Black Beans Galore
It's such a treat to have fresh black beans available for making soups, like this Black Bean Soup (pictured below) adding to salsa, salads and main courses like tacos, enchiladas, or breakfast Huevos Rancheros. Although you can make beans on your stovetop, one of the easiest ways is to make pressure cooker black beans. My favorite pressure cooker is the Instant Pot which came highly recommended from Chef A.J. whom I admire greatly for her dedicated plant-based inspiration and recipes.
This black bean pressure cooker recipe is simple. A lot of recipes suggest you soak the beans first, but I didn't do that and they turned out perfectly soft. If you're making them on the stovetop (see below), soaking overnight or 8-10 hours, or using the quick soak method (see below) is probably better.
This basic pressure cooker recipe is made with a few cloves of garlic, a couple of bay leaves and water. You can add vegetable stock, but make sure it's unsalted. And, don't add ANY salt while you're cooking them as they will not cook as well and may be tougher.
Blacks beans are versatile. Try them in these different recipes:
- Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Cream
- Black Bean Brownies
- Black Bean, Beet Burger
- Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadilla
Black Bean Soup with Sweet Potatoes
Every pressure cooker will vary, but I found 20 minutes on high in the Instant Pot was perfect. Do not fill yours more than half way with ingredients.
Try this delicious Black Bean Soup the next time you make black beans.
To quick soak: rinse the beans, then add them to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let them sit for 1 hour. Then rinse and cook as you would.
Stovetop Directions: With water to cover, soak and drain the beans either 8-10 hours or with the quick soaking method above. Add your soaked beans to a large pot along with a couple of bay leaves, 1-2 cloves of rough-chopped garlic cloves and 1/2 chopped onion. Cover with about 2 inches of water or a combination of water and unsalted vegetable stock (8-10 cups) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
I'd love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Pressure Cooker Black Beans ! If you have a photo, post it on my Facebook page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
Servings Serving Size | people About 1 Cup |
- 1 16 oz bag dried black beans picked over and rinsed
- 7 cups water or 1/2 water and 1/2 vegetable stock
- 1/2 onion peeled and chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 bay leaves
Ingredients
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- After picking over and rinsing the black beans, add them to the pot of your pressure cooker.
- Add 7 cups water or a combination of water and vegetable stock, chopped onion, the crushed garlic and bay leaves.
- Cover and set your pressure cooker on high for 20-25 minutes.
- If you prefer an even quicker method, soak your beans overnight (or quick soak) and then add to your pressure cooker. They will cook in about 10 minutes if you do this.
- Quick Soak method: Boil 8 cups water in a large pot. Add the beans and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the stove and let sit for an hour. Then proceed with the recipe (10 minutes cook time.)
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