Instant Pot Black Beans {and Freeze Them for Later}
Dried beans are the best value in the grocery store. For a few pennies, you can get enough beans to last for months. But how can you cook them all at once? What do you do with them after they are cooked? Freezing black beans is a great way to preserve this important source of protein.
Cooking black beans in the instant pot is a game-changer. They take less than five minutes to prepare, and the instant pot does the rest. There is no soaking and only one pot to wash. You can cook the entire pound of dried beans and freeze whatever you don’t need that day for later use.
What you Need
- Black Beans: Dried black beans only cost $2 for a whole pound. A pound of beans will produce 6-7 cups of cooked beans, so if you use two cups per recipe, you can make three meals from one pound of beans. The equivalent of canned beans would cost around $4, so they are half the price.
- Onion: We add diced yellow or white onion to give the beans more flavor.
- Garlic: Garlic adds a nice flavor to the beans, and most recipes that call for beans require garlic, too.
- Green Chilies: Canned green chilies add more flavor to the beans. These chilies are not spicy hot. If you don’t have canned green chilies, use previously roasted, frozen mild chilies like poblano or guajillo.
- Bay leaf: Dried bay leaf is an easy way to add more flavor to the beans.
- Salt and Pepper: Add a generous amount of kosher salt and a bit of cracked black pepper to season them.
How to Cook Them
Rinse the beans well. Carefully inspect them for debris. It’s not uncommon to find small pebbles, sticks and more in the package.
Chop the onion and garlic.
Add the onions, garlic, chilies, bay leaf, salt and pepper to the instant pot.
Add water.
Seal the vent of the pressure cooker. Set the cook the high pressure and cook them for 40 minutes. Once the time is done, allow the pressure to release naturally, (leave the pot alone) for 10 minutes. Release the rest of the pressure manually and allow them to cool.
The beans can also be cooked on the stovetop or in your crockpot.
Freezing Black Beans
Once the beans have cooled a bit, fashion a freezer bag over a large cup. Use a dry measuring cup to scoop the beans into the bags. With the measuring cup, you will know how much is in each bag. Don’t drain the cooking liquid from the beans. You won’t use it all, but you want some of it to protect them from freezer burn.
Beans can also be vacuum-packed, which will prolong their shelf life further.
Freeze beans in an airtight container, also. They can be stored in mason jars, but fill the jars with your desired amount and freeze them for at least a few hours without the lid. This will eliminate the jars breaking. Screw on the lid and band after they’ve frozen.
Label the bags with the contents, the date and the quantity.
Pro Tips
- Since the beans will likely be cooked again in your next recipe, undercook them slightly. They have a smaller tendency to become crushed or mashed.
- Soak your beans if you have difficulty digesting them. Soaking will cut some of the gas they produce and help with digestive issues.
- If you know you’re using them for Mexican-flavored dishes, add cumin and coriander. You can even add chili powder for a bit of a kick.
How to Thaw and Heat Frozen Beans
If you are cooking the beans in chili or soups, there is no need to thaw them. Just pop them into the pot where you are making the soup.
If you’d like to use the beans fresh for salads or salsa, you will want to cook them a little more if you originally undercooked them. Place them in a pan. Add a few tablespoons of water. Cover the pot and heat on low for long enough to soften the beans to your liking.
If you didn’t undercook the beans, thaw a package in the refrigerator overnight and use them fresh.
How to Use the Beans
- Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet Dinner
- Southwestern Salad
- Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salsa
- Refried Beans
- Venison Chili
- Chili for a Crowd
- Taco Bar
- Chili Bar
- Mexican Turkey Soup
More Recipes for Preserving Beans
Making instant pot black beans couldn’t be easier. It’s a great way to save money, and freezing black beans is a perfect meal prep recipe that will save you lots of time in the future. Give it a try today!
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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today.
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Instant pot Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black beans about 2¼ cups
- 1 can diced green chilies
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 6½ cups water
Instructions
- Rinse and sort beans removing any foreign pieces.1 pound dried black beans
- Chop vegetables.1 can diced green chilies, 1 onion, diced, 2 cloves garlic
- Add beans, vegetables and spices to Instant pot.1 bay leaf, 2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Pepper, 6½ cups water
- Add water or use chicken, vegetable or beef broth.
- Set instant pot to pressure cook on high pressure. Set timer for 40 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle is done, allow the pressure cooker to slow release for about 10 minutes. (Leave the cooker alone). Once the float valve depresses, release additional pressure manually.
- See below for serving suggestions.
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