Make lovely cumin-scented, Cuban inspired Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice in a fraction of the time of traditional methods! One of the best black bean recipes you'll make in your Instant Pot.
What Makes This Pressure Cooker Black Beans and Rice Recipe Incredible?
- Quick. This dish is a spin on a Cuban Moros y Cristianos recipe done in a fraction of the time. It's simplified for #ruthlessefficiency, but still comes out with all the flavors you'd expect from the dish.
- Flavor. This is one of those dishes that literally explodes with flavors in your mouth. You can't have Cuban-inspired cooking without crazy good flavors!
- Simple. Besides soaking the beans and a quick one-minute saute, this is a very simple pour and cook recipe. Perfect for any day of the week.
- Vegetarian. Meatless Monday? Vegetarian family member coming to visit? This recipe is perfect. It's meat-free, but still packs plenty of protein from the black beans and will leave your guests full. If you want to add meat to this, you could always serve it with my Instant Pot Pulled Pork Carnitas for a little Cuban/Mexican fusion!
How Do You Make Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice?
- Heat. Turn the Instapot on SAUTÉ HIGH. Add oil.
- Saute. When the oil heats, add onions, garlic, green pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté for 1 minute to soften vegetables.
- Spices. Add cumin, oregano salt, tomato paste, and bay leaves.
- Rice and Beans. Add brown rice, black beans, and water and stir.
- Pressure Cook. Press CANCEL to turn off Sauté. Press PRESSURE COOK and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 35 minutes.
- Finish. Garnish with cilantro, if using, and serve.
Why Does This Beans and Rice Recipe Use Brown Rice?
A traditional Cuban Black Beans and Rice recipe actually cooks the rice and the beans separately so that the rice is white and the beans are black. But since I can be a bit of a lazy cook, I adapted the recipe with brown rice.
- Cooking time. To cook black bean recipes properly in this Instant Pot recipe, you need at least thirty minutes. White rice only takes about four minutes at high pressure to cook, so it would be impossible to cook them together at the same time.
- Less steps. I wanted to cook this in one step instead of two, I mixed them together in my Instant Pot, used brown rice instead of white, and came up with this lovely Cuban black beans recipe that's my signature lazy/efficient way of cooking.
Tips and Tricks For Cooking Instant Pot Black Beans
Soaking. Soak these beans in hot water for an hour before cooking to get them done quickly.
Pressure Cooking. Using the Instant Pot cuts down on HOURS of cooking time versus traditional stovetop cooking methods.
Liquid. Having the right ratio of liquid helps these cook correctly in a fraction of the time without being under-cooked or over-cooked.
Absolutely! I love cooking beans and even rice in my Instant Pot. Cooking beans or lentils at high pressure infuses flavor like no other cooking style can, and cooks at a fraction of the time.
Check out this post on how to make lentils and beans in a pressure cooker.
It depends on the type of bean, and how much you're cooking at once. Every bean cooks differently and needs different ratios and cook times for the Instant Pot.
Tips and Tricks for Making Pressure Cooker Black Beans and Rice
- Scared of the heat? Eliminate the jalapeno, or reduce the amount used for less spice.
- If you don't have time to soak the black beans overnight, simply soak them for an hour in hot water before cooking.
- Don't forget to remove the bay leaves at the end of pressure cooking. They're good for infusing flavor, but not so much for eating.
Want more Instant Pot Beans Recipes?
- Instant Pot Pinto Beans - the easiest recipe you will LOVE.
- Pressure Cooker Baked Beans - if you've never made your own, you need to start!
- Instant Pot Refried Beans - so easy to make and SO much better than canned.
- Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice - make these at the same time in your pressure cooker and you'll never make it another way again.
Whether you're new to Cuban-inspired food, or this is your first time, you're going to fall in love with this Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice recipe! It's the perfect side dish, or meatless main course. Don't forget to pin it on Pinterest or share it on Facebook so you don't lose the recipe.
★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below! Just click on the stars in the recipe card to rate. Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup Onion, chopped
- 1 cup Bell Peppers, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 2 tablespoons Ground Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 cup dried black beans, soaked overnight, or for an hour in hot water
- 1 cup Brown Rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 3/4 cups Water
- 1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped (optional)
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper, minced
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on SAUTÉ HIGH. Add oil.
- When the oil heats, add onions, garlic, green pepper, and jalapeño. Sauté for 1 minute to soften vegetables.
- Add cumin, oregano salt, tomato paste, and bay leaves.
- Add brown rice, beans, and water and stir.
- Press CANCEL to turn off Sauté. Press PRESSURE COOK and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 35 minutes.
- Allow the pot to release pressure naturally. Do not rush this as you need time for the beans and rice to absorb any remaining water.
- Garnish with cilantro, if using, and serve.
Watch The Video
- Scared of the heat? Eliminate the jalapeno, or reduce the amount used for less spice.
- If you don't have time to soak the black beans overnight, simply soak them for an hour in hot water before cooking.
- Don't forget to remove the bay leaves at the end of pressure cooking. They're good for infusing flavor, but not so much for eating.
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Don't forget to check out my other Best-selling Instant Pot Cookbooks!
Indian Instant Pot, Keto Instant Pot, Instant Pot Fast and Easy, Healthy Instant Pot & Vegetarian Instant Pot.
Kanthi
This is delicious. I’ve made it a few times now.
The wait time is long but the cooking time is short and I don’t have to watch the stove while I am waiting.
TwoSleevers
It's always hard waiting when you know how great the food will be! Glad you enjoyed it.