Perfect Instant Pot Pinto Beans (Soaked or Unsoaked)

Perfect Instant Pot pinto beans are a snap to make with the Instant Pot! These beans are excellent in tacos, on nachos, in a taco bowl, or anywhere else you would use beans with a Mexican flavor. I love beans, but they used to require quite a bit of time. I would make a big batch and freeze them so that I could have them on hand when wanted, but now I make smaller batches in my Instant Pot because they are so quick and easy to make. A bonus is I have more space in my freezer!

The Instant Pot can make beans from dry to done in about an hour! I still like to soak my beans, however. We in the traditional foods camp, believe in soaking, souring, or sprouting our grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes whenever possible to release their phytates. Phytates are what keep these foods from sprouting too soon, before conditions are just right. These phytates bind up some of the minerals in these nutritious foods, saving them for when the seed (whether grain, nut, legume) needs them. So, to get the most nutrition out of your grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts, you should soak, sprout, or sour them. A very important side benefit of this is that these items are much easier on the digestion. With so many people having digestion issues these days, this is a benefit that shouldn’t be ignored. 

With all that said above, sometimes you may fall behind on your meal planning (it happens to the best of us). On those occasions, I feel it is perfectly fine to cook your beans from dry to ready in one hour. I have included both soaked and un-soaked versions here for you.

Perfect Instant Pot Pinto Beans (soaked version)

• 2 cups of dried pinto beans (one pound)
• 2 teaspoons of salt (1 for cooking and one for soaking)
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1/2 onions, sliced in wedges
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 4 cups chicken bone broth, or vegetable broth (can use water instead)
• filtered water for soaking

Directions for perfect Instant Pot pinto beans (soaked version):

1. First, put your dried beans in the Instant Pot. Add 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover with the glass lid or a towel and leave overnight or at least 8 hours.
2. Next, drain your beans. Add you broth, avocado oil, salt, oregano, cumin, and onion wedges. 
3. Put the lid on your Instant Pot and set on high pressure for 15 minutes.
4. Finally, when the Instant Pot is done, let the pressure release naturally for about 20 minutes. Then, release any leftover pressure with a quick release. 
5. Taste beans to see if they need more salt and adjust if necessary.

Perfect Pinto Beans (un-soaked version):

1. First, put your dried beans in the Instant Pot. 
2. Add you broth, avocado oil, 1 teaspoon salt, oregano, cumin, and onion wedges. 
3. Put the lid on your Instant Pot and set on high pressure for 25 minutes.
4. Finally, when the Instant Pot is done, let the pressure release naturally for about 30 minutes. Then, release any leftover pressure with a quick release. 
5. Taste beans to see if they need more salt and adjust if necessary.