Instant Pot Mexican Beans

bowl of pinto beans on a wooden board with spoons to the left

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican/Tex-Mex

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 5

Servings:

Calories: 144kcal

Author: Nikole Berg

Have you ever wondered how to make beans in the Instant Pot? This no soak recipe uses healthy pinto beans to make a nutritious dish that works well as a side dish or with rice as a meatless main dish.

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Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil mild flavored such as canola
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 cups dried pinto beans rinsed, drained and picked over to remove any rocks or debris
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 cups chicken broth or stock reduced sodium
1 cup water
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Warmed corn or flour tortillas for serving

Instructions

Press the Sauté button. If you can adjust the temperature and time, set it to medium for 7 minutes. When IP is heated, add oil then chopped onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally.
Press Cancel. Add beans first to allow the inner pot to cool a bit. Add bay leaves and pepper. Add broth, water, being careful of any steam.
Close and lock the lid. Be sure the valve is in the Sealing position (my model does this automatically when the lid is closed).
Select Manual or Pressure cook on high pressure. Use the dial to set the time to 45 minutes.
When the cooking cycle ends, press cancel. Allow IP to cool and release pressure naturally for about 15 minutes. If all the pressure has been released, the metal float valve will sink back into the lid. If the float valve is still up, use the end of a wooden spoon to press the pressure release valve to allow the remaining steam to be released. Press Cancel.
Remove lid and discard bay leaves. Add can of diced tomatoes with green chilies. Press Sauté and set to medium for 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Be sure you are familiar with your brand of pressure cooker before making this recipe. Read the safeguards and understand the controls and features. I made this recipe with the Instant Pot Ultra 60 (6 quart).

If you like to soak your beans, no problem. Just clean them first then add about 8 cups of cold water and let soak for 8 hours. Reduce the pressure cooking time 15 minutes. Use a 15 minutes natural release.

Don't double the recipe. Doubling the recipe will cause you to overfill the inner pot-not safe! Never fill your IP above the ½ fill line with foods that will expand when cooked. However, you can halve the recipe for a smaller batch.

Substitutions-I used original Rotel, but feel free to use mild or spicy! You can use just diced tomatoes if you prefer. If you can't find Rotel, just add a can of diced tomatoes and small can of green chilies.

Customize the flavor- this dish is mild, so if you like spicy, add one or two fresh, chopped jalepeños or serrano peppers when you add the beans to the pot. Add 1 teaspoon of chili powder and/or cumin too before cooking if you like! Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime and chopped cilantro.

Nutrition