How to Cook Black Beans (Stovetop or Instant Pot)

Why Eat Black Beans?

Black beans are a staple in my pantry. Not only do they offer wonderful health and nutritional benefits (especially for vegans!), but they also are incredibly versatile for both their taste and texture.

I eat black beans almost daily for plant-based protein, whether in salads, tacos or even fudgy brownies. They can be made creamy or tender, flavorful or neutral, and can hide in the background or become the focal point of a recipe. What's not to love?

Should Black Beans be Soaked Before Cooking?

Before you get started, the first question is whether the beans need to be soaked in advance.

The short answer: don't soak the beans.

I've experimented with both soaking and not soaking, and overall it didn't make much of a difference. In fact, I actually preferred the unsoaked beans more.

Soaking beans overnight requires you to prepare a day ahead, which just isn't as ideal for me. The beans also turned out a little less flavorful, but only slightly. The only benefit I found was that it shaved off about 15-20 minutes of cooking time on the stovetop.

And I'm not alone in this finding. This comprehensive article from Serious Eats makes a serious case for not soaking black beans. The article goes in-depth on comparing soaked and unsoaked black beans, analyzing its effects on flavor, texture and color, plus a funny little take on digestibility.

How to Cook Black Beans From Scratch

Black beans can be cooked on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. Both options are equal in terms of the final outcome, but I prefer using the Instant Pot because it takes less time and also requires less supervision.

I like to cook my beans to different textures depending on how I'm using them. For some dishes, such as salads and tacos, I prefer a firmer bean and therefore won't cook them as long. But for other dishes like black bean dip, black bean burgers and vegan taquitos where I want the beans creamier, I'll add a little more to the cook time to soften them up.

Ingredients and Ratios

Whether using the stovetop or a pressure cooker, the basic ingredients are the same: black beans, water and salt. From there you can add anything else you wish (see further down the post for seasoning ideas).

Keep in mind these ratios when cooking:

• Use 4 cups of water for every 1 cup of dry black beans.
• 1 pound of dry black beans is the equivalent of roughly 2.5 cups.
• 1 cup of dry black beans yields a little over 2 cups of cooked black beans.

How to Cook Black Beans on the Stovetop

1. Rinse the beans and pick out any wrinkled or shriveled ones to discard.

2. Add the beans, salt and desired seasonings to a large pot and cover with enough water so that they are fully submerged.

3. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil.

4. Once it comes to a boil, keeping the lid on, reduce the burner to low heat and cook for one hour before checking its softness.

5. Check on the beans every 10 minutes after the first hour until they reach your desired consistency.

How to Cook Black Beans in the Instant Pot

1. Rinse the beans and pick out any wrinkled or shriveled ones to discard.

2. Add water, salt and desired seasonings to the pot along with the black beans.

3. Cook on "Manual" / "High Pressure" for 25 minutes. Make sure the lid setting is set to "Sealed."

4. Naturally release the pressure for an additional 20 minutes. Done!

How to Season Black Beans

The first thing to know about seasoning black beans is that adding some salt is important! Unsalted beans tend to absorb too much water, causing them to break before fully softening.

Aside from the salt, you can choose to season the beans with almost anything you wish. Here are some options - use just one or combine them for more flavorful beans!

• Extra virgin olive oil: I'll usually add just a teaspoon when using for creamier dishes.
• Garlic cloves or red onions
• Spices: bay leaves, chili powder, fresh cilantro, cumin, red pepper flakes and black pepper.

Recipe Tips

Keep the lid on while simmering! Many recipes call for removing the lid after reducing from a boil to low heat, but each time I tested this it took over an hour longer to cook. Keeping the lid on will save you a ton of time!

Know how to select black beans. Choose dry beans from the grocery store that are firm and uniform in color. Older beans will look shriveled and will not soften as easily, if ever.

Cooking times vary depending on freshness. No batch of black beans is identical and freshness plays a huge role in how long it takes to cook. After the first hour on the stovetop, test their softness while still in the pot and check in on them every 10 minutes until done.

The water plays a role in cooking times too. The hardness of the water (amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium) is another variable in cooking black beans. The harder the water, the longer it will take. Therefore, it may take a couple times to get a feel for how fast the beans will cook in your kitchen. Use filtered water if possible.

Altitude plays a role in cooking time and amount of water needed to cook black beans. If you are cooking black beans at a higher altitude, you may need to make adjustments to this recipe. I recommend you increase the amount of water a bit and also increase the cooking time by 15-20 minutes. You typically have to cook beans and lentils longer at a higher altitude because of the lower air pressure because liquids evaporate faster and the boiling point of water is also lower.

Storage

The refrigerator: Store cooked black beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The freezer: Spread the cooked black beans out on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking together in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the beans to a storage container and store for up to 2 months.

Dry black beans can actually be stored for several years if kept properly, but after about a year they will begin to lose nutrients. Make sure to store them in an airtight container to protect against pests.

How to Use Black Beans

Black beans can be enjoyed any time of day in so many different ways! Here are some of my favorite black bean recipes (all vegan and gluten-free):

Breakfast: It's never too early for black beans with these breakfast burritos!

Appetizers: Start a meal with black bean soup, or feature black beans in cowboy caviar.

Main Dishes: Any Mexican-inspired cuisine will naturally feature black beans. I love them in tortilla soup, easy vegan fajitas and especially these crispy fried black bean tacos!

Sides: This easy southwestern jicama slaw and Mexican quinoa salad are both refreshing sides to bring to any cookout.

Desserts: Give your brownies a nutritional boost without the black bean taste!

Find more delicious black bean recipes here!