Instant Pot Beans

Author Notes

Let’s talk beans. Can you just open a can? Of course. But dried beans are more economical and emerge from the Instant Pot with a satisfying al dente texture. Beans are nourishing and quick, making them a summertime go-to for turning a salad into a satisfying meal. In the Instant Pot, they cook without pre-soaking and without heating up the kitchen, springing from the back of your pantry to center stage.

For more on Instant Pot Bean Salads (and the recipes pictured above), go here. —Daniel Shumski

Test Kitchen Notes

As the developer for this recipe, Daniel Shumski, writes, the Instant Pot can be utilized to make a big batch of beans in half the time. Those beans can be turned into salads that he also developed, which are refreshing, colorful, and super-easy to make once the beans are cooked. He says, "While the Instant Pot is an appliance of many talents (slow cooker, rice maker, sauté pan, yogurt maker), it’s the pressure-cooker function that shines for these salads, such as Black Bean with Melons and Feta, White Bean with Cucumber and Sumac, and Black Bean with Mango and Chili Powder. Follow the master recipe here to make the beans, stash them in the refrigerator for a few days if you’d like, and then turn them into the salad of your choice."

Or you can just make the beans in your pressure cooker and have them around for whenever you need beans, which can be quite frequently when you come right down to it. Say you need a savory side, a hearty filling, or an addition to soups. Since this recipe works for black beans as well as kidney beans, and that you can cook them up to 5 days ahead, you may be taking out your pressure cooker a lot more often once you start to embrace everything it can do. As Daniel mentions, without the step of pre-soaking, you're going to save a lot of time here. Most of the cook time is hands-off, and you'll definitely love the convenience. —The Editors