No Soak Instant Pot Pinto Beans are easy to make and taste so much better than the canned version! These delicious pinto beans are perfect for meal prep or as a side dish to your favorite tacos, salads, or protein bowls, these beans can be ready in under an hour with little effort and no soaking required.
Instant Pot pinto beans vs. canned pinto beans
I always have a few cans of beans in the pantry, just in case. They’re a great source of protein and I like to add them to favorite recipes, like this Southwest Chicken Salad or my Quinoa Burrito Bowls.
And while canned beans are easy to reach for, they simply just don’t taste as good as cooking in the Instant Pot. Plus, purchasing bags dried beans will be easier on your wallet than always buying several cans.
No soaking required!
That’s right, you don’t need to overnight soak your dry pinto beans before cooking them in your electric pressure cooker! As a matter of fact, you can cook several types of instant pot beans, like these Instant Pot refried beans, Instant Pot black beans, and even chickpeas in the Instant Pot, without soaking beforehand.
Once they’re done cooking, you’re left with the most tender pinto beans.
Ingredients needed
To make flavorful instant pot pinto beans, this recipe calls for just a handful of ingredients:
- Dried pinto beans
- Shallot
- Garlic cloves
- Taco seasoning (one of my favorite ways to add extra flavor) or try this seasoning for pinto beans
- Chicken broth, bone broth or vegetable stock
How to make them
One of the best things about the Instant Pot, besides being an easy way to cook healthy food quickly, is that it is so simple — just 3 steps and you’re done! Season, cook, and serve.
Add everything to Instant Pot
First, you want to gather all of your ingredients, including dry beans, a shallot, garlic, taco seasoning, broth, and water, then add them all to the Instant Pot.
Let cook
Next, place the lid on the pot and set the valve to seal. Set the pressure cook time for 45 minutes (it will take about 10 minutes for the pot to come to pressure, then a countdown timer will begin). Next, do a natural pressure release for 20 minutes, then turn the steam valve to quick pressure release any remaining pressure.
Add final seasonings
When the pressure has been fully released, remove the shallot, crush the garlic cloves with a fork and stir them into the beans. Finally, strain off any remaining liquid, then season with additional salt, to taste. You may want to sprinkle on a bit of cilantro too. Enjoy your pot of flavorful beans!
Recipe variations
- Ham hock: Before sealing and cooking, add a large smoked ham hock to the pot to add extra flavor.
- Bacon: Use the saute function to crisp up some chopped bacon. Then add the beans and seasonings to the pot and begin the cook process.
- Seasonings: Instead of using taco seasoning to season your beans, try this seasoning for pinto beans
Recipe tips
- If you need more, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled! And if you make too much, no worries — you can freeze it for quite some time (see my next tip).
- If you would like creamy beans or thicker beans, use a potato masher to mash up some or all of the beans.
- Beans still hard? Older beans can take longer to cook. If you find your beans aren’t tender, simple add an additional 5 minutes to the cook time, followed by a quick release.
How to make ahead & store
- Refrigerator: Store Instant Pot pinto beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to three months. I like to portion the beans into ziploc bags and freeze them flat for easy storage and thawing.
More instant pot recipes
- How to Cook Rice in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Perfect Quinoa in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Chickpeas
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
More easy side dishes
- The Best Glazed Carrots Recipe
- Balsamic Glazed Brussels sprouts with Cranberries
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Israeli Couscous with Tomatoes
- Grilled Broccolini with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Did you try these no soak instant pot pinto beans?
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No Soak Instant Pot Pinto Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry pinto beans (rinsed and sorted)
- 1 shallot (peeled and left whole, optional)
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled and left whole, optional)
- 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
- 2¼ cups bone broth (or chicken or vegetable stock)
- 2 cups water
- Salt (to taste)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Add beans, shallot, garlic, taco seasoning, broth, and water to the Instant Pot.
- Place the lid on the pot and set the valve to seal.
- Cook on manual HIGH pressure for 45 minutes (it will take about 10 minutes for the pot to come to pressure, then a countdown timer will begin).
- Let the pressure naturally release for 20 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the shallot, crush the garlic cloves with a fork and stir them into the beans, and strain off any remaining liquid. Season with salt, to taste. Serve, garnished with chopped cilantro, if desired.
Notes
- If you need more, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled! And if you make too much, no worries — you can freeze it for quite some time (see my next tip).
- If you want to meal prep, you can cook these beans and then store in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to add them to your favorite dish, you can just take out what you need and continue freezing the rest.
- If you have leftovers, you can store your beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Equipment
Nutrition
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This post was originally published in 2021. It was updated in 2023 to add new content. The no soak instant pot pinto bean recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
Ok, so I must have a problem with scrolling… because it wasn’t until AFTER I left the above review that I discovered ALL the things listed at the very bottom!!
My apologies
This is a tasty and easy recipe! Every time I open the IP after the beans are done cooking, the top side of the beans on the top layer aren’t fully cooked. Obviously I can’t open the pot half way through to stir and make sure all beans are coated, do you have any recommendations on how to prevent this so all beans cook evenly? Thanks!
I was curious to see what she said to your question. I would try making sure that they are covered with enough liquid. Also, I saute everything in the IP before adding the broth, sealing it, and bringing everything to pressure and cooking. Have you found other places where they have answered your question? I’d be curious . . . . good luck.