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These Instant Pot Pinto beans use a simple and easy no-soak recipe for cooking dried pinto beans with bacon in your pressure cooker. So delish, you’ll forget they are a healthy dinner loaded with protein and fiber.
Cooking Pinto Beans Without Soaking
Making the best and no soak Instant Pot Pinto Beans from dried beans is about as close to “instant” as it gets.
This quick and easy no soak pinto beans recipe in Instant Pot and these delicious and tasty beans will become a regular meal in your household.
Not only are pinto beans delicious, but they are also an incredibly healthful dish, too. Pinto Beans are high in plant-based proteins and are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
If you are like me, you have a few bags of dried beans in the pantry. Well, get them out and cook them tonight with this pressure cooker pinto beans recipe.
Just do a quick sauté with the bacon, onions, jalapeño, garlic, and spices. Then dump the beans and liquids and press start. That’s it!
But, I usually do a quick soak method right in the Instant Pot. It’s easy to do (nothing extra to clean!) and takes an hour.
While the beans are soaking, I get the rest of the ingredients together.
My Instant Pot Quick Soak Method
Here is how to do an Instant Pot quick soak method for dry beans in just 3 easy steps:
- Add dry beans and 6 cups of water to the Instant Pot.
- Press the “sauté” button until the screen shows “more.” There are three settings to the sauté mode: less, normal, and more.
- Bring the beans and water to a boil (it takes less than 5 minutes in my pot). Then press “cancel” and rest the lid or a plate on the top of the pot for an hour.
New to Instant Pot Cooking?
If you are new to Instant Pot cooking, read my Instant Pot Basics here. It covers how to safely use the Instant Pot and things you should know about pressure cooking. Then read this post on tips and hacks for the Instant Pot.
Ingredients For Instant Pot Pinto Beans No Soak Recipe
- Dried pinto beans
- Bacon
- Onion
- Jalapeno pepper
- Garlic
- Seasonings – oregano, chili powder, salt, and ground cumin
- Chicken broth
- Water
- Lime juice
- Cilantro
Equipment Needed
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How to Cook Dried Pinto Beans in the Instant Pot
Sauté the ingredients. First, sauté the bacon until the fat is rendered, for about 3 minutes. Add the onions, peppers, garlic, and spices. Cook for a few minutes, until the onions are translucent.
Pressure cook the Pinto beans. Add the dried pinto beans then pour in the broth to deglaze the Instant Pot, then add the water. Secure the lid, seal the pot, and set the pressure cycle.
After the pressure cycle has been completed, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Finish with a quick release by carefully turning the lever to release the pressure.
Ready to serve. Stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro just before serving.
Variations for this No Soak Pinto Beans Recipe
- Pinto Beans with Ham Hocks. Add a smoked ham hock to the Instant Pot, and pressure cook it with the beans.
- Pinto Beans with Salt Pork. Instead of bacon, use diced salt pork in its place.
- Pinto Beans with Sausage. Add a link or two to your favorite sausage to the Instant Pot.
- Vegetarian Instant Pot Pinto Beans. Make this a vegetarian Instant Pot pinto beans recipe by omitting the bacon and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. You can also add extra veggies, such as diced carrots or celery.
How to Serve Instant Pot Pinto Beans with Bacon
- Serve the beans on their own as a side dish or main course.
- Add them to rice for a complete meal.
- Top them with crumbled Cotija or shredded cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips, sliced jalapeno peppers, diced avocado, diced tomatoes and onions, salsa, and sour cream.
- Use them as a filling for burritos or tacos.
- Make them into Instant Pot refried beans.
If you love Bean Recipes, We Have More for you
Beans are a great source of protein and fiber and are very filling. They are also a relatively frugal budget-friendly way to add healthy nutrients to your diet.
Plus, there are so many different kinds of beans (and ways to cook them!) that you can never get bored with them!
That’s why I made a good list of recipes for you. You should try our healthy Tuscan bean salad. For a zestier meal, try our stovetop chili con carne.
For more Instant Pot goodness, our Instant Pot white beans, Instant Pot navy bean soup, Instant Pot lima beans & ham soup, and Instant Pot calico beans are all great options.
You may also want to try our slow cooker calico beans or our cowboy salad with black beans.
Pinto beans Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instruction
Pinto beans can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. I like to store them in a covered container so that they don’t dry out.
Pinto beans can also be frozen for up to six months. When you are ready to eat them, defrost the beans in the fridge overnight and then reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave.
If you want to freeze the Instant Pot pinto beans, do not add the lime juice or cilantro. These can be added after the beans have been reheated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Soak the beans overnight or use the quick soak method. Follow steps 2-3 in the recipe directions below, using a large stockpot instead of the Instant Pot. Simmer the pinto beans on the stovetop for 4-5 hours.
No, you can pressure cook the dry beans.
You can easily make this a vegan-friendly recipe by subbing bacon with oil to cook the onions and garlic, and using vegetable stock instead of chicken broth.
Yes, you can substitute ham hock or salt pork for the bacon in this recipe.
I do a quick soak in the Instant Pot, which is described in the recipe, because the beans are more likely to stay whole. I have had the beans split when I pressure cooked them without soaking. It is just cosmetic and does not affect the taste.
Get the Best Pressure Cooker Pinto Beans Recipe Here
Ultimate Instant Pot Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried beans
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper membranes and seeds removed, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3 cups chicken broth hot
- 3 cups water hot
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (juice of 1/2 lime)
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Set pressure cooker to sauté, add the bacon. Sauté bacon until the fat has rendered, about 3 minutes.
- Add onions, jalapeño, garlic, and spices and sauce with bacon until the onions are translucent. Preheat the broth and water (I use a microwave) to speed up the cooking time. Add beans to the pot. Press cancel, add lid, seal pressure lever, and set machine on high pressure for 25 minutes for presoaked beans and 45 minutes for dried, non-soaked beans.
- Allow pressure cooker to naturally release for 10 minutes, then initiate a quick release. To thicken the beans, cook on sauté with lid off until desired thickness, stirring occasionally.
- Add lime juice and cilantro before serving. Top with favorite garnishes and serve.
Your instructions don’t actually say to add the beans. Anyone who cooks can figure it out but I think you should add it anyway.
Shari, thank you for bringing that to my attention. I have updated the recipe to fix that omission.