This post shows how to cook pinto beans in a pressure cooker. In 15 minutes, you can have rich, tender, creamy, ready-to-enjoy beans all soupy in a nutritious cooking broth. Pressure cookers reduce cooking time and fuel energy–for cooking beans, they’re awesome tools!.
When cooked from scratch, dried beans have the best taste and texture. It’s also very quick to cook beans in an Instant Pot or on the stove.
There’s more than one way to go about pressure cooking beans from scratch, some faster than others. Wash the beans, put them in the pot, and cover them with water. You can cook them that way, or you can soak the beans first. After cooking, you can either turn off the heat and let the pressure drop on its own, or you can “quick-release” the pressure.
No matter how you cook your beans, make sure you allow 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your pressure cooker, for the pressure to build up and the cooking to begin.
Taking into account the time it takes to reach pressure, you can have soft pinto beans in about 15 minutes. That’s with soaked beans and pressure naturally released. Unsoaked dried beans, the pressure quick-released, yield tender pinto beans in about 35 minutes.
The deep-down with pressure cooking beans is you save time and you get superior quality beans. Dried beans—keep them in your pantry. And give your pressure cooker a big hug!.
Pinto beans are a versatile legume that can be used in many dishes like burritos, tacos, soups, dips, and more. Their mild flavor takes well to spices and seasonings. While dried pinto beans require lengthy cooking times of up to 2 hours on the stovetop or in a slow cooker, using a pressure cooker cuts the cooking time down significantly. With a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot, you can have perfectly cooked pinto beans in around 30-40 minutes.
How A Pressure Cooker Works
A pressure cooker is a specially designed pot with a locking lid that allows the internal pressure to rise above atmospheric pressure as steam builds up inside. This higher pressure causes the boiling point of water to rise, resulting in higher cooking temperatures. The increased temperature cooks food much faster than conventional boiling. The Instant Pot is one of the most popular electric pressure cookers on the market.
When using a stovetop pressure cooker, once the cooker reaches high pressure, the heat is lowered to maintain the pressure without letting it get too high. For electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot, you simply select the cooking time and it automatically regulates the temperature to reach and maintain the correct pressure
Benefits Of Cooking Beans In A Pressure Cooker
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Quicker cooking times – Beans cooked in a pressure cooker are ready in a fraction of the time of other cooking methods.
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Better texture – The high heat helps break down the beans evenly resulting in tender beans without blown-out skins.
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Intensified flavor – The pressurized environment infuses more flavor into the beans.
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Nutrient retention – Shorter cook times help retain more nutrients compared to stove cooking.
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Energy efficiency – Pressure cookers require less time and energy than slow simmering.
How Long To Cook Pinto Beans In A Pressure Cooker
The cooking time can vary based on a few factors:
Soaked vs Unsoaked
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Soaked pinto beans – Soaking the beans before cooking helps reduce cooking time. Soak beans 6-8 hours or overnight in water. Discard soaking water and rinse beans. Soaked beans take around 15-20 minutes at high pressure.
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Unsoaked (dry) pinto beans – Dry beans will take 25-40 minutes at high pressure since they need time to fully hydrate. Use a minimum 3:1 water to bean ratio.
Release Method
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Natural pressure release – Allowing the pressure to come down naturally keeps cooking the beans. NPR adds 5-10 minutes to the cooking time.
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Quick release – Releasing the pressure quickly by turning the valve stops the cooking process. QR yields slightly firmer beans.
Elevation
- At higher elevations above 2000 feet, the lower atmospheric pressure lengthens cooking time. Add 5 minutes for every additional 2000 feet.
Pressure Cooker Capacity
- Cook time remains the same for most pressure cooker sizes when cooking 1-2 pounds of beans. Larger quantities may need slightly longer.
Bean Freshness
- Older, drier beans require longer cooking than fresher beans. Buy beans from stores with good turnover.
Step-By-Step Instructions For Cooking Pinto Beans In A Pressure Cooker
Follow these simple steps for perfectly cooked pinto beans every time:
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Rinse and sort the beans – Rinse 1-2 pounds dried pinto beans in a colander. Pick through and remove any stones, debris, or shriveled beans.
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Soak (optional) – For soaking, place beans in a large bowl and cover with water by 2-3 inches. Soak for 6-8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse beans.
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Add beans and water to pot – For soaked beans, add rinsed beans and fresh water to cover by 1 inch. For unsoaked beans, use a 3:1 water to bean ratio.
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Season (optional) – Add any aromatics like onion, garlic, herbs, peppers, etc. Add 1 tbsp oil to help prevent foaming.
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Lock lid in place – Secure the pressure cooker lid and set the pressure release valve to the sealed position.
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Pressurize for recommended time – For the Instant Pot, select Manual/Pressure Cook and set time according to soaking and release method. For stovetop pressure cookers, heat on high until it reaches high pressure, then lower heat to maintain it.
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Allow natural or quick pressure release – QR stops cooking immediately. NPR continues to cook beans as pressure drops.
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Check doneness and adjust time if needed – Beans should be uniformly tender. If still firm, cook for a few more minutes.
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Season and serve – Season cooked beans to taste with salt, pepper, herbs, etc. Enjoy beans warm in recipes or store cooked beans in fridge up to 5 days.
Tips For Cooking Pinto Beans In A Pressure Cooker
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Use dried beans that are less than a year old for best results
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Pick through and rinse beans to remove any debris
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Soaking beans helps reduce cooking time but is not mandatory
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Use natural release to allow beans to continue cooking as pressure drops
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Quick release for firmer beans or if short on time
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Add oil to prevent foaming which can clog the pressure release
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Don’t fill pressure cooker more than halfway when cooking beans
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Adjust cooking time as needed based on bean freshness and doneness
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Season cooked beans with salt, pepper, herbs, garlic, etc. to taste
With the shortcut of using a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot, you can easily cook dried pinto beans from scratch for use in tacos, burritos, soups, and more. Adjust the cook time as needed to achieve your ideal bean texture. Then put those tender pressure cooked beans to use in all your favorite recipes!
Pressure Cooker Pinto Beans timing details:
- Use the Manual setting on the Instant Pot and set the cooking time. Make sure the vent is closed. When time light comes on, it’s up to pressure.
- On a stove-top pressure cooker, heat it on high until it starts to make a real steamy jiggle sound. Then, turn the heat down just enough to keep the pressure up, and set a timer for five minutes.
About Pressure Cooking Pinto Beans:
- Do you salt dried beans before or after cooking? That’s a question that gets a lot of attention. I come from the salt-after-cooking school. Salt with good quality salt.
- Author Michael Ruhlman looked for answers and found that different “food experts” had different ideas about how to soak and salt beans.
- Steve Sando from Rancho Gordo has written more than once on his blog about when to salt and how to soak. On Rancho Gordo’s website, you can buy high-quality fresh dried beans.
- Some people say that soaking dried beans before cooking them makes them easier to digest. Mexican cooks put epazote in their beans. It is a strong-smelling green herb that is said to help with gas.
- Just so you know, we do have a variety of canned beans in our pantry, right next to the jars of dried beans. Beans in a can with salty liquid aren’t as good as beans that have been cooked and their liquid, but sometimes you just want to open a can, you know?
- For tacos and other Mexican foods, Robbie and I like to use pinto beans. To season the dried beans, I add a mild dried chili, garlic cloves, and maybe some chopped onions.
- Not many people write about how great pressure-cooked beans are. One thing is for sure: pressure cookers speed up the cooking process and use less fuel. For cooking beans, they’re awesome tools!.
Instant Pot Pinto Beans | HOW TO MAKE PERFECT PINTO BEANS | NO soaking necessary
FAQ
How long does it take to cook beans in a pressure cooker?
Can you overcook beans in a pressure cooker?
How long does it take to cook 1 lb of pinto beans?
How long should I pressure can pinto beans?
How long do you Pressure Cook pinto beans in Instant Pot?
Add pinto beans and water (or vegetable broth) to the Instant Pot and stir to prevent sticking. Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes (it will take about 8 minutes for the Instant Pot to pressurize before cooking begins). Once the timer goes off, allow to naturally release for 15 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
How do you cook pinto beans in a pressure cooker?
Rinse the beans and sort through for broken or bad beans. Cover with water by 2″, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour off the water, rinse in a colander, cover with fresh water, add other ingredients and pressure cook for 25 minutes with a natural release. How Do I Season Pinto Beans in the Pressure Cooker?
How long do you cook beans in a pressure cooker?
To cook beans in a pressure cooker, add them and stir, then pour in diced tomatoes. Cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes. Once the timer is complete, allow pressure to naturally release for 15-25 minutes.
How do you cook pinto beans from dry?
Your Instant Pot is the best way to cook pinto beans from dry. We’ve included directions for the overnight soak, quick-soak, and no-soak methods. Place 4 cups cold water into a large pot. (I used the pressure cooking pot). Add the kosher salt and baking soda, stirring briefly to combine.