Instant Pot Black Beans
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Black beans are an easy and affordable way to include more protein and fiber in your diet. Though canned varieties are convenient, cooking dry beans is also pretty easy. In today’s post, I’ll share the health benefits of black beans, reasons for soaking or not soaking dry black beans, my recipe for cooking them in an Instant Pot, and how I like to eat black beans.
Nutrition
According to the USDA, 1 cup of cooked black beans contains:
227 calories
1 gram of fat
41 grams of carbohydrate
15 grams of fiber
15 grams of protein
Health benefits
Like all legumes, black beans boast many health benefits. The high fiber content of black beans helps to lower the risk of heart disease and improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes. Eating high fiber foods like black beans can help improve constipation by keeping the digestive tract moving. A high fiber diet can also help with weight loss because fiber is filling so we may eat less.
Black beans contain antioxidants which can protect cells in the body and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases and certain types of cancer. Antioxidants that can be found in black beans include vitamins A and C, calcium, folate, magnesium, iron, and potassium. Black beans are an excellent plant-based source of iron, so be sure to include them and other legumes regularly if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Should I soak dry beans?
I get this question a lot. I personally like to soak my beans but it’s not necessary, especially if you are using an Instant Pot. Beans that are not soaked will take longer to cook so you’ll have to play around with the timing. Soaked black beans only need 10 minutes to cook in the Instant Pot, while beans that haven’t been soaked may need 30 minutes or more.
Another reason I like to soak my beans first is to make them easier to digest. The reason for this is that soaking the beans helps to remove some of the sugars from the beans that cause gas. By soaking the beans and discarding the water, you’ll reduce the likelihood of beans making you gassy.
Instant Pot Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried black beans
- 2 cups water or broth
Instructions
- First, soak your black beans. Place the black beans in a bowl and cover them completely with water. Leave them on the counter for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Once you've soaked the black beans, drain and rinse them.
- Place the black beans in the Instant Pot and cover with 2 cups of water or broth. Add salt or any seasonings that you'd like at this point and stir to combine.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn to "sealing".
- Cook on "manual" mode for 10 minutes.
- Once finished cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then turn the valve to release the rest of the pressure.
- Serve right away or store in the fridge or freezer.
Serving black beans
Black beans are an easy addition to many meals. Some of my favorite ways to serve them are:
You can used canned or dry black beans for any of the recipes listed above. You can also use pretty much any bean in place of black beans or replace another bean listed in a recipe with black beans. For reference, a heaping 1/2 cup of dry beans is the equivalent to a 15-oz can of beans. Two cups of dry beans will result in about 6 cups of cooked beans.
Including more black beans in your diet is good for heart health, blood sugar control, digestion, and weight loss. Soaking black beans is not necessary but it does reduce the cooking time and make the beans easier for your body to digest. Though cooking dry beans may seem intimidating, it’s actually very easy. Next time you’re cooking a meal that includes black beans, try using dry beans and see for yourself how easy it is!
