Pressure cooking beans for speed and reliability
A pressure cooker (or Instant Pot) is one of the fastest, most consistent ways to cook dried beans without pre-soaking. It saves time and yields tender beans with less active attention.
Basic approach:
- Sort and rinse beans. No need to soak, though soaked beans cook even faster.
- Add beans to the pressure cooker with about 3–4 cups of water or broth per cup of dried beans. Include aromatics if desired.
- Lock the lid and set high pressure. Typical guideline times (unsoaked): black beans 25–30 minutes, chickpeas 35–40 minutes, kidney/borlotti 30–35 minutes. Soaked beans often cut times by 8–15 minutes.
- Allow natural pressure release for 10–20 minutes for more even texture, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
Notes and tips:
- Don’t overfill the cooker; beans expand and foam—use the manufacturer’s fill recommendations.
- Add salt after cooking or during the final simmer to prevent tough skins.
- If beans are too firm, reseal and cook under pressure another 5–10 minutes.
Flavoring and storage:
- Pressure-cooked beans absorb flavors quickly—finish with herbs, acid, or fat after cooking.
- Store cooked beans in their liquid in the refrigerator for 3–4 days or freeze in portions.
Pressure cooking is ideal for fast meal prep and high-quality results without long soaking or simmering.