Making Instant Pot cannellini beans is the easiest way to enjoy a creamy, protein-packed meal without the hassle of soaking! Using dried beans is not only affordable but also allows you to control the texture and flavor, creating a dish that’s far superior to canned beans. With the Instant Pot, you can cook white beans from scratch in a fraction of the time, making them perfect for meal prep, soups, stews, or as a hearty side dish.
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Cooking cannellini beans Instant Pot is the easiest way to achieve perfect tenderness without the need to soak overnight. These pressure cooker white beans allow you to prepare a batch that is tender and creamy with minimal effort, making it a go-to recipe for anyone looking for a healthy, high-fiber addition to their meals.
One of the best things about this is their high plant-based protein and fiber content, which makes them incredibly filling and nutritious. Plus, they can be used in a variety of dishes, from soups and stews to salads and grain bowls.
Whether you’re meal prepping, making a hearty side dish, or preparing a protein-packed vegetarian meal, knowing how to cook pressure cooker white beans will save you time and give you consistently delicious results every time!
Why We Love This Cannellini Beans Instant Pot Recipe
- Quick and effortless meal prep.
We love making this no soak recipe because it saves so much time! No need to soak 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 beans is a great way to avoid the preservatives in canned.
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.
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 great northern beans in Instant Pot.
- 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.
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 it before serving.
- For firm beans, shorten the natural pressure release time to 15 minutes. For softer beans, use a 25-minute natural pressure release.
If you like this cannellini bean recipe, you may also like our recipes for pressure cook lima beans and instant pot pinto beans and ham.
How to Make Pressure Cooker White Beans
- 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 them into a colander. Then rinse until the water runs clear. Serve it right away or store it in the refrigerator or freezer for later.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to enjoy these Instant Pot cannellini beans, making them a versatile staple for any meal! Serve them as a simple side dish for chicken or fish, seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a sprinkle of black pepper and fresh rosemary for extra flavor.
For a heartier dish, stir in diced tomatoes and serve over rice with a dash of red pepper flakes for a touch of heat. These tender beans are also perfect for adding to your favorite soups, stews, or a quick stovetop chili. If you’re looking for a creamy appetizer, mash them with olive oil, garlic, and salt to create a flavorful white bean dip—perfect for serving with crackers or raw veggies.
For a protein-packed meal, mix them into Crockpot calico beans, or swap them for black beans or navy beans in your favorite recipes. And if you love meal prepping, use them to make white bean breakfast burritos, then freeze them for busy mornings. However you choose to enjoy these cannellini beans Instant Pot, they’re sure to be a delicious and nutritious addition to your meals!
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
If you plan on freezing this, 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.
Recipe FAQs
It is typically one pound to six cups, depending on if you are making soup or just plain. 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 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 removes lectins, while others believe that it doesn’t make a difference. If you are concerned about lectins, you may want to soak it overnight before cooking them in the Instant Pot.
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.
You can freeze it for up to six months. Place them in a freezer-safe bag (squeeze out excess air) or container and label them with the date. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat using the same instructions above.
More Easy Sides To Love…
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Instant Pot Cannellini Beans
Equipment
- Instant Pot (or any electric pressure cooker)
- 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).
Dannii says
I am always looking for new ways to use my instant pot and this was perfect. The beans were delicious and great for meal prep.
Ieva says
Quick and easy! I love cooking beans in an instant pot. We made a large batch, and already made a bean salad and veggie fajitas! I am looking forward to trying them in more recipes this week.
Saif says
I love white beans. I used it in most of my Middle Eastern and Asian cooking. Thanks for sharing the tip of how to cook it.
Anjali says
Cooking these white beans in the instant pot turned out so much better than the canned version! They were a great addition to a white bean soup I made for dinner today!