Instant Pot Black Beans

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I love cooking all kinds of beans in my Instant Pot! They are so easy to make and you get so much more for your money. You also don’t have to worry about unwanted additives or the high amounts of salt you find in canned beans. So black beans were a perfect choice to make in my Instant Pot! I love cooking the beans this way because then I can use them in all kinds of recipes. Making black bean brownies? You probably don’t want black beans that are loaded with salt! That could impact the taste!

Black beans are a great addition to your diet. They are rich in fiber and protein. They also contain vital amino acids and important vitamins and minerals such as folate, manganese, magnesium, thiamine, phosphorus, iron, and more!

There is a debate over whether to soak them before cooking or not. And while there are plenty of recipes online which allow you to cook the beans without soaking, I actually recommend that you do soak them.

I wrote an article all about why it’s important to soak your beans. You can read that here!

Ancient cultures regularly soaked, sprouted, or fermented foods that were high in anti-nutrients to reduce them so that they could access the valuable nutrients in those foods. But somewhere along the way, we’ve stopped practicing these things (although there has been a resurgence in people returning to soaking, sprouting, and fermenting foods and beverages).

How to soak the beans:

• 2 cups of beans
• filtered water
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (lemon juice or liquid whey)

1. Be sure to sort through beans and pick out any small stones, broken beans or other debris
2. Put your beans into a pot or bowl
3. Cover them with filtered water.
4. Add your vinegar, lemon juice or whey.
5. Allow to sit on the counter for 12-24 hours.
6. Drain and rinse beans.

Be sure to check on your beans once or twice during that time. They will expand and you may need to add some additional filtered water. You also have the option of changing the water once, which can be good if you’re opting to let the beans soak for 24 hours. Don’t forget to add more apple cider vinegar!

Soaking your beans before cooking does reduce the cooking time.

Storing beans

Allow beans to cool completely unless using them in a recipe immediately. One and a half cups equal one can, so you can divide your beans up how you would like. They can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or can be stored in the freezer for up to 8 months.