Creamy Black Beans in Instant Pot

Black beans in a grey bowl, garnished with cilantro and cotija cheese

4.7 from 10 votes

Creamy Black Beans in Instant Pot

Easy Instant Pot recipe for restaurant-style black beans! These creamy & delicious black beans are a perfect side for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, or any Mexican inspired meal.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time30 mins

NPR15 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: beans, black beans, instant pot beans, instant pot mexican recipes, tex mex recipes

Servings:

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Aneesha Gupta

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 tbsp light olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
1 cup onion, chopped (about 1 medium onion)
1 cup black beans soaked overnight (or 8 hours)
2 tbsp Taco Seasoning (add 3 tbsp for medium spicy) I use Trader Joe's brand (see notes for substitute)
2 cups water (or 1.5 cups for less liquid)
½ tsp salt (adjust based on salt in Taco seasoning)

Garnish

2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp cotija cheese (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse and soak beans overnight, or for 8 hours. Alternatively, use the no-soak method.
Turn on the Instant Pot. Heat oil on Saute mode (high). Ad crushed garlic, followed by chopped onions. Saute for 1 minute, or until the onions turns translucent.
Add rinsed and drained beans, seasoning and water. Cancel Saute. Pressure cook on Bean/Chili Mode or Pressure cook mode for 30 minutes. Reduce time to 25 minutes for a more firm texture.
Let the pressure release naturally for 15 mins (NPR 15). After that, release pressure manually. You can do that by turning the pressure knob to 'venting' position in DUO model, or, push down the pressure valve in ULTRA model.
Open the lid after the pin drops. Using a potato masher, mash a few beans for a creamy texture. Garnish with cilantro and Cojita cheese crumbles and serve warm!

Video

Notes

Estimated Time includes roughly 10 mins for pressure build-up. Cook time = Time to set for pressure cooking.
This recipe has been tested in a 3qt and 6qt Instant Pot. If making this in an 8Qt size, adjust the water quantity to meet the minimum requirement.
Substitute for Taco Seasoning: 1 tbsp Mexican chili powder + 1 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp ground coriander + 1 tsp Mexican oregano
30-Minute Recipe: This recipe can be made in 30 minutes by using canned beans. Instructions mentioned in the content above.

Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition