These Instant Pot pinto beans are tender, flavorful, and ready in under an hour, no soaking required! We love them as a side dish or in chili and more.
This Instant Pot pinto beans recipe has become my favorite way to cook pinto beans. It’s faster than simmering them on the stove (no soaking required!), but it still yields beans with a far better texture and flavor than the canned ones have. These Instant Pot pinto beans are tender, creamy, and deliciously seasoned with chili powder, cumin, oregano, and sea salt. They’re so tasty that you can serve them as a side dish on their own, but we love them in other recipes too. Try adding them to chili or soup, or use them to make tacos, refried beans, or even bean dip. They’re a great easy staple to have in your back pocket.
Instant Pot Pinto Beans Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Instant Pot pinto bean recipe:
- Dry pinto beans, of course! The fresher, the better. Try to source them from a grower or store with high turnover.
- Water – I use 3 cups for every 1 cup of pinto beans.
- Chili powder – For savory flavor and heat. Use store-bought, or make your own.
- Cumin – It adds earthiness.
- Dried Mexican oregano – For fresh, aromatic flavor.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Cook Pinto Beans in the Instant Pot
Whenever you cook dry beans, you should start by sorting and rinsing the beans.
Place them in a colander and sift through them, discarding any stones or debris. Rinse them well, and then place the rinsed beans in the pressure cooker.
Next, add the remaining ingredients: the water, salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and several grinds of pepper.
Then, cook. Lock the lid on the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally.
When the float valve drops, season to taste. Enjoy the beans right away, or store them in their flavorful cooking liquid for up to 5 days in the fridge. They also freeze well for up to 3 months.
How to Use Instant Pot Pinto Beans
The simplest way to serve these Instant Pot pinto beans is as a side dish. Toss them with a big squeeze of fresh lime juice, and transfer them to a serving dish with a little of their cooking liquid. Garnish them with diced onion and fresh cilantro, and serve them with drizzles of hot sauce alongside tacos, enchiladas, or my Austin-style migas.
You can also use the pinto beans as a component in larger recipes:
- Tuck them into tacos or a breakfast burrito.
- Add them to a burrito bowl.
- Use them in stovetop or Instant Pot chili.
- Blend them into bean dip.
- Turn them into refried beans.
- You could even swap them in for the white beans in this creamy white bean soup!
How do you like to use Instant Pot pinto beans? Let me know in the comments!
More Favorite Instant Pot Recipes
If you love these beans, try one cooking one of these Instant Pot recipes next:
Instant Pot Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried pinto beans
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper
For serving
- Fresh lime juice or lime wedges
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place the beans in a large colander and sort through them to remove and discard any stones or debris.
- Rinse the beans and transfer them to the Instant Pot. Add the water, salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and several grinds of pepper. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and Pressure Cook on High for 25 minutes.
- Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally. This will take 20 to 30 minutes. When the float valve drops, remove the lid.
- Drain and use in your favorite recipe that calls for pinto beans or serve as a side dish with lime and cilantro.
I’m 70 years old and have been making pinto beans since my 20s. I was surprised that you didn’t include garlic. Is there a reason for that?
Also. what is Mexican Oregano? Maybe I need to include that next time. Never too old to learn a new trick!
Finally, I get my beans from a garden, so there’s no soaking necessary. Eating what one grew seems to taste better – but I think that’s just a belief I have about gardens and cooking.
Also, I signed up for your newsletter but couldn’t find your email address. Aging is not fun.
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Susan, garlic would be great here if you want to add it! The first time I made these I just forgot and I didn’t miss it :). Mexican oregano is just a type of oregano – you can sub regular oregano if you can’t find it.
I always add a can of Rotel tomatoes (tomatoes and green chilies) to both pintos and navy beans in the IP. It adds some sweet tomato and heat to the batch.
Hi Susan, great suggestion!
I doubled this last night (1# pinto beans) in a 6 qt I.P. and it’s delicious. This is the one that goes in my file and I’ll never have to look for a ‘better’ recipe…this is the best! I didn’t have Mexican oregano but found that Marjoram is a great substitute.
Hello! Looking forward to making these. Is the instapot on venting or sealing for this? Thanks
Hi Pamela, it should be sealed on the Pressure Cook setting.
Could this be doubled in a 6 quart instapot?
yep!
No! I was going to try cooking 2 pounds of beans, but instant pot says not to as the beans won’t stay submerged and could actually be dry….not moist and creamy. I have 2 6quart instant pots, so may just divide them, in order to have extra beans for other recipes.
These were delicious! I also added 1/4 medium yellow onion diced and a bay leaf. This was an excellent side dish.
I’m so glad you loved it!