Why let the pressure release naturally?

I always let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally rather than doing a quick release. It finishes cooking the beans gently and keeps the skins from bursting, so they stay tender and whole.

Perfect Instant Pot Dried Beans Every Time!

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If you are still hanging around by the stove, anxiously waiting for the beans to finish boiling, let me tell you something. It does not have to be this hard. Instead of the stove, I would use my Indian pressure cooker and it was always a hit or miss for me. Not sure if I could never perfect it or if I was too impatient.

I would always find myself waiting for the pressure to release and after finding out the beans are still raw, starting the process all over again. Only to find later that the beans are now overcooked.

Many years ago I had received my Instant Pot as a gift and one day I decided to try it out. I looked up how long it takes in general for kidney beans to cook, and to my surprise I found that I can cook them even if I forgot the soaking process. So I set the timer to 7 minutes for soaked kidney beans and left it all up to the Instant Pot.

And you know what, the beans turned out amazing! Eventually I literally threw my pressure cooker in the garbage, and I’ll never make dried beans any other way. I ended up using these beans for recipes such as my Rajma Masala, Lobia Masala, Delhi-Style Chole and Classic Punjabi Chole, along with Black Bean Salsa just to name a few, but as I said I use the Instant Pot for any occasion where I require dried beans or lentils. Do you want me to try making baked beans? Let me know in the comments!

Having a variety of dried beans on hand can definitely help you out in terms of meal planning and coming up with exciting new recipes. As I discuss in more detail in my 5 Tips To Make Cooking Fun! free guide, using what you have on hand can spark creativity! You always hear how dried beans are budget-friendly, and trust me they are! A huge package of nearly 1 kg of beans can cost just about a dollar more than a small 400 mL can! Also bear in mind that dried beans can double or triple in size, so the cost per the same amount of cooked dried beans is significantly less than a can of beans! Additionally, when you cook the beans yourself, you can add your own flavors to them and control the amount of salt in there - some cans can be quite high in sodium.

If cooking your own beans has presented itself as a Pesky Protein, then try whipping out your Instant Pot and making some amazing beans to use as part of your Live to Cook one month challenge! Get the challenge by signing up to my newsletter, and be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see how you’ve used the beans cooked in the Instant Pot!

To watch the complete method and comparison of soaked versus unsoaked beans for some of the beans listed here, be sure to watch the video! If you’re not already, please subscribe to my YouTube channel! I love to share these experiment videos giving a full breakdown in real time to compare and contrast differences in cooking techniques while providing tips and tricks to give you the best results. Let’s get cooking!

Eight white bowls with blue rims filled with various cooked beans including black-eyed peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, and black beans.

How to Prepare the Best Instant Pot Dried Beans

Let’s review the two methods of cooking the best Instant Pot dried beans - you can either soak them or add them directly in your Instant Pot.

Method 1: Pre-soaked Beans

To prepare the beans, soak the beans for 4-6 hours in a bowl with enough water to cover the beans.
Rinse the beans and add to the instant pot with salt, clove and water.
Close the lid of the Instant Pot and select Pressure Cook mode, on High. Cook for the designated time as described in the table in the next section.
Let the pressure release naturally and your beans are ready to use in your favorite recipes!

The best part of this method is the active cooking time is much lesser, close to 15-20 minutes after taking into account the time for the pressure to naturally release. In the case of beans that have not been soaked, the cooking time significantly increases and it can take up to 3 times more time to finish cooking the beans.

Method 2: Un-soaked Beans

To prepare the beans, rinse the beans and add to the instant pot with salt, clove and water.
Close the lid of the Instant Pot and select Pressure Cook mode. Cook for the designated time as in the table above.
Let the pressure release naturally and use the beans as needed.

If you forgot to soak your beans the night before or the morning of, this will be a life saver. One thing to note is that I have noticed that the quality of the beans once cooked from dried is not exactly the same as when they are pre-soaked. Flavor wise, I cannot complain.

Cooking Guide for Preparing Instant Pot Dried Beans

Here is a list of my most frequently used beans and lentils, which you will find in many recipes on this website.

The Legume Index

Pressure Cooker Timing & Methodology

The Legume Index — Pressure Cooker Timing & Methodology
Bean / Lentil	Dried	Soaked(4-6 HRS)	Preference
Black Turtle Beans	20-25m	5-7m	Dried
Black-eyed Peas (Lobia)	20m	9m	Soaked
Chickpeas (Chole)	40-45m	15m	Soaked
Red Kidney Beans (Rajma)	20m	6m	Soaked
Brown Lentils (Sabut Masoor)	12-15m	7m	Dried
Yellow Split Gram (Chana Dal)	10-12m	7m	Dried
Black Lentils (Sabut Urad)	Not Recommended	7m	Soaked
Pinto Beans	30m	6m	Soaked

Anadi's Pro-Tip

While pressure cooking from dried is a massive time-saver, soaking larger beans like Chickpeas or Rajma for at least 4 hours improves texture and digestion. For dals, go straight from the pantry to the pot.

Cooking Instant Pot Dried Beans

Let’s get into some example for cooking our favourite beans in the Instant Pot! Here are brief step by step photos showing you how to cook the beans and what you should look for.

Black Turtle Beans

Here I’ve soaked my black beans for about 4 hours. Drain the beans, and add them to the Instant Pot. I’m going to select Pressure Cook mode for 7 minutes. For this bean and the remaining beans and lentils, set the pressure to High.

Soaked black beans draining in a metal colander filled with water.

Soaked black beans drained in a white bowl before pressure cooking in an Instant Pot.

Additionally, for all beans and lentils, ensure that your Instant Pot is on Sealing mode and not Venting!

When the timer has run out, allow the pressure to release naturally.

Here is how the beans look cooked. They are still firm and are holding their shape.

Cooked red kidney beans in a white slotted spoon held over an Instant Pot, beans firm and holding their shape.

Red Kidney Beans/Rajma

Red kidney beans comparison: soaked 6 hours on left, dried on right, both cooked in Instant Pot until firm and holding shape.

Here I soaked my red kidney beans for 6 hours. Then, I drained the water and added the kidney beans to the Instant Pot, and added a clove and salt. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on High, and cook for 6 minutes.

Cooked red kidney beans in white bowl with water being poured over them.

Red kidney beans being poured into an Instant Pot with water and spices during preparation.

Let the pressure release naturally. Here is how the red kidney beans should look cooked.

Cooked red kidney beans in a stainless steel pot inside an Instant Pot, showing tender beans in broth.

For unsoaked, add the red kidney beans directly to the Instant Pot with water, salt and a clove.

Cooked red kidney beans in a measuring cup after natural pressure release in Instant Pot.

Cooked red kidney beans in an Instant Pot with water after natural pressure release.

Pressure cook on High for 20 minutes.

Instant Pot Duo Plus display showing 00:20 high pressure cooking time for dried beans.

After the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally. There is not much difference in terms of texture and taste between soaking and not soaking.

Red kidney beans being scooped from an Instant Pot with a strainer during cooking process.

Black Eyed Peas/Lobia

Black-eyed peas comparison: soaked 6 hours versus dried, displayed in individual bowls showing texture differences.

Let’s begin with the soaked method. The black eyed peas have been soaked for 6 hours. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on High mode for 9 minutes. When the timer runs out, allow the pressure to release. Here is how the black eyed peas should look when they are cooked. The beans are still holding their shape, but they are soft.

Soaked black eyed peas in an Instant Pot before pressure cooking on high for 9 minutes.

Soaked black eyed peas being lifted in a strainer from boiling water in an Instant Pot.

For unsoaked, add them directly to the Instant Pot. Add salt and a clove.

Soaked black eyed peas in a measuring cup placed in an Instant Pot filled with water, ready for pressure cooking.

Instant Pot filled with soaked black eyed peas and water, ready for pressure cooking.

Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on High mode for 20 minutes.

Instant Pot Duo Plus display showing 20 minutes pressure cook time on high setting for dried beans.

When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally.

Cooked chickpeas in a metal strainer held over a pot of water, showing tender beans with dark skins.

Chickpeas/Chole

Soaked chickpeas versus dried chickpeas comparison in bowls on wooden surface showing texture difference.

Here I did not soak my chickpeas, and added them directly to the Instant Pot. I added water, a clove and salt to cook with the beans. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on High mode for 40 minutes.

Cooked chickpeas in a measuring cup being held over a pot of water in an Instant Pot.

Cooked chickpeas in an Instant Pot after pressure cooking, showing tender, fully cooked beans with cooking liquid.

When the timer runs out, allow the pressure to release. Here is how the chickpeas should look when they are cooked.

Cooked chickpeas being strained in a colander over a pot of water, showing tender, fully cooked beans.

For soaking the chickpeas, allow them to soak for 6 hours. Drain the water and add them to the Instant Pot with salt and a clove.

Cooked chickpeas in broth in a white bowl after pressure cooking in an Instant Pot.

Cooked chickpeas in Instant Pot inner pot, tender and fully softened after pressure cooking.

Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on High, and cook for 15 minutes.

Instant Pot Duo Plus display showing 00:15 pressure cook timer on high setting for dried beans.

When the timer runs out, allow the pressure to release. These look significantly better than adding them dry to the Instant Pot.

Cooked chickpeas being strained in a colander over a pot of water.

Pinto Beans

Here I did not soak my pinto beans. Then, I drained the water and added the pinto beans to the Instant Pot.

Unsoaked pinto beans in a measuring cup being added to an Instant Pot filled with water.

Unsoaked pinto beans in the inner pot of an Instant Pot before cooking.

Unsoaked pinto beans in water inside an Instant Pot before pressure cooking.

Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on High mode for 30 minutes.

Instant Pot Duo Plus set to high pressure cook for 30 minutes to prepare pinto beans.

Let the pressure release naturally.

Cooked pinto beans being transferred with a slotted spoon from an Instant Pot.

For soaking the pinto beans, allow them to soak for 6 hours. Drain the water and add them to the Instant Pot with salt and a clove.

Cooked pinto beans in broth in a white bowl after natural pressure release.

Soaked pinto beans in the bottom of an Instant Pot before pressure cooking.

Soaked pinto beans in an Instant Pot before pressure cooking.

Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on High mode for 9 minutes.

Instant Pot Duo Plus displaying 9 minutes on high pressure setting for cooking pinto beans.

Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Cooked pinto beans in a strainer basket inside an Instant Pot after pressure cooking.

Cooking Instant Pot Lentils

Now on to making some lentils! The idea is the exact same as the beans!

Brown Lentils/Sabut Masoor Dal

Here, I have soaked my lentils for 15 minutes.

Soaked brown lentils in a stainless steel pot, ready for cooking in the Instant Pot.

Brown lentils soaking in water in an Instant Pot with visible bubbles rising from the liquid.

I was making these lentils for a traditional Masoor Dal recipe. Because this dish is entirely cooked in the Instant Pot, I first made the base gravy, then added in the drained lentils to the Instant Pot.

Soaked lentils in orange spiced gravy in an Instant Pot before pressure cooking.

I seasoned everything with salt and mixed well.

Seasoned lentil gravy in Instant Pot before pressure cooking, with wooden spoon stirring orange-brown dal mixture.

Instant Pot Duo Plus display showing 00:12 minutes set on High pressure for cooking lentils.

Close the Instant Pot lid and select Pressure Cook on High. Set the time for 12 minutes.

After the pressure released naturally, here’s how the lentils turned out, this is in fact the whole dish for Masoor dal! You can see that the lentils are soft without being mushy and they still hold their shape.

Cooked red lentils in an Instant Pot after pressure cooking, showing soft, broken-down lentils in broth.

Wooden spoon lifting cooked red lentils from a pot of creamy dal curry.

Black Lentils/Sabut Urad Dal

Here I have the black lentils and red kidney beans soaked together to be used for my Instant Pot Dal Makhani recipe. Add the lentils and the kidney beans to the Instant Pot. Select Pressure Cook on High and set the time for 45 minutes.

Black lentils and red kidney beans soaked together in a stainless steel pot with bay leaf.

Instant Pot Duo Plus displaying 45 minutes remaining on timer during pressure cooking cycle for dal makhani.

Let the pressure release naturally. Here is how the lentils and the beans will look after cooking. A great dal makhani has lentils and kidney beans that literally melt in your mouth. I like to overcook the beans just to get the delicious creamy texture.

Cooked black lentils and red kidney beans in broth inside an Instant Pot after natural pressure release.

Cooked black lentils and red kidney beans being strained in a slotted spoon over an Instant Pot.

Green Lentils

Here I did not soak the lentils, and I added the dry lentils directly to the Instant Pot. I’ve seasoned the lentils with some salt to add flavour. Select Pressure Cook on High for 9 minutes.

Cooked lentils in a red measuring cup, showing soft, intact lentils that hold their shape.

Instant Pot Duo Plus display showing 9 minutes cooking time on low pressure for cooking green lentils.

Here is how the lentils look cooked. You can see that they held their shape, but they are still soft enough that you can press on them and they will break down.

Cooked lentils being strained in a white colander over a pot of cooking liquid.

Cooked lentils in broth, soft and intact, ready to serve or store.

Storing Tips & Tricks

If you are preparing the beans in advance, I like to separate the beans from the cooking water. The water is full of flavour and can be used to prepare curries, soups.
Store the beans in a container for up to 5 days with a bit of the cooking water. The cooking water can be stored in a bowl or bottle of water. I tend to do this when I am planning to use the water for rajma masala or chickpea curry.

Seven white bowls with blue trim containing cooked beans in various colors lined up on a wooden surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to soak dried beans before pressure cooking?▼

Not necessarily — this recipe gives you both options. Soaking the beans for 4 to 6 hours first shortens the cook time and can make them a little easier to digest, but you can also cook them straight from dry; un-soaked beans just need a longer time in the pot.

What is the bean-to-water ratio for Instant Pot beans?▼

I use about half a cup of dried beans to 3 cups of water — roughly a 1-to-6 ratio. That's plenty of room for the beans to expand and cook evenly under pressure.

Should I salt the beans while they cook?▼

Yes — go ahead and add salt right in the pot along with a bay leaf and a clove for a gentle background flavour. Seasoning as they cook gives you beans that taste good all the way through rather than bland in the middle.

Instant Pot black eyed pea curry served over white rice, garnished with cilantro and green onions.

Indian

Instant Pot Indian Black Eyed Pea Curry (Lobia Masala)

Lobia Masala made easy in the Instant Pot! This hearty Indian black eyed pea curry is packed with bold spices, totally vegetarian, and ready in one pot for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

29 minMedium4 servings

How to Prepare the Best Instant Pot Dried Beans