Want a quick and easy way to cook kidney beans from scratch? This Instant Pot kidney beans recipe uses dried or soaked kidney beans and gives you soft, perfectly cooked beans. It's my go-to meal prep method, and once you try it, you'll skip canned beans for good.
I still use canned beans occasionally, but cooking kidney beans at home is my go-to for weekly meal prep. It's budget-friendly, preservative-free, and lets me control the texture for soups or salads.
To get started with cooking beans and using your Instant Pot, you might find my Instant Pot basics guide helpful, as well as these recipes for Instant Pot Chickpeas, Instant Pot Black Beans, and Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas. These bean recipes include soaking tips, cook times, and storage suggestions to help you incorporate legumes into your meals.
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Ingredients
Dried Kidney Beans: The base of this recipe. And I used speckled kidney beans, as seen in the process shots. Substitutions: Any dried kidney beans (red, white or speckled beans).
Bay Leaf: Add subtle flavor to the beans. You can skip it if you wish to cook plain beans. Substitutions: Dried thyme, oregano, ½ teaspoon of onion or garlic powder, vegetable broth cubes.
Salt: Salt will enhance all the flavors, and it is optional.
For exact ingredient quantities, see the recipe card below.
Detailed Steps
Step 1: Rinse the kidney beans under cold water to remove dirt or debris. Optionally, soak them overnight or for about 8 hours. After soaking, drain and rinse the beans again.
Step 2: Add the rinsed kidney beans into the Instant Pot inner pot.
Step 3: Add water, salt, and bay leaf(if using). And close the Instant Pot with its lid.
For soaked beans: Pressure cook on HIGH for 10 minutes.
For dried beans: Pressure cook on HIGH for 40 minutes.
Step 4: Once the Instant Pot turns off, wait 15 minutes and manually release the pressure. You can also do a natural pressure release.
Step 5: Perfectly tender beans are ready to use in your favorite recipes!
Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
Cooking kidney beans, whether you're aiming for a side dish or the base for a hearty main, can be simple and rewarding. Here are some tips to ensure you get perfectly cooked beans every time.
- Quick Release vs. Natural Release: Allow for a natural pressure release in your Instant Pot for the best texture. A quick release might leave your beans a bit undercooked.
- Seasoning: Adding bay leaves or a bit of olive oil can make a huge difference in flavor. Feel free to experiment with other seasonings like garlic, onion, or vegetable broth instead of water for an extra flavor boost.
- Water Ratio: Ensuring you have enough water is crucial. A general rule is using about 4 to 5 cups of water for every cup of dry beans. Adjust as needed to ensure the beans are fully submerged.
- Salt: Adding a bit of salt before cooking can enhance the flavor.
- Cooking Time: Keep in mind that the cooking time can vary based on the kind of beans and whether they're soaked. Dry kidney beans will take longer than soaked ones. Also, older beans require a longer cooking time. Increase the cooking time for a minute or two for a little mushy beans.
- Cooking Liquid: I store the cooking liquid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and use it while making soups, pilafs, and refried beans. You can freeze the residual cooking water for up to 3 months.
Storage
Cooked kidney beans can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for six months. Ensure they're cooled down and drained well before storing them in airtight containers. This method keeps the beans fresh and ready for your next meal.
Store this drained water and cooked kidney beans separately in the refrigerator and use them. In this way, beans will not spoil quickly.
As shown below, I always measure the beans and store them in steel containers according to my meal size. I also freeze them in the same containers. You can measure and store the cooked beans in freezer-safe containers and thaw them when needed.
Recipes to use cooked kidney beans
With your kidney beans cooked, you're all set to explore delicious recipes. From hearty soups to vibrant salads, kidney beans add nutrition and flavor to any dish. Here are some of the best ways to incorporate them into your meals.
FAQ
Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, or for a quick solution, rinse under hot water.
If your plans change, drain the beans, store them in an airtight container, and refrigerate. They'll be good for up to two days.
They should be tender but still hold their shape. If they're too firm, they need more cooking time. If they start to become mushy, they've been overcooked.
Yes, you can double the recipe in a 6-quart Instant Pot as long as you don't exceed the maximum fill line of your Instant Pot. Adjust the amount of water accordingly.
While some people use baking soda to soften beans faster, it's not necessary. I prefer not to use it to keep the beans' natural flavor intact.
Have you tried cooking red beans in the Instant Pot using my recipe? Provide your feedback by giving a star rating and/or leaving comments. And don't forget to share the recipe with others on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.
Recipe
Instant Pot Kidney Beans (Dried & Soaked)
Rate this recipe by clicking the stars!
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup kidney beans dried
- 2 cups water 4 cups if cooking dried beans
- ½ teaspoon Salt optional
Instructions
- Prep the Beans: Rinse the kidney beans under cold water to remove dirt or debris. Then, soak them overnight or for about 8 hours. After soaking, drain and rinse the beans again.
- Add the rinsed kidney beans into the Instant Pot inner pot.1 cup kidney beans, ½ teaspoon Salt, 2 cups water
- Add water and salt. And close the Instant Pot with its lid.
- Start the instant Pot in manual or pressure cook mode and cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes for soaked beans.
- Select the manual or pressure cook option and set the timer for 40 minutes on high pressure to cook dried beans.
- Once the Instant Pot turns off, wait 15 minutes and manually release the pressure. You can do a natural pressure release as well.
- Perfectly tender beans are ready to use in your favorite recipes!
Notes
Nutrition
If you find my kitchen-tested tips helpful, click the button to see more of my recipes first when you search on Google!
Anna says
Do you keep the cooked beans in their liquid for storage? If not what do you do?
Sravanthi Chanda says
No, I strain the liquid and store them seperately. I use the liquid to make soups, curries and pilafs.
Chloe says
I'm confused because one of the tips you include on this page says "Water Ratio: Ensuring you have enough water is crucial. A general rule is using about 4 to 5 cups of water for every cup of dry beans. Adjust as needed to ensure the beans are fully submerged." But then your recipe says 1 cup of beans to 2 cups of water. I'm soaking the beans overnight. Is it really correct then that it's 1 cup of beans and 2 cups of water?
Sravanthi Chanda says
If you are soaking the kidney beans, then 1 cup of beans require 2 cups of water. And if you do not want to measure the exact amount of water, you can add water until beans are submerged fully.
Betsy says
Which contains do you use to freeze your cooked beans?
Sravanthi says
I use stainless steel containers.
Lynda says
I soaked my beans because they were old, and then your recipe worked perfectly. Thank you! I had used some of the same beans (unsoaked) in another no soak recipe and they were definitely uncooked, so I'm happy that they can still be used without wasting 😁
Sravanthi says
It's my pleasure, and I am so happy that my recipe helped you 🙂
Melanie says
Soaked beans turned out perfectly tender. Such a great recipe on a summer evening when cooking beans on the stovetop is out of the question due to heat. I can’t wait to follow her instructions for cooking black eyed peas.
Sravanthi says
Thank you so much for the feedback 🙂