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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice

    Published: Jan 20, 2021 · Modified: Jan 20, 2021 by Cassidy Reeser · This post may contain affiliate links.

    40.7K shares
    • 356
    jump to recipe

    This healthy instant pot recipe is made with brown rice and dry black beans in just an hour. It's perfect for a week of meal prep or a last-minute dinner!

    Side view of bowl of rice and beans topped with sour cream, salsa and a lime wedge.

    It's easy to make rice and beans in the Instant Pot using just brown rice and dry black beans, no soaking required! This recipe is really easy to customize and is perfect for weeknight meals.

    Why this recipe works

    • Diet friendly: Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free
    • No soaking required: Rice and beans cook at the same time and the beans don't have to soaked
    • Fix it and forget it: Move aside stove-top rice and beans, this recipe requires minimal active time and cooks while you attend to other things
    • Versatile: Use as a filling in tacos, burritos, burrito bowls… or just eat the rice and beans on their own piled high with your favorite toppings!
    Table of Contents show
    1 Why this recipe works
    2 Main ingredients
    3 Step by step instructions
    4 Recipe FAQ
    5 Troubleshooting
    6 Serving ideas
    7 Looking for more easy recipes?
    8 Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice

    Main ingredients

    Ingredients in separate containers with name labels.
    • Black beans: We are using dry, unsoaked black beans. See the FAQ below for more bean options.
    • Brown rice: Choose long grain brown rice.
    • Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: Some readers prefer to avoid cooking tomatoes with dry beans because it's said that the acid in the tomatoes can cause beans to cook more slowly. I haven't run into this problem, so I add the tomatoes with juices right in with the other ingredients.
    • Vegetable broth: You can always use water in a pinch, but the broth adds a lot of flavor. I use reduced sodium vegetable broth to control the saltiness.

    The full ingredient list can be found below in the recipe card.

    Step by step instructions

    Three images showing steps to make rice and beans.
    1. Sauté onions. I recommend sautéing the onions because browned onions are always delicious. If you're in a hurry you can actually skip this step and just add the onions straight to the pot without the oil. Always deglaze the pot with a bit of vegetable broth to make sure that no onions are stuck on.
    2. Layer ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot: vegetable broth, fire roasted tomatoes with juices, seasonings, black beans, brown rice. Don't stir!
    3. Set to high pressure for 28 minutes. Let pressure release naturally. Once the pressure has released (the floating pin will be dropped down) you can remove the lid.
    4. Stir everything together. Taste for seasonings and enjoy!

    All of my Instant Pot recipes are made in a 6 qt DUO60 Instant Pot

    Overhead view of bowl filled with rice and beans.

    Recipe FAQ

    Can I use canned beans?

    No. This recipe won't work with canned beans because they need less time to cook and less liquid.

    Can I use white rice?

    No. White rice cooks much more quickly than brown rice and requires a different liquid amount so it won't work in this recipe.

    Can I use another type of bean?

    You can try this recipe with pinto beans or red beans because they are a similar size as black beans. Kidney beans and chickpeas will take longer to cook so I don't recommend using them. I do have an Instant Pot red beans and rice recipe if you're looking for something other than black beans.

    Can I soak the beans?

    Yes! I recommend soaking the beans for at least 8 hours or overnight. Reduce the cooking time to 22 minutes (that's how long it takes to cook brown rice). You don't have to pre-soak the beans and I never do, but I know that some people prefer to do it to make the beans softer.

    Leftovers and freezing

    Keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. The rice and beans can be frozen on their own for up to 3 months.

    Rice and beans in instant pot.

    Troubleshooting

    The burn notice is a common culprit in pressure cooker recipes. It usually happens because food is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Tips to avoid the dreaded burn notice:

    1. Deglaze the pot: Always deglaze the pot with a bit of vegetable broth to make sure that no onions are stuck on.
    2. Layer ingredients and don't stir. The original version of this recipe did not layer ingredients, but over the years I've found that doing this helps everything cook better.

    My beans aren't cooked all the way through!

    As annoying as it can be, every so often I'll get a bag of beans that just take longer to cook. If this happens, don't worry!

    Just pop the lid back on, seal the vent and add an extra 2 minutes. Once the time is up you can do a quick pressure release.

    Two bowls of rice and beans with Instant Pot in the background.

    Serving ideas

    My favorite way is to enjoy on its own topped with salsa, a dollop of sour cream, and crunched tortilla chips. It also works well as a taco filling.

    You can also use it as a tortilla chip dip for a party appetizer!

    To make freezer burritos: I love making burritos and freezing those for a grab-and-go meal. Add about 1 cup of rice and beans to one large tortilla then wrap into a burrito. Wrap in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, remove foil and place on a plate. Microwave for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through.

    Looking for more easy recipes?

    • Instant Pot Black Beans
    • Instant Pot Red Lentil Curry with Sweet Potatoes
    • Instant Pot Quinoa Taco Salad
    • Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas

    Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the recipe card or a review down in the comments section. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow along on my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest or sign up for my newsletter!

    Side view of bowl of rice and beans topped with sour cream, salsa and a lime wedge.
    Print Recipe
    4.58 from 90 votes

    Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice

    This healthy instant pot recipe is made with brown rice, dry black beans and taco seasonings in under an hour.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time28 mins
    Time to come to pressure and release35 mins
    Total Time1 hr 13 mins
    Servings: 6 servings (1.5 cups each)
    Author: Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LDN
    • My Go-To Chef's Knife
    • My Favorite Freezer-Friendly Storage Containers
    • Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt

    Ingredients

    • 1 and ½ cups dry black beans rinsed
    • 1 and ½ cups dry brown rice rinsed
    • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
    • 1 medium red onion diced
    • ½ teaspoon table salt
    • 4 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 cup water
    • 15 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes with juices
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons cumin
    • 1 teaspoon dry oregano
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

    Instructions

    • Select the "sauté" button on the Instant Pot. Set to "normal" and adjust time to 7 minutes. Once the pot says "Hot", drizzle in 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add diced onion. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté the onions until softened, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
    • Deglaze the pot by adding ~¼ cup of the vegetable broth. Stir to remove any stuck on bits of onion. Add the rest of the vegetable broth and water. Add fire roasted tomatoes with juices, seasonings (chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, optional cayenne), black beans and brown rice. Don't stir.
    • Lock the pressure cooker lid in place and set the pressure release valve to "sealing". Cook on high pressure for 28 minutes. Once the cook time is done, let the pressure release naturally. This will take about 15 minutes. Once the pressure has released (the floating pin will be dropped down) you can remove the lid.
    • Test beans for doneness. Stir and taste for seasonings. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

        1. Can I use canned beans? No. This recipe won’t work with canned beans because they need less time to cook and less liquid.
        2. Can I use white rice? No. White rice cooks much more quickly than brown rice and requires a different liquid amount so it won’t work in this recipe.
        3. Can I use another type of bean? You can try this recipe with pinto beans or red beans because they are a similar size as black beans. Kidney beans and chickpeas will take longer to cook so I don’t recommend using them.
        4. Can I soak the beans? Yes! I recommend soaking the beans at least 8 hours or overnight. Reduce the cook time to 22 minutes (that’s how long it takes to cook brown rice).
        5. Leftovers and freezing Keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. The rice and beans can be frozen on their own for up to 3 months.
        6. Beans aren't cooked through? Just pop the lid back on, seal the vent and cook for 2 minutes, adding more time as needed. Once the time is up you can do a quick pressure release.
    Check out my YouTube for the full step-by-step Instant Pot Rice and Beans video.
    This recipe was updated January 20th, 2021. The seasonings were doubled and the method slightly adjusted for more consistent results.

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    Serving: 6servings (1.5 cups each)Calories: 399kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 16gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 333mgPotassium: 917mgFiber: 11gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 704IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 5mg
    « Vegan Chickpea Salad
    Vegetarian Rigatoni Bake with Sausage »
    40.7K shares
    • 356

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathleen

      June 19, 2021 at 11:44 pm

      Really wanted to love this recipe. After cooking multiple times, the beans were still crunchy. At one point I even added more water. Now it’s burnt on the bottom and not cooked properly. I’m going to try and salvage it, as to not be wasteful

      Reply
    2. LuAnn

      May 20, 2021 at 10:24 pm

      I am confused. In the recipe introduction and in the ingredients descriptions you say that beans do not need to be soaked but then you recommend an 8 hour soak in two other spots! Do i need to soak tbe beans or not? What about the rice?

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        May 21, 2021 at 8:34 am

        I’ve gotten a lot of questions about soaking beans before cooking them so I included those instructions for people who prefer to do that. I think a lot of people like to soak beans because it can make them easier to digest and it cuts down on cooking time. I personally don’t think it’s necessary for this recipe so that’s why it’s not included in the main instructions. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    3. Nini

      May 04, 2021 at 11:52 am

      Hi! Is it possible to make half the amount? Does it change time at all ? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        May 04, 2021 at 1:31 pm

        Hi, yes you can cut the recipe in half! Just cut every ingredient in half. You will cook for the same amount of time. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Audrey L Lawrence

      April 28, 2021 at 1:09 pm

      I have made this recipe twice and it is delicious! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    5. Kate

      April 16, 2021 at 12:57 pm

      I just love this recipe and I love your good common sense of suggesting the use of one cup of water so we don’t have to open a whole new container of vegetable broth! This is absolutely delicious and love how you have such a great variety of vegetarian and vegan fare!!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        April 19, 2021 at 8:02 am

        Thanks Kate! I don't like knowing I have an open box of vegetable broth to use up later, I'm glad I'm not alone! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Sean

      February 20, 2021 at 11:19 pm

      Made this tonight. Very tasty! I'm not a big vegetarian person although I'm kind of trying to move towards flexitarian.

      By the time I finished building the bowl with some pico de gallo, fresh chives, sour cream, and tortilla chips I had a great taco salad going.

      Thank you for sharing the meal. It was excellent!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        February 22, 2021 at 8:01 am

        Thanks Sean! I'm happy to hear you liked it. Adding toppings definitely makes the dish! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Linda M. Jardee

      December 21, 2020 at 1:06 am

      What if I don't own an instant pot, can I just make this on the stove top? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        December 21, 2020 at 2:51 pm

        I have a very similar recipe that is made on the stove top. It has a few different ingredients but it’s a good option if you don’t have an Instant Pot! Recipe: https://cozypeachkitchen.com/rice-and-beans/

        Reply
    8. Laura

      October 04, 2020 at 2:24 pm

      Can you add lentils to this recipe? How much and how would you change the recipe?

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        October 04, 2020 at 5:20 pm

        You can usually cook 1 cup green lentils with 1 and 3/4 cups liquid, so I would start by adding those amounts. However, they usually cook in 8-10 minutes so they will probably get mushy cooking for so long.

        Reply
    9. diana

      July 27, 2020 at 5:51 pm

      Hi,
      I tried a similar recipe and it didn't work out well. The beans were undercooked and I kept getting a "burn" message, possibly due to the canned diced tomatoes. It's possible that I didn't cook it long enough and perhaps didn't use enough water. I tried to finish cooking on the stove top, but the beans never got soft enough and stayed a bit "crunchy". Is it better to leave out the tomato and when the beans are cooked, to add the tomatoes in at the end and cook it for a few minutes? I've heard that you should add the tomatoes on the top and not stir it in with the rest of the ingredients to avoid getting the "burn" message.

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD

        July 28, 2020 at 12:01 pm

        Hi Diana, I've made this recipe a bunch of times and never had trouble with a burn message and I mix the canned tomatoes in. It definitely wouldn't hurt if you choose to just add the tomatoes to the top instead of stirring them in. It's more likely the burn notice happened because there wasn't enough liquid in the similar recipe. Let me know if you try this one out!

        Reply
    10. Martha

      April 06, 2020 at 7:03 pm

      That was excellent! Thank You! My husband prefers red beans and rice until now...loved it!!!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD

        April 06, 2020 at 8:01 pm

        Thanks for making the recipe! Glad you both liked it.

        Reply
    11. Hara

      April 02, 2020 at 5:06 pm

      Hi there! Hope you are well and safe. I feel so silly asking this, but trying to figure out how I can still enjoy this delish meal with the ingredients I have 🙂

      Unfortunately where I am I only have access to white rice rather than brown. Do you have any idea how I might be able to still make this? Can I? Thanks in advance for your help!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD

        April 02, 2020 at 6:09 pm

        Hi! You won't be able to cook the white rice and black beans together because the beans take so much longer to cook. The white rice would probably get too mushy. What you could do is cook the white rice on its own (1.5 cup rice to 1.5 cup water or broth, press the "rice" button on the IP) and cook the black beans on their own, then combine them. To do the black beans you would combine 1.5 cups dry black beans + 3 cups water or veg broth and any of the optional add-ins. Cook on HP for 30 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally. Stir in the tomatoes and cooked white rice after. I hope this helps!

        Reply
        • Hara

          April 03, 2020 at 6:19 pm

          Thank you! I will try that!

          Reply
          • Lili

            June 23, 2020 at 7:43 pm

            Great base recipe! I followed it exactly but tossed in a bay leaf and then a can of corn after it cooked. I served it with veggie sausage, pico, and avocado. Leftovers went on top of a taco salad. I can't wait to play around with the spices in it. Thank you!

            Reply
            • Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD

              June 24, 2020 at 7:59 am

              Those all sound like delicious additions. Thanks for making it!

      • Stephanie Gingerich

        June 19, 2022 at 8:14 pm

        I accidentally missed the comment about the white rice and didn’t have any brown rice on hand. The flavor is still good but the texture of the rice does turn to mush as warned. Definitely will try again with the brown rice and will probably soak the beans next time because even though it took over 28 minutes for the steam to release the beans were a little less done than desired.

        Reply
    12. Heidi

      February 25, 2020 at 9:16 am

      What brand of brown rice do you use? Can I use mintue rice brown rice that says it cooks in 10 minutes for this recipe? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD

        February 25, 2020 at 9:03 pm

        Hi Heidi - I use regular brown rice, the kind that takes up to 50 minutes to cook on the stove. I would recommend using that kind so that your rice doesn't turn out mushy!

        Reply
    13. Judy Nafziger

      January 31, 2020 at 10:09 am

      I notice in your stove top version you add a red bell pepper and jalapeno. Would that be OK to saute with the onion and garlic? Seems like it would add flavor and color.

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD

        January 31, 2020 at 4:20 pm

        I think that would be great! You can sauté the bell pepper with the onion and the jalapeño with the garlic.

        Reply
    14. Greta

      January 23, 2020 at 6:48 pm

      I recently adapted a mostly plant based eating habit. This recipe has become one of my 2 favorites. I make it weekly. My meat loving husband likes it too. Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD

        January 23, 2020 at 8:48 pm

        Awesome, thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    15. Mary

      January 19, 2020 at 7:50 pm

      This sounds delicious. Could you use a packet of taco seasoning? Would I use the whole packet? Thank you.!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD

        January 19, 2020 at 10:41 pm

        That sounds like it would be really good! I would omit the other seasonings and just do a full packet of taco seasoning. You can add extra seasonings after cooking if needed.

        Reply
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    Hi, I’m Cassidy! I’m the registered dietitian behind Cozy Peach Kitchen, a food and nutrition blog sharing easy vegetarian recipes for every occasion.

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