This Instant Pot black beans and rice recipe is made with dry brown rice and dry black beans in just an hour. It includes options for soaking or not soaking black beans, and it's perfect for a week of meal prep or a last-minute dinner!
It's easy to make rice and beans in the Instant Pot using just brown rice, dry black beans, and a handful of seasonings. The best part of this recipe is that the black beans don't need to be soaked before cooking in the Instant Pot.
I love making Instant Pot black beans on their own, but adding in brown rice is an easy way to make a balanced and inexpensive meal.
This tried and true recipe has been made hundreds of times and it's one of the best meal prep recipes on my blog. I love using the rice and bean filling in freezer burritos, as a side, or as a base for quick meals.
I love this recipe so much that I used this method as a template for Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice!
Reader review
★★★★★ "I made this recipe today. It is amazing. So versatile. Can be used as a side dish or as a filling for tacos or burritos." -Donna
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- No soaking required: The brown rice and dry black beans cook at the same time in the Instant Pot. Unlike many recipes, the black beans do not need to be soaked overnight before cooking.
- Fix it and forget it: Move aside stove-top rice and beans, Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice requires only 10 minutes of active time, allowing you to fix it and forget it.
- Versatile: Use the black bean and rice filling in tacos, burritos, and burrito bowls… or just eat the rice and beans on their own piled high with your favorite toppings!
- Flavorful: A combination of Mexican-inspired seasonings like chili powder, oregano, and cumin creates a flavorful backbone for the rice and beans.
Ingredients
- 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.
- Seasonings: Cumin, oregano, chili powder, and garlic powder create a flavorful base. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Step by step instructions
Note: I tested Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice in a 6 qt DUO60 Instant Pot.
- Sauté onions. I recommend sautéing the onions instead of adding them straight to the Instant Pot because it adds extra flavor to the final dish. 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.
- Layer ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot: vegetable broth, fire-roasted tomatoes with juices, seasonings, black beans, and brown rice. Don't stir!
- Set to high pressure for 28 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure has been released (the floating pin will be dropped down) you can remove the lid.
- Stir the rice and beans together. Taste for seasonings and enjoy!
Cassidy's tips and variations
- Other beans: This method for Instant Pot rice and beans also works with pinto beans and small 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 unless they are first soaked overnight.
- How to use soaked black beans: If you prefer to cook with soaked black beans, I recommend soaking the beans for at least 8 hours or overnight. Reduce the total cooking time to 22 minutes (that's how long it takes to cook brown rice). Note that 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.
- Don't stir! The rice and beans are added in a specific layer to the Instant Pot because it helps them cook evenly. If you forget and stir the ingredients it's not the end of the world, but try to avoid stirring if able.
Recipe FAQ
No. My recipe for Instant Pot Rice and Beans does not work with canned beans because they require less cook time to cook and less liquid. I recommend checking out my stove-top Rice and Beans recipe instead.
No. White rice cooks much more quickly than brown rice and requires a different liquid amount so it won't work in this recipe.
Beans don't need to be soaked before cooking in the Instant Pot because they cook much more quickly in pressure cookers than they do on the stovetop. For example, black beans cook in about an hour without soaking in the Instant Pot, including cook time and pressure release time, whereas black beans take several hours to cook on the stovetop.
One cup of dry black beans yields about 3 cups of cooked black beans. Because this recipe uses 1.5 cups of beans, it yields about 4.5 cups of black beans.
Troubleshooting
Burn notice
The burn notice is a common culprit in pressure cooker recipes. It usually happens because food is stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Here are my go-to tips to avoid the burn notice with Instant Pot rice and beans:
- Deglaze the pot: Always deglaze the pot with a bit of vegetable broth to make sure that no onions are stuck on. To do this, simply add a splash of vegetable broth to the Instant Pot. Stir to remove any stuck or burned-on pieces from the bottom of the pot.
- Layer ingredients and don't stir. The original version of this recipe did not layer ingredients, but over the years I've found that layering ingredients helps everything cook better.
Beans aren't fully cooked
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.
Storage tips
Leftovers: Keep leftover black beans and rice refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. Let cool to room temperature before transferring to the fridge.
Freezing: The rice and beans can be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Again, the rice and beans should be cooled before freezing.
Reheating: The easiest way to reheat individual servings is in the microwave. To reheat a large portion of rice and beans, I recommend putting them in a pot on the stove over medium heat. To reheat in the Instant Pot, use the sauté function and add a splash of vegetable broth. Stir frequently to avoid burning the rice and beans.
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 Instant Pot recipes?
Check out my guide to vegetarian Instant Pot recipes if you're interested in learning more about cooking plant-based meals with your Instant Pot!
Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating in the recipe card or a review in the comments below. Or check out my cookbook and keep up to date with my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or newsletter!
Recipe
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Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dry black beans rinsed
- 1 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
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
Kathleen says
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
LuAnn says
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?
Cassidy Reeser says
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!
Nini says
Hi! Is it possible to make half the amount? Does it change time at all ? Thanks!
Cassidy Reeser says
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!
Audrey L Lawrence says
I have made this recipe twice and it is delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Kate says
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!!
Cassidy Reeser says
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! 🙂
Sean says
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!
Cassidy Reeser says
Thanks Sean! I'm happy to hear you liked it. Adding toppings definitely makes the dish! 🙂
Linda M. Jardee says
What if I don't own an instant pot, can I just make this on the stove top? Thanks.
Cassidy Reeser says
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/
Laura says
Can you add lentils to this recipe? How much and how would you change the recipe?
Cassidy Reeser says
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.
diana says
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.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
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!
Martha says
That was excellent! Thank You! My husband prefers red beans and rice until now...loved it!!!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
Thanks for making the recipe! Glad you both liked it.
Hara says
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!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
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!
Hara says
Thank you! I will try that!
Lili says
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!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
Those all sound like delicious additions. Thanks for making it!
Stephanie Gingerich says
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.
Heidi says
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.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
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!
Judy Nafziger says
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.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
I think that would be great! You can sauté the bell pepper with the onion and the jalapeño with the garlic.
Greta says
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!!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
Mary says
This sounds delicious. Could you use a packet of taco seasoning? Would I use the whole packet? Thank you.!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
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.