Yep – Instant Pot Beans tops the list of why I’m obsessed with my Instant Pot. And here are just a few other reasons I LOVE my Instant Pot! (And those of you who have one will just nod right along in agreement, I’m sure…) Hard boiled eggs. Fall off the bone tender ribs. Steel cut oatmeal. Pancakes. Yogurt. Carnitas.

(Exciting news!! My Instant Pot Authorized Cookbook is now available Amazon! Check it out here!)

Beans have always kind of scared me (and, no, I’m not talking about being scared of the “side effects” people may get from eating too many… lol.) I’m talking about that pack of dried beans on the bottom shelf in the grocery store. What the heck do you do with those?

I knew, of course, there had to be lots of planning to use those dried beans! Soaking for hours and hours, and preferably overnight… Then hours and hours of simmering, stirring, and watching that darn pot.

Nope! Not for me. So I’d walk a few feet down the aisle and grab a couple nice cans of perfectly ready to use beans (and pay a nice premium for that convenience).

It always bugged me that I never quite figured out how to make “real” beans! Especially black beans. I love them! And I always knew that cooking them the “real” way probably makes quite a difference in taste and texture. But I never took on the challenge.

Not until I discovered Instant Pot Beans! And guess what? It’s not even a challenge at all thanks to the wonders of that machine!

Yes, I know that some of you may be thinking that Instant Pot Beans isn’t the “real” way of making them either, but I beg to differ… Well, there is one big difference – You don’t even need to soak the beans!

Wait. What?? That’s right, folks. No soaking required! So if you’re like I am and occasionally often wait til the end of the day to figure out what to make for dinner, then this is the method for you!

Rinse dry beans. Pick out any fractured or cracked beans. Put beans in the Instant Pot. Add water, oil, garlic, salt, and bay leaves (spices optional). Pour in water and set timer to manual for 22 minutes. (It will take about 10-15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to full pressure, then it will cook for the set 22 minutes.) Let “naturally release” for 5-10 minutes, then release steam. Stir and serve. That’s it! So easy. So quick. So amazing!

One more word on soaking the beans – like I said, soaking is definitely not necessary, but you will get a few more split beans than you otherwise would. So if you’re having someone really picky important over for dinner, feel free to soak those suckers for a few hours first, just make sure to reduce the cooking time by 10 minutes.

Whether you soak or don’t soak, add spices or not, it is very important to add the oil! This will reduce the foaming that can occur with pressure cooking beans. Don’t skip that part!

There you have it! Fresh, homemade, creamy, perfectly textured “real” beans in less than an hour! This recipe is for black beans, but it should work for any type of dried beans (you may have to adjust the cooking time a bit depending on the type.)

And if you’re looking for other kinds of beans, then check out my Instant Pot Pinto Beans! Perfect for all kinds of chili and salads!

Use them in all kinds of amazing dishes – street tacos, breakfast burritos, bean and corn summer salad, soups, and the list goes on and on and on. Yep – I’ve conquered my fear of beans. Thanks to the Instant Pot!

Get your Instant Pot through Amazon here

Or get your Instant Pot directly through the company here (You’ll get a $10 discount on orders of $100 if you use Coupon Code: THESPICYAPRON. Plus they have the most amazing customer service!)