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.
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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
Ingredients Required to Quick Soak Beans
- Water
- Beans
How to Soak Beans Quickly using the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)
- Add beans and water
- Pressure cook
- Do a natural pressure release
- Drain the beans
Add Beans and Water
- 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
- 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
- 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 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
- 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
- Drain the beans and use them in any recipe that calls for soaked beans.
How to Quick Soak Dried Beans in the Instant Pot
Equipment
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
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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.
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Laurie B
Getting ready to quick soak, for a chili, that I’m making for supper. Taking the good reviews as a Goooo. Wish me luck!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Hope it worked well for you, Laurie!
Rebecca Patton
Worked perfectly!
Paint the Kitchen Red
So glad to hear it – thank you for your review.
Karen
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.
Paint the Kitchen Red
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.
Nancy
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
Paint the Kitchen Red
Nancy, I’m so happy to hear this – thank you for commenting!
John Watson
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.
Paint the Kitchen Red
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.
JamaGG
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.
Paint the Kitchen Red
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.
Pamela
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.
Paint the Kitchen Red
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.
Linda
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
Paint the Kitchen Red
I would try that out – I think it will work.
nicole
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!
Paint the Kitchen Red
That sounds yummy! Glad you were able to make it quickly 🙂
Monique
I wanted to make your red beans recipe and this method worked great. The red beans came out great too. Thank you!
Paint the Kitchen Red
I’m glad it worked out for you, Monique. And glad you liked the red beans and rice recipe!