salt and water).
Making Pinto Beans in the Instant Pot Without Soaking
One of the joys of using a pressure cooker, like the Instant Pot, is its speed, and that speed really shines in the beans department. Unlike on the stovetop, where unsoaked beans take hours to simmer, Instant Pot Pinto Beans only cook for about half an hour.
No, for real. These beans are that easy, because pressure cookers are made of magic. Or science. One of those!
To make these pinto beans start with a quick saute, then add your ingredients. Cook at pressure for 35 minutes, salt to taste, and you're done.
The result is a pot of beans that's:
- smoky
- savory
- melt-in-your-mouth
- creamy
What I love most about this recipe, besides its ease, is its versatility. There are so many ways to serve up these flavorful beans!
Why Cooking Times Can Vary
Any time that you cook dried beans, cooking time varies depending on the age of your beans and how you stored them.
Older dried beans take longer to get tender, because they can lose moisture as they sit in the pantry. If you don't use an airtight container, they may take longer, as well, because they lose more moisture that way.
Just keep adding a couple of minutes at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If the pot starts to look dry, add ¼ cup of water before sealing and cooking again.
How to Serve Instant Pot Pinto Beans
You can use these pintos anywhere you'd use seasoned pinto beans. Here are a few ideas to get you going:
- Dish them into a bowl with the broth, soup-style with a scoop of guacamole on top.
- Use them in place of black beans for some super easy vegan tostadas.
- Serve them in tacos with crispy avocado.
- Dish them up over rice or quinoa with your favorite veggies for a quick burrito bowl.
- Spoon them onto vegan nachos.
How to Store Them
If you do have leftover pinto beans, there are two storage options: fridge or freezer.
- Keep your beans in the refrigerator in a sealed container for around three days. They taste even better the next day, so this is a great make-ahead dish!
- Store them in the freezer. Transfer your cooled beans to an airtight container, and store in the freezer for up to three months. They'll still be good beyond that, but after three months, the flavor won't be as good as the day you made them.
Vegan Instant Pot Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic - or more, if you like things more garlicky
- 2 cups dry pinto beans - picked over and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon sea salt - or more or less, to taste
Instructions
- Use your Instant Pot's saute function to heat the oil, then add the onion and garlic. Saute for a few minutes, until the onion turns translucent. Press Cancel on your pot.
- Add the beans, paprika, and water. Stir, then lock the lid. Cook at high pressure for 25 minutes, and do a 10-minute natural release. After 10 minutes, quick release the remaining pressure, and taste one of the beans. If they're not at your desired softness, replace the lid and cook for another 5 minutes, quick release, and taste again.
- Once the beans are at your desired texture, add the salt to the pot, give it a good stir, and serve.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- adapted from NYT Cooking
- Cooking time varies depending on the age of your beans. Older dried beans take longer to get tender. Just keep adding a couple of minutes at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Anonymous
it was really tasty! I added 2 tbs of Cumin and a jalepeno from my garden to spice it up, as well as a few chopped potatoes and it was delicious!
Becky Striepe
Oh wow! Sounds like you turned it into a one-pot meal!
Sara
These beans were so good! Ended up simply adding them to a bowl of brown rice and broccoli. So filling!
Becky Striepe
Ooh that sounds like a delightful dinner!
wall flower
Must you add oil? I'm on the forks over knives diet and it oil is not to be used.
Becky Striepe
You can water- or broth-fry, if needed.
New Vegan GA
Bland in flavor but quick and easy.
Becky Striepe
Oh weird! Did you use fresh spices? Spices and even liquid smoke can lose flavor, if they sit in the pantry. These beans are definitely not bland.
Cadry
Oh, I love the simplicity of this recipe! It's been way too long since I've made beans from scratch. And you've really cut down the cooking time here, thanks to the Instant Pot!
Dianne
Dried beans are always so much better than canned, and I love how you've made them so easy to prepare! Yum!