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    Home » Instant Pot

    How to Quick Soak Dried Beans in the Instant Pot

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the disclosure.    

    Published: Mar 15, 2018 | Updated: Aug 13, 2021 | Author: Paint the Kitchen Red | 27 Comments

    JUMP TO RECIPE
    Instant Pot Tip - Quick soak beans in 30 minutes - v2 - Paint the Kitchen Red

    Canned beans aren’t the only option if you’ve forgotten to or don’t have the time to soak your dried beans before using them in a recipe.  You can quick-soak dried beans in the Instant Pot in less than 30 minutes.

    Instant Pot Tip - Quick soak beans in 30 minutes - v2 - Paint the Kitchen Red

    Table of Contents


    1. INTRODUCTION
    2. TIPS
    3. INGREDIENTS
    4. STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
    5. RECIPE CARD – PRINTABLE
    6. RELATED RECIPES AND GUIDES

    If you’ve always used canned beans for your recipes, there’s a better, healthier way!  Use your Instant Pot to cook your dried beans from scratch and you can avoid the sodium and preservatives that come with canned beans.

    Most recipes that use dried beans recommend soaking beans overnight.  If you’re like me, then it’s possible that you’re not organized enough to soak your dried beans ahead of time!

    This is where the Instant Pot pressure cooker comes in so handy.  You can quick soak dried beans easily in half an hour. This trick works for me consistently without fail.

    Here are some recipes using dry beans in the Instant Pot that you might like to try out!
    – Instant Pot Chili 
    – Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
    – Vegetarian Instant Pot Moroccan Stew

    TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS


    Beans

    I’ve found that this method works with pretty much any type of dried beans including pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, and other types.

    I use this method to quick-soak beans for any quantity of beans. I just make sure there’s enough water to cover the beans by about an inch.

    I like to soak or quick-soak beans before I pressure cook them because I prefer to drain the soaking water. I feel that the beans are easier to digest when they’ve been soaked or quick-soaked and the soaking liquid is discarded.


    If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.

    • Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual

    Ingredients Required to Quick Soak Beans

    Instant Pot quick soak beans chickpeas and water ingredients
    • Water
    • Beans

    How to Soak Beans Quickly using the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)

    1. Add beans and water
    2. Pressure cook
    3. Do a natural pressure release
    4. Drain the beans

    Add Beans and Water

    Instant Pot beans quick soak collage - dried beans, add water - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Put the beans in the Instant Pot and add water about 1-inch above the level of the beans.

    Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 5 minutes

    Instant Pot Duo Manual mode 5 minutes collage - close lid, press manual, press - or +, display shows 5 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Close the lid and make sure steam release handle is in Sealing position
    • Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and + or – until the display reads ‘5′ (5 minutes).

    Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 5 minutes

    Instant Pot Ultra pressure cook 5 minutes collage - close Instant Pot Ultra, set time to 00:05 and select Pressure Cook, press start - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Close the lid.
    • Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 5 minutes (00:05).
    • Press Start.

    Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)

    Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooking collage - display shows On, float valve is down, display shows L0:00 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    Instant Pot Ultra pressure cooking collage - Ultra display shows On, float valve is up, display shows 00 00 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Instant Pot display will change to On.
    • Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
    • The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display ‘L0:00’  or ’00 00′ and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.

    How to Naturally Release Pressure (NPR) on the DUO and ULTRA

    Instant Pot Duo natural release cancel and open collage - float valve is down, arrow pointing to Cancel, lid is open - Paint the Kitchen Red
    Instant Pot Ultra Natural Release Cancel and Open collage - arrow pointing to float valve down, press cancel button, lid is open and Instant Pot Ultra display shows Off - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Allow the pressure to release naturally (NPR).  The float valve will be in the down position.  This may take 15 to 30 minutes. [Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]
    • Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.

    Drain the Beans

    Instant Pot Quick Soak Dried Beans collage - Cooked red beans and drained into a bowl- Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Drain the beans and use them in any recipe that calls for soaked beans.
    Instant Pot Tip - Quick soak beans in 30 minutes - v2 - Paint the Kitchen Red

    How to Quick Soak Dried Beans in the Instant Pot

    Canned beans aren’t the only option if you’ve forgotten to or don’t have the time to soak your dried beans before using them in a recipe. You can quick soak dried beans in the Instant Pot in less than 30 minutes.
    5 from 16 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 224
    Author: Paint the Kitchen Red

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot
    • Plate
    • Fine mesh sieve

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups dried beans
    • water (enough to cover 1 inch above beans)

    Instructions
     

    • Place beans in a shallow tray or plate.
    • Clean the beans by removing any foreign items like twigs, stones, etc.
    • Pour the beans into a bowl and fill with water. Pick out anything that rises to the top.
    • Drain the beans into a sieve or colander.
    • Pour beans into the Instant Pot inner pot.
    • Add water to the beans.
    • Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
    • Do a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) and open the lid. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
    • Drain the liquid and use the beans in any recipe that calls for soaked beans.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 224 kcal | Carbohydrates: 40 g | Protein: 15 g | Fat: 0.9 g | Saturated Fat: 0.1 g | Sodium: 4 mg | Fiber: 13 g | Sugar: 0.5 g
    Course Main Dishes
    Cuisine Miscellaneous
    Main Ingredient beans
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    Thank you for visiting Paint the Kitchen Red. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please don’t use any content without prior written permission. If you’ve made this recipe and would like to share it with your friends, please link back to this recipe. Thank you!

    I am not a certified nutritionist.  I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers.  If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons,  I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.

    If you loved this recipe, please give it a five ⭐ rating in the comment section below and please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!

    BACK TO TOP

    Recipes you Might Also Like!

    Authentic Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

    Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice is an authentic New Orleans recipe that will be very popular at your next gathering.  It tastes as though you’ve cooked it for hours, and tastes even better the next day.  Perfect for feeding a crowd, this recipe is so simple.  I’ve given instructions for using dried beans if you don’t have time to soak.
    GET RECIPE DETAILS
    Instant Pot Red Beans and Sausage served on rice in a black bowl on a white wooden background with multicolor napkins. Garnished with parsley and green onions - Paint the Kitchen Red

    Homemade Instant Pot Chili (with dried beans)

    This Instant Pot Chili, made using ground beef and dried beans, is the perfect comfort food for a fall or wintry evening.  It’s also a great dish to feed a crowd, or for game day.
    GET RECIPE DETAILS
    Instant Pot Chili in white bowl on green cloth with cornbread; topped with cheese, sour cream and green onions - Paint the Kitchen Red

    Vegetarian Instant Pot Moroccan Stew

    This Vegetarian Instant Pot Moroccan Stew is so delicious that you won’t miss the meat! The stew has a dynamite combination of ingredients that gives it a rich, complex flavor profile that you’re going to love. Serve with a lemon and herb couscous, or quinoa.
    GET RECIPE DETAILS
    Vegetarian Instant Pot Moroccan Stew with carrots, squash, chickpeas, cilantro, tomatoes in black bowl on colorful mat with lemons in background

    « Instant Pot Food Burn Message
    Authentic Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. mikaela | wyldflour

      December 01, 2022 at 2:25 pm

      5 stars
      Where has this trick been all my life??? I much prefer cooking with dried beans but ALWAYS forget to get them soaking early enough. I followed the recipe exactly with a mixture of garbanzo, cranberry, and navy beans. They naturally released for almost an hour in the instant pot. And then they simmered for 90 mins in a sardinian minestrone. They came out perfectly! Will be using this quick-soak method from now on. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        December 01, 2022 at 2:46 pm

        Hi Mikaela, awesome! I’m so glad I could help out! Another plus in the Instant Pot column, haha! Your minestrone sounds amazing.

        Reply
    2. Bernadette

      December 01, 2022 at 1:37 pm

      Hi Neena,
      Help!!
      I tried this method last night and it was an epic fail 🙁 I followed the directions to the T and the kidney beans were mostly hard and shriveled. I then added it to my chili and proceeded to cook them on the stove for another 20-30 minutes and no luck.
      Any thoughts on where I went wrong?

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        December 01, 2022 at 2:45 pm

        I’m so sorry to hear that, Bernadette! The cook time you used on the stovetop seems too little. Kidney beans take 30 minutes to cook in the Instant Pot, so the stovetop cooking time is much more – like 90 minutes or more. If you did cook them for a long time, another possibility is that the beans were old. If beans have been sitting around for a long time they won’t cook properly. I hope that helps.

        Reply
        • Bernadette

          December 06, 2022 at 8:21 am

          Hi Neena, thanks for the response 🙂
          Ahh that’s where I went wrong! I thought that the quick soak was equivalent to canned beans, meaning they were pretty much cooked already 😁

          Reply
    3. kathie

      September 11, 2022 at 2:37 pm

      Id like to know how much water.

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        September 12, 2022 at 7:28 pm

        Kathie, you can add enough water to cover the beans by about an inch. The quantity will depend on how much beans you’re soaking.

        Reply
    4. Laurie B

      January 17, 2022 at 8:23 am

      Getting ready to quick soak, for a chili, that I’m making for supper. Taking the good reviews as a Goooo. Wish me luck!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        January 18, 2022 at 10:31 am

        Hope it worked well for you, Laurie!

        Reply
    5. Rebecca Patton

      January 06, 2022 at 12:56 pm

      5 stars
      Worked perfectly!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        January 07, 2022 at 11:17 am

        So glad to hear it – thank you for your review.

        Reply
    6. Karen

      December 08, 2021 at 7:38 pm

      If I soak beans in the pressure cooker are they considered cooked? Because I’m making soy milk and have to soak the beans first, but I don’t want them to be cooked.

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        December 13, 2021 at 8:58 pm

        Hi Karen, I haven’t done a quick soak with soybeans. But for other kinds of beans, I find that a 5-minute quick soak is equivalent to an 8 hour soak.

        Reply
    7. Nancy

      December 07, 2021 at 6:05 am

      5 stars
      So happy I can across this. I’m trying to improve my cooking skills and this is really what I needed. My finicky kid actually act his entire meal

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        December 07, 2021 at 5:11 pm

        Nancy, I’m so happy to hear this – thank you for commenting!

        Reply
    8. John Watson

      November 10, 2021 at 1:51 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks to you quick-soak article, A never before occurrence just happened. My beans came out perfect. I quick-soaked pinto beans with 5 minute HIGH pressure and 1 hour slow release. I use to pressure cook pintos for 45-60 minutes without quick-soak and they were were always iffy with some hard shells. I can only assume, leaving them under hot pressure then hot sealed pot for 1 hour was a gentle secret. Now to season and make refried or freeze.

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        November 10, 2021 at 2:34 pm

        Hi John, so glad to hear it. I’ve found the same thing – when I cook chili with beans without quick-soaking, there are inconsistent results.

        Reply
    9. JamaGG

      September 09, 2021 at 6:22 pm

      Thanks for posting this fast presoak method. I will continue to use it, but there must be something wrong with the beans I used because many/most of them burst and are not looking so wholesome in the chili I made using your recipe. They taste fine though.

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        September 13, 2021 at 12:33 pm

        You might not need to cook the chili as long if you think they were overcooked. The cooking time of the chili is dependent on the beans. Maybe you have a variety that cooks faster. Thanks for the comment.

        Reply
    10. Pamela

      August 13, 2021 at 11:52 am

      In your intro you said, “ I like to soak beans before I pressure cook them because I prefer to drain the soaking water. I feel that the beans are easier to digest when they’ve been soaked and the soaking liquid is discarded.

      I don’t understand this because I thought the whole point was not to have to soak the beans.

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        August 13, 2021 at 1:32 pm

        Hi Pamela – the important point is with soaking or quick-soaking, you’re throwing out the water. I’ll make a change to the text to mention quick-soaking.

        Reply
    11. Linda

      July 07, 2021 at 1:43 am

      How about cooking them 5 minutes, and then letting them sit in the still closed pot (keep warm.function off)in till completely cooled. Wouldn’t they be fully cooked by then? Hmm… will give that a try I think

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        July 07, 2021 at 1:23 pm

        I would try that out – I think it will work.

        Reply
    12. nicole

      April 09, 2021 at 12:19 pm

      5 stars
      thanks. planned to make ham and beans or should i say dumpling soup with ham and beans lol. (i always make double dumplings) anyways. i forgot to soak my beans and thanks to this i was able to get them soaked and ready before dinner time!! amazing bean hack!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        April 09, 2021 at 1:29 pm

        That sounds yummy! Glad you were able to make it quickly 🙂

        Reply
    13. Monique

      February 08, 2021 at 12:00 pm

      5 stars
      I wanted to make your red beans recipe and this method worked great. The red beans came out great too. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        February 08, 2021 at 12:03 pm

        I’m glad it worked out for you, Monique. And glad you liked the red beans and rice recipe!

        Reply

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