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    Home » Recipes » Instant pot

    How to cook kidney beans in the instant pot

    Published: Dec 22, 2022 · Modified: Jan 10, 2023 by Maria · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Delicious instant pot kidney beans

    How to cook kidney beans in the instant pot. These kidney beans come out flavorful, tender and delicious every time. Directions for soaking, quick soak and no soaking included. Great to have on hand to quickly add plant based protein to any dish.

    Bowl of instant pot cooked kidney beans in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • Delicious instant pot kidney beans
    • ❤️ Why you'l love these beans
    • 🧂 Ingredients and substitutions
    • 👩‍🍳 Expert tips
    • 💨 If beans make you gassy
    • 🥄Directions
    • ❄️ Storing tips
    • 🍛 Serving suggestions
    • ❓FAQ's
    • 🥘 More bean recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    ❤️ Why you'l love these beans

    Cooking your own beans from scratch is a lot cheaper than using a can of beans. Having a big pot of beans on hand is extremely convenient. I love making kidney beans in the instant pot because they're:

    • healthy
    • tender
    • easy
    • adjustable
    • full of plant based protein and fiber
    • great to meal prep

    🧂 Ingredients and substitutions

    You can make these instant pot beans as simple or as flavorful as you'd like. You could just use water and dry kidney beans.

    • Red kidney beans - Dark red or light red will work well for this recipe.
    • Vegetable broth - Broth gives the beans more flavor than water, but you can also use water.
    • Seasonings - Use whatever seasonings you love! Garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, liquid smoke, bay leaves, bell pepper are all good choices.
    Bowl of kidney beans that were cooked in an instant pot next to an instant pot.

    👩‍🍳 Expert tips

    • For best results, make sure the kidney beans are completely covered with liquid when cooking. If you're cooking from dried, you want to triple the amount of liquid.
    • You want to make sure there is at least 2 inches of liquid above the top of the kidney beans if they haven't been soaked and about 1 inch above the beans if they have been soaked.
    • Take the "keep warm" setting off of the instant pot when the cooking time is done and it's naturally releasing pressure. This will prevent the beans from getting too mushy.
    • This recipe results in a lot of liquid, but that is what is needed to make sure the beans cook evenly.
    • The cooking liquid will thicken up over night once the starches in the broth have a chance to thicken up and cool down in the fridge.
    • Make sure to sift through the dry beans to get out any small pebbles or sticks, before soaking and cooking.

    💨 If beans make you gassy

    • Always soak your beans. This helps cut down on the starches that some people find hard to digest.
    • Rinse your beans after soaking and after cooking.
    • Some people need to build up a tolerance for the fiber in beans. It takes your microbiome a little bit of time to develop more of the good bacteria that breaks down this fiber. Eat ⅓ cup of beans a day for a month to help build them up.

    🥄Directions

    Here is an outline of how to cook kidney beans in the instant pot. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full instructions.

    1. Either quick soak, soak overnight or don't soak the kidney beans
    2. Add the beans to the instant pot with 3.5 cups of water or vegetable broth. Add any seasonings you'd like. I love adding onion and garlic and a bay leaf.
    3. Cooking time varies depending on if they've had an overnight soak or not soaked at all.
    4. Manual pressure cook on high pressure for 20 minutes if you're using unsoaked beans.
    5. Cook for 6 minutes if they have been soaked.
    6. Natural release the pressure for 20 minutes, then quick release the pressure valve to release the remaining pressure.

    Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full step-by-step instructions.

    Dry kidney beans soaking in a mason jar of water.

    ❄️ Storing tips

    Fridge - these beans will last in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days.

    Freezer - these beans freeze amazingly well. Add them to a freezer friendly bag and they will freeze for up to six months. Make sure to not add too much broth to the bag, or it will expand and may burst the bag.

    🍛 Serving suggestions

    These kidney beans go amazingly well in many different dishes such as a minestrone soup, bean chili, kidney bean curry (also called rajma masala). They're a great source of plant based protein and they contain a lot less chemicals and preservatives than canned beans.

    They also go great in red beans and white rice, red bean burgers and refried beans.

    If beans make you gassy, here are some things you can do:

    Two bowls of kidney beans, one that was soaked before cooking in the instant pot and one that wasn't soaked.

    ❓FAQ's

    Why won't my beans soften?

    If you have hard beans it's usually because you have old beans, have hard water, or didn't completely cover the beans in liquid when pressure cooking.

    Try adding ½ teaspoon of baking soda and cooking them longer to help the beans soften.

    Do I have to soak beans?

    Soaking the beans before hand breaks down certain compounds in the beans that make it harder for people to digest.

    Soaked beans are generally easier to digest and won't make you as gassy. They will still cook fine if they're not soaked, but the cook time will be much longer.

    Soaked beans also come out more evenly textured and cooked. They tend to split less.

    Can I slow cook kidney beans?

    It's not recommended to cook kidney beans in a slow cooker since they contain a toxin that can only be destroyed when they've been boiled for at least 10 minutes (if they haven't been soaked) at 212 degrees.

    You won't get the temperature hot enough if they've only been slow cooked. Pressure cooking the beans in an electric pressure cooker will get to the right temperature needed and will result in tender beans.

    Does salt harden the beans?

    When pressure cooking beans, adding salt doesn't harden them at all. They cook just fine. When cooking them on the stove, adding the salt too soon can prevent the beans from getting as soft.

    How much will one cup of dry beans make?

    One cup of dried beans makes three cups of beans when cooked.

    🥘 More bean recipes

    • Instant pot sweet potato curry in a bowl over quinoa.
      Easy Instant Pot Sweet Potato Curry with Chickpeas and Kale
    • Small white bowls filled with a variety of dried beans.
      How to cook dried beans
    • Instant pot red lentil soup in a bowl with a spoon dipped in.
      Instant pot red lentil soup
    • Close up of vegan chana masala in a white bowl with roti behind it.
      Vegan chana masala (instant pot and stove)

    If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!

    📖 Recipe

    Kidney beans cooked in an instant pot in a bowl next to an instant pot.

    How to cook kidney beans in the instant pot

    These kidney beans come out flavorful, tender and delicious every time. Directions for soaking, quick soak and no soaking included. Great to have on hand to quickly add plant based protein to any dish.
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Indian
    Prep Time: 8 hours hours
    Cook Time: 1 minute minute
    Total Time: 8 hours hours 1 minute minute
    Servings: 3 cups
    Calories: 104kcal
    Author: Maria
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • instant pot

    Ingredients

    US Customary or Metric
    • 1 cup kidney beans
    • 4 cups vegetable broth (or water)
    • 1 small yellow onion (diced)
    • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
    • ½ teaspoon salt (if you're using water and not broth)

    Instructions

    Soaking overnight

    • Add the beans to a large bowl and cover with 3 cups of water. Soak for about 8 hours.
    • Strain and rinse the beans after soaking. Add beans back to the instant pot and add water or vegetable broth, onions, garlic cloves and (optional) salt. Make sure the beans are completely covered with liquid. Add the lid and set to seal. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Let it slow release for 15 minutes then quick release.
      1 cup kidney beans, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 small yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon salt

    Quick soaking instructions

    • I prefer the texture of the beans after overnight soaking, but when I'm in a pinch I choose the quick soaking method. Rinse the kidney beans and place them in the instant pot - covered with 2 inches of water. Set to sauté on high and bring the beans to a boil for five minutes then turn off the heat. Let them sit for one hour after boiling.
    • Strain the beans after quick soaking. Add them back to the instant pot with water or vegetable broth, onions, garlic cloves and (optional) salt. Make sure the beans are completely covered with liquid. Add the lid and set to seal. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Let it slow release for 15 minutes then quick release.
      1 cup kidney beans, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 small yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon salt

    Un-soaked

    • Rinse the beans. Add the beans to the instant pot and add water or vegetable broth, onions, garlic cloves and (optional) salt. Make sure the beans are completely covered with liquid. Add the lid and set to seal. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Let it slow release for 15 minutes then quick release.
      1 cup kidney beans, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 small yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon salt

    Notes

    • For best results, make sure the kidney beans are completely covered with liquid when cooking. If you're cooking from dried, you want to triple the amount of liquid.
    • You want to make sure there is at least 2 inches of liquid above the top of the kidney beans if they haven't been soaked and about 1 inch above the beans if they have been soaked.
    • Take the "keep warm" setting off of the instant pot when the cooking time is done and it's naturally releasing pressure. This will prevent the beans from getting too mushy.
    • This recipe results in a lot of liquid, but that is what is needed to make sure the beans cook evenly.
    • The cooking liquid will thicken up over night once the starches in the broth have a chance to thicken up and cool down in the fridge.
    • Make sure to sift through the dry beans to get out any small pebbles or sticks, before soaking and cooking.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 1644mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 668IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @DamnTastyVegan or tag #DamnTastyVegan!

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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    About Maria

    Maria is the creator of the blog and YouTube channel Damn Tasty Vegan. She has been a vegetarian since 2005 and vegan since 2015. She loves showing new vegans how easy and delicious living a vegan lifestyle can be. She is passionate about animal welfare and strives to help change the way animals are viewed and treated, by helping people transition to a vegan lifestyle.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vince

      October 15, 2024 at 12:35 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for the recipe. I hope more people will adopt the vegan lifestyle and enjoy eating healthy natural food just like this one. More power to you and your site! 🙂

      Reply
    2. Pj

      January 14, 2024 at 7:18 pm

      4 stars
      After the one hour quick soak, most of the beans split open. Is this normal? They don’t look good, weirdly wrinkled.

      Reply
      • Maria

        January 18, 2024 at 9:04 pm

        It's totally normal for there to be some splitting after the quick soak, since the beans were exposed to hot water so quickly. I usually opt for the overnight soaking method for this reason, but do the quick soak when I'm in a pinch. The beans will firm up more after they've been cooked, and then cooled.

        Reply
      • Maria

        March 01, 2024 at 6:52 pm

        Quick soaking usually makes the beans look a bit weird and I prefer the overnight soak. But when I'm short on time, quick soaking is a great option.

        Reply
    3. B. Lori Fournier

      April 10, 2023 at 11:51 pm

      5 stars
      This is a wonderful guide to prepare these beans for your recipes. It's great to have different options for cooking depending on your time and schedule.

      Reply
    4.75 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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