Instant Pot White Beans are a creamy, delicious meal, high in fiber and protein. Using dried beans is affordable, and with a pressure cooker, no soaking is necessary. We’ll show you how to make white beans in the Instant Pot for an easy make-ahead dinner or for meal prep!
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Why We Love Instant Pot White Beans
- Quick and effortless meal prep.
We love making this Instant Pot White Beans no soak recipe because it saves so much time! No need to soak the beans overnight or even for a few hours. Just put them in the pot and let the pressure cooker do its job. - Healthier than canned varieties.
Making your own beans is a great way to avoid the preservatives in canned beans.
Canned beans are often high in sodium, but when you make them yourself, you can control the ingredients and make them healthier. Plus, they’ll taste better than the store-bought variety! - Budget-friendly.
A pound of dried white beans costs less than $2.00 at most stores. That’s enough to make a large batch that will last for 2-3 meals.
The best thing about beans is they are high in plant-based protein and fiber, which makes them really filling. So, making dried beans is an affordable way to get healthy nutrients and plant based protein in your diet.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Dried white beans – I used Cannellini but there are several types, including, Navy, and butterbeans (also known as Lima). There’s another type of white bean that we also have a recipe for: Instant Pot Great Northern beans.
- Salt – you can also omit or reduce the amount of salt if desired.
- Liquid – We used a combination of hot water and chicken broth. But you can also use just plain water or vegetable broth.
If you like this Instant Pot white beans recipe, you may also like our recipes for Instant Pot Lima Bean and Ham Soup, Instant Pot Calico Beans, and Instant Pot Pinto Beans.
Tips for Cooking White Beans in the Instant Pot
Add the ingredients together. Put the dried beans in the Instant Pot liner.
Pour the broth and water over them. If you want to cook faster, use hot water and broth.
Pressure cook the white beans.
Twist to lock the lid, and turn or press the pressure lever if needed. Then set it to high pressure for 25 minutes.
When the timer goes off, let it naturally release for 20 minutes. Do not touch the pot during this time.
After 20 minutes, you can release the pressure quickly by twisting or pressing the pressure lever/quick release button.
Ready to Serve. Carefully remove the pot liner using a pot holder and drain the beans into a colander. Then rinse the beans until the water runs clear. Serve the beans right away or store them in the refrigerator or freezer for later.
Recipe Variations
- Use water only instead of chicken broth for a vegetarian version.
- Include some aromatics – A few cloves of garlic, diced onion, bay leaf, or herbs like rosemary will add extra flavor.
- For a creamier texture, mash some of the beans before serving.
- For firm beans, shorten the natural pressure release time to 15 minutes. For softer beans, use a 25-minute natural pressure release.
How to Serve Instant Pot White Beans
There are so many ways to enjoy these white beans in Instant Pot! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Serve them as a side dish for chicken or fish.
- Stir in some diced tomatoes and serve over rice.
- Add the beans to your favorite soup or chili recipe.
- Make a white bean dip by mashing them with a little olive oil, garlic, and salt. Serve with crackers or raw veggies.
- Use them in this slow cooker mixed beans recipe.
- Make a batch of white bean breakfast burritos and freeze them for busy mornings.
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
When ready to use, reheat them on the stove over low heat until warmed through. Add a little water or broth to moisten them if needed.
Freezing Cooked White Beans
You can freeze pressure cooked white beans for up to six months. Place them in a freezer-safe bag (squeeze out excess air) or container and label with the date. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat using the same instructions above.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
If you plan on freezing these white beans, I suggest cooking them without any salt or other seasonings. That way, you can add fresh seasonings when you reheat them. This will help them taste fresher.
Instant Pot White Beans FAQ
The ratio of beans to water for the Instant Pot is typically one pound to six cups, depending on if you are making soup or just beans. So, for every cup of dried beans, you’ll need six cups of water, broth, or a mixture.
No, you don’t need to pre soak the beans before cooking them in an electric pressure cooker. Just add them to the pot with the liquid and cook according to the recipe instructions.
There is no definitive answer to this question. Some people believe that pressure cooking beans remove lectins, while others believe that it doesn’t make a difference. If you are concerned about lectins, you may want to soak your beans overnight before cooking them in the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot White Beans
Equipment
- colander
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried white beans Cannellini, navy, butter or Lima
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups hot water (preheating your liquid saves time)
- 3 cups hot chicken broth or equal amount of water
Instructions
- Rinse and pick through your beans, removing any shriveled beans or rocks. Place the dry beans in the Instant Pot liner, then add the salt, broth, and water. Using hot water and broth helps bring the pot to pressure faster, reducing your cooking time.
- Twist on the pressure cooker lid, turn or press pressure lever (if needed), and set on high pressure for 25 minutes. Add 10 minutes for large beans like great northern beans. When done, allow a 20 minute natural pressure release (leave pot undisturbed), then do a quick release my twisting or pressing the pressure lever/button.
- Using pot holders, carefully remove the pot liner and drain the beans into a colander. Rinse the beans until the water runs clear. Serve the beans or store in the refrigerator or freezer for later (see notes below).
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