If you’ve been here for a while you know I’m all about easy recipes. I think this Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice recipe is my new favorite. Why? Because you can cook black beans and brown rice together in the Instant Pot! No soaking or precooking. It turns out great, like magic.
I’ve always been a fan of quick and easy meals. Years ago, when I was a stay at home mom I would still stick to simple meals. I had my hands full with kids, the house, and everything that comes with that role.
Now I work full time, still have to handle all the “mom stuff” and cooking can easily take a back seat to getting a little down time.
That is one of the main reasons I love my Instant Pot. It makes life easier for me. You may love your slow cooker, I used to use mine a lot more. Which ever you choose, having tools that make life more efficient and that set you up to be successful in your goals is a good investment. By the way, I use the 8 quart Instant Pot! You can see the Instant Pot I have at my Amazon Affiliate link.
Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice
This recipe is pretty simple. I wanted it to be a blank canvas so I could add difference spices and flavors. Before you skip over this no-fuss meal give it a try.
It took a few tries to get the beans and rice ready at the same time but this totally worked for us. If you want something with a slightly more complex flavor try my Instant Pot Mexican Casserole!
Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice
This super easy recipe feeds a crowd. It's mild flavor is perfect for kids who don't like spicy foods. Feel free to spice it up for adults.
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced onion
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
- 2 cups brown rice
- 2 cups dry black beans
- 8 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 limes (optional)
- Avocado (optional)
- 4 ounce can of diced green chiles (optional)
Instructions
- Dump diced onion and garlic into the Instant Pot liner.
- Add the brown rice and black beans.
- Pour the water into the pot liner and add the salt. If using, add the diced green chiles.
- Secure the lid with the vent sealed.
- Select Manual, using the arrows decrease time to 28 minutes.
- Once the time is up you can press cancel or unplug the Instant Pot. Allow the pressure to naturally release. (I let it set for 20 minutes before opening the lid.)
- Scoop into bowls and squeeze a lime wedge over bowl and stir. Then add a few slices of avocado for garnish.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This recipe makes a lot of food! I estimate at least 6-8 servings depending on how much you eat.
If you want more flavor, try adding your favorite salsa, this homemade Pico de Gallo, homemade guacamole or your other favorite flavors. I almost always make this with a can of green chili now but when I first started making this I left it plain and would spice it up later.
Find more easy and delicious Vegan Instant Pot recipes on my Instant Pot page!
Frequently Asked Questions about Instant Pot Rice and Beans
Do you presoak your beans before adding the rice?
No, I do not presoak the black beans. They need to cook for about the same amount of time as the brown rice so it works to not presoak them.
Can I use white rice instead of brown rice?
We don’t recommend using white rice. Many readers have reported using long grain white rice but we have not tested it. I expect the rice would be mushy. You could try white rice and use cooked beans but I have not tested to water and spice ratios or the cooking time.
If I halve the recipe, do I change the cooking time.
No, you can cut all the ingredients in half but leave the cooking time the same. The black beans and brown rice still need the same amount of time to cook.
The beans and rice come out bland, how can I spice it up?
This recipe is designed to be a blank canvas. People who avoid spicy foods and high salt content will enjoy it but we recommend spicing it up to your comfort level. We add salsa, more spices like chili power, adobo seasoning, cumin or hot sauce. You can read the comments for more ideas, some people loved it, other didn’t, we hope you enjoy it.
bravo for coming up with a way to get the beans and rice to come out together! I’m an IP fan, but have always put the rice into a rice cooker. Quick question – do you pre-soak the black beans?
I did not presoak! I’ve been working on a way to get them to work together. I use short grain brown rice with the black beans.
I think if someone left it in their for a long time it might not turn out as good.
I can never find short grain brown rice! Do you think the times would be the same for this on long grain? Or should I increase it?
I’m not sure Kristine but I plan to try it soon!
Can you use white rice?
Yes for this recipe! I used long grain white rice and it turned out great.
I use long grain when I make her Mexican casserole without adjusting the time. I haven’t made this, but I probably will in the next few days. Now to remember to report back on how it turned out 🙂
How was it!?
It’s great every time I make it. Change seasonings from time to time
I buy short grain brown rice at Costco.
Also try Korean supermarkets. They have an amazing variety of rice to choose from.
fantastic! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
Hi Holly: Thank you for your wonderful recipes. I fixed this in my crockpot, because I don’t have an instapot. I cooked it for 10 hours on low, and used long grain rice. It turned out fine. I did not soak anything ahead of time. We put salsa and fresh tomatoes on top. Yummy.
What other spices do I add??
Not tasty enough for my husband
Did you use fresh lime and salt?
If you still need more flavor you can add 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder and 1 tsp chili powder.
That should give it some more umph.
You can also top it with Salsa!
Thank you. I’ll try that.
Unfortunately, due to Side effects from Chemo, my husband’s taste buds are off.
The Instant Pot Mexican Casserole has a lot more flavor. It’s very similar but a lot more spices.
I remember that very well. Everything was way to spicy hot for me. Including black pepper!! I hope all in well.
Hi Holly,
I love this recipe! I’ve made it a couple of time already. It makes a ton, and we’re only two people. If I were to half the recipe, what cooking time do you think I should use? Many thanks!
Thanks Rachelle,
You can easily half it, but keep the same cooking time. You need it all for the rice to cook properly.
Enjoy!
Jane, these posts are from 2016 but I just got a power cooker and and starting to try recipes (before doing my own). A nice change of flavor to black beans, add cocoa powder. I’ve never used measurements but in a pot of black bean soup I usually add a palm full. I hope your husband is doing well.
I always use 2-3 teaspoons of cumin, a few pinches of cayenne pepper, black pepper, 2 bay leaves and salt. Celery carrots and onions and use 1/2 vegetable broth
Thank you I’ve been looking for a base recipe to experiment off of with my instant pot. The rice I use which was pink Madagascar came out very mushy 28 minutes manual 15 minutes slow release. any thoughts on how to improve? is it the rice or is that the time?
Hi Casey,
I’ve never tried pink Madagascar rice but I’m intrigued. I looked it up and it appears to be a quick cooking rice. I’m not sure if this type of rice will work because I think it would cook much quicker than the beans. With this recipe, the key is to have rice and beans that use the same amount of cooking time.
I found a recipe that uses your rice and cooks it on high for 3 minutes than lets it natural pressure release for 7. You can find it here http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/quick-coconut-rice/
Hopefully you can adapt it to suit your needs. If you can get the rice right you can always add canned beans later.
Good Luck!
thanks. I’ll try another rice and try to remember to post here my results.
I used a heartier rice today and had much better results.
0.5 cup black beans [dry] // washed
0.5 cup black rice // washed
2 cups water
1/8 onion sliced
1tsp. evo
1tsp salt
25 min in IP, manual high pressure.
Natural release 10 minutes.
FYI: I live at 5600′.
Thanks Casey!
I actually came to the comments specifically to figure out how to adapt with black rice. What were the chances?THANK YOU!
Unfortunately I did not add any herbs or spices to this recipe. Now it’s bland. What can I add to it now it’s cooked? Thank you.
I have had my black beans for a while, we grew them but didn’t know what to do with them. Will they need a longer cook time?
If I’m using half the amount of ingredients how should I change the pressure cooker time? Thanks
Hi Stephen,
The time will stay the same. It’s based on how long it takes the ingredients to cook, not the quantity of the ingredients.
Enjoy!
I see your answer about a half recipe and time. What about liquid? Should that be reduced for a half recipe?
When you say “cup”, do you mean a traditional cup, or the Instant Pot cup? Thanks!
Great question Michael, A traditional 8 oz cup. I never used the Instant Pot cup to keep recipes consistent.
Enjoy!
Very tasty! Consistency is perfect, however I had to drain a bunch of liquid at the end, so maybe 9 cups of water was a bit too much. I recommend adding more salt as well, but otherwise, I’m very happy with it. Thanks!
Hi Fran,
The liquid will absorb if you leave it. You can cut it back but I would rather have too much instead of no enough. Those beans and rice do a lot of expanding. 🙂
I always add more salt too but some of my readers avoid extra salt. I actually put more salt into almost all my recipes but I like things salty. 🙂
I did a half recipe today. The water amount is way too high. I would try it next time with maybe half the water.
It’s great! Every time 🙂
what if i wanted to make it with white rice? what would the time be then?
White rice won’t work. It only takes 8 minutes
The beans and rice couldn’t be cooked together. You could cook the rice then add cooked or canned beans to it.
I’ve never made white rice in the Instant Pot but I’ve read it takes 3-8 minutes, another commenter said 8 minutes.
Any suggestions on how to adjust this recipe if I soak the beans first?
You can’t adjust it too much because the brown rice requires at least 22 minutes to cook all the way. If you cook it less than 22 minutes it won’t work.
Also, you’ll need less water, I’d try 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of brown rice. If the beans are cooked you could probably get by with 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water for every 1 cup of black beans.
I hope that isn’t too confusing!
This recipe was magic! It cooked perfectly the first time. A perfect base to dress up with a few spices. Thank you!
Loved it! Looked for beans & rice recipe when we first got our pot earlier this year, and I’m glad we looked again – this was perfect!
Thanks! I’m so glad you liked it! I’m working on more Instant Pot recipes!
This looks awesome! Have you ever made this and then reheated another day? I’m making a taco bar for the teachers at my son’s school and need to make everything the night before, and then drop off in the morning before I go to work. The front-office ladies are going to take care of setting everything out for me, so I’m just trying to think of the best way to make this ahead and then have them reheat?? Either in the microwave or maybe just the warm function of the IP?! Would love to know if the texture is ok after reheating?!
Yes I have! I’ve reheated in the microwave. I haven’t tried it in the IP.
This recipe doesn’t have much spice but makes a great base. You’ll definitely want to have salt, salsa, etc. to add a little more flavor.
It makes a huge amount and I reheated it two times and people still raved. I added Lizano Sauce to make it Costa Rican.
I “tweaked” the recipe just a bit. I used 4 cups of veg stock, 5 cups of water and 2 tsp of chipotle chili. I also stirred in 1/4c chopped cilantro in with the lime at the end and it was beyond delicious!! This is the perfect base beans and rice recipe, So glad I stumbled upon it!
Thank you for this recipe. I added some tomato paste and cumin (as well as everything else) and added cilantro at the end. It is fabulous. I used a mixture of brown, red and wild rice. Seriously good.
I love the idea of using wild rice in this!
Sounds great! How many servings does this make?
Hello. New to all this. Can I cut recipe in half? And if I do, do I still do the same time? Make it and I had tons and it’s just me. Will be eating all week 😉
Will add more spices next time. Too bland for me.
Thanks for the help.
Yes, you can cut the recipe in half. The cooking time will remain the same.
Feel free to add more spices. This is a blander recipe. My kids don’t like all the spices I like to this is one of those base recipes that I make, scoop out the kids portions then add whatever I want to mine. Also, if you add enough lime juice you won’t crave as much other spice. It does a terrific number on this recipe.
Hello Holly – Just made the rice and beans and they were absolutely fantastic 🙂
Have you ever frozen the left overs? If so, how long will they keep?
Thank you 🙂
I’ve never frozen it. I think it would be just fine though. Sometimes the texture of rice is a little off after freezing it. I’d recommend making it into soup, like my Enchilada Soup.
This was my first Instant Pot recipe and it was a hit with my toddler. Thank you.
WooHoo! I am so happy! I created this recipe with kids in mind. I know my kids don’t like a lot of spices, this recipe is mild for those with a less adventurous palate. I’ll often serve it to my kids then spice up my bowl. 🙂
Do you think red bell peppers would hold up in this? I’m worried that’s too long of a cook time for them…
Hi Meg, They would certainly turn to a soggy mess. You could do a release, then add the bell peppers and reseal. It’s a pain but it’s the best method. The easiest may be to stir in some roasted red peppers after it’s done.
Holly – I love your site I just found it. I have a quick question I made just the beans using your recipe 1 pound but 5 – 6 cups of water. Do I drain the water after its done cooking. I have tons of left over and I’m not sure if I’m suppose to drain the water before refrigerating the leftovers.
HI Diane,
If you leave out the rice you’ll have a lot of extra water. I would drain some of it but leave enough to cover the beans to keep them from drying out.
So glad I found this – the proportions and cook times are just right. As others have indicated – it’s pretty bland so I will be experimenting with spicing it up a bit. Maybe some cumin and/or oregano – and some cilantro at the end. This is a great starting point as I am trying to find ways to move to a more plant-based diet.
I created this one to be a bit plain but feel free to spice it up. My kids are going through an “everything is spicy” stage so I make this, scoop some out for them, then spice it up!
How many can this serve?
This makes a ton. I would say it easily makes a 8+ full cups of food. It will have extra liquid when it finishes cooking but it will absorb it as it cools. You could serve it to four adults and probably have leftovers. That is a conservative estimate. We always have way more than we can eat.
Thank-you, Holly!
I made this tonight – my very first pressure cooker recipe! It’s so creamy and perfect. Perfect texture for both the beans and rice. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Lisa,
I’m thrilled to hear that! It’s always nice to start with a win!
Most of my recipe turn out but I’ve had a few that didn’t make it. I hope you continue to enjoy your new pressure cooker!
Will this recipe work with red beans instead of black beans? Are there adjustments I need to make?
Hi Peggy,
Red beans need to cook longer than black beans. I would guess about 10 minutes more but I’ve never tried it. This may cause the rice to overcook. You could soak the red beans ahead of time but they may overcook. I recommend trying to cook a half batch for 10 minutes more to see how that works.
Thanks for your response; 10 more minutes but a half-batch sounds reasonable. I’ll give it a try!
I have the crockpot express cooker, should I hit the rice button since I don’t have a “manual” button? And on low or high?
Hi Samantha,
I don’t have that cooker but I’ve done a little research to try to help. Those buttons are just presets for time and temperature. You can press rice but you’ll need to adjust it for high or low pressure. Most of the foods I cook are on high pressure. Pasta is cooked on low pressure. You’ll also need to adjust the cooking time.
Give it a try!
Hmm, I have an instant pot and didn’t think there was a manual button…BUT manual is the Pressure cooker button….who knew!
This turned out like porridge. I didn’t realize how gelatinous it would be…
I would like to use CANNED black beans instead of dry. Any suggestions on how I might need to adjust the recipe if needed?
Thanks!
You just need to set the pressure cooker long enough to cook your rice. That will depend on what type of rice you are using.
Appreciate you posting the recipe. I cut the amounts in half and used my little 3 qt Instant Pot with terrific results. Made a ton for two and will have dinner and lunch for tomorrow at the very least. Ratios of fluid to beans and rice was spot on!
This is wonderful! Finally found brown rice and worked like a charm. Can the leftovers be frozen? It’s just my daughter and me and we’ll never eat it all if not! How would be best to reheat if so? Thanks!!!
This was delicious! It was so thick and creamy. Everything was perfectly cooked. After it was finished, we added lime, olive oil, more salt, and a little cumin to each of our bowls. This will definitely be a go-to recipe for our family!
I pre-soak my grains and beans for approx.12 hours, sometimes longer, for easier digestion before cooking. I’m assuming less water would be needed and less cook time. Any suggestions as to how much and how long? Instant pot newbie!
Do you use the high pressure or low pressure setting on the instant pot for this recipe?
Everything was great except the lack of flavor. I added 2 packs of taco seasoning to help it along.
We make this recipe often! We just love it. We also add the seasoning packets that you get from the grocery store. We’ve tried taco seasoning and fajita seasoning, adding the whole packet is perfect!
I’m not sure what I did wrong. I followed the directions but the beans and rice weren’t done cooking. Also, I don’t see a manual button on my instant pot. This is the first recipe I’ve tried with it.
What size IP is this recipe for? I have a 6 qt, will it be okay? Thanks!
You’re an inspiration to us foodies. Love your website!
I just found your website and this recipe and it is FANTASTIC!!! Thank you thank you thank you. So easy, so delicious and so versatile. 🙂
Thank you so much Michelle! I hope you find lots a recipes you love!
I am seriously impressed! As a total beginner with Instant Pot (his is only my second recipe I cooked with IP), I wasnt’ really sure how it turns out. The flavor is out of this world, ratio of water vs. dry ingredients is spot on, it’ll last about a week of my lunches and most importantly – price for all of this wasn’t more than 5 euros. Thank you Molly! 🙂
thanks for this recipe! after 28 minutes of cooking, and 15 minutes of natural pressure release, i found that the beans were still a little on the firm side. do you think i need more liquid or more time to get them softer? it was not dried out by any means, so i feel like i had enough liquid in there. but i’m concerned that if i cook it longer, the rice will get mushy :-/
Hi Chris,
Could soak the beans ahead of time. That would allow them to cook for less time. I’ve found sometimes black beans need a bit longer, and other times it works. I think it depends on how old the beans are. It’s hard to tell since most companies don’t post “package on” dates.
I plan to make this again soon and I know my black beans have been in the pantry since this summer so I’ll soak them a while before cooking.
This recipe is absolutely amazing. Followed all directions using long grain brown rice. For seasoning I used 4 packets of Sazon Goya, 2 tbsp of Lawrys chili lime seasoning, 1 tbsp cayenne, and a generous portion of salt and black pepper. Texture of both the rice and beans came out perfect. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Your seasoning sounds delicious! I’ve never seen Lawry’s Chili Lime seasoning but I’m a big chili lime fan so I really want to try it.
I am going to give this a try but with maybe half what is recommended here. And I will leave out the salt from the recipe. Sazon Goya has both salt and MSG – and the first ingredient in the Lawry’s Chili Lime is also salt. It sounds good – but I don’t need all that sodium. Will let you know how it turns out.
I have a 3 quart version of the IP so I cut the recipe in 1/2. I also have a 1000Watt inverter under the front seat of my pickup truck. So while other friends on our desert campout were eating bland freeze dried food they were stunned when I started dishing this out. Lots of jaw dropping to have such a savory dish doled out in thirty degree nighttime weather. Love the recipe!
That is so cool! It’s a great idea!
Smart! Will keep that little tidbit in mind for our next camping trip!
While the idea of not having to soak beans is appealing, I don’t think it’s a good idea. The main reason to soak is to remove lectins. Lectins are an antinutrient that you don’t want in your diet.
Very unhappy with the outcome. I followed the recipe to the letter and the final dish was BLAH. Besides having NO taste, the consistency was like wallpaper paste. I tried to doctor it up to resemble refried beans but I ultimately had to trash the entire load. Disappointing.,,.
Dorothy,
I’m sorry you didn’t like it. I’ve never had a bad consistency with it. I do mention it doesn’t have a lot of flavor in the blog post. We make it plain because my kids don’t like a lot of spice. My husband and I doctor ours up with different flavors like avocado and green chilies to give it more flavor.
I just remade this over the weekend and halved it and added one small can of diced green chilies. The flavor was still pretty mild but we enjoyed it.
BRILLIANT. I used brown rice to cut the starch, added a tablespoon of cumin and a couple teaspoons of salt. When it was done I stirred in a whole bunch of fresh, chopped cilantro. So versatile! Hubs and I made burrito bowls out of it with avocado, sour cream, salsa, chopped onions and cucumber. Kids made it into burritos. Would be also great as a side to scrambled eggs, for those who might be fans of Costa Rica Gallo Pinto. Really you could spice this up any way you want. I did reduce the amounts to 1 1/2 cups of beans and rice and only 6 cups water and it was the perfect amount for my crowd (2 adults and 3 teen boys). Thanks!
Thanks so much Jill! Yes, so versatile! We have leftovers of this in the refrigerator now. Lately I’ve been making a half batch. I’ll often chop of a fresh pico de gallo with whatever I have on hand and avocado. I love it. Oh, and fresh lime is my favorite addition.
This was such a yummy dish! I halved the recipe because there were just two people eating. Still had lots of leftovers! There was a little more liquid than I would have preferred leftover when I was done, but I let it sit a little longer which helped. I also added cumin when cooking. Thanks!
HI Emma,
Thanks for the feedback. Cumin is a great addition. I change it up based on who is eating. This recipe makes a lot but the good news is the leftovers are great.
Watching your wonderful video, I remembered, to my horror at the time, I accidently poured water into my instant pot without the liner.
I researched and found out I could dry it out the best I could and leave it to dry for a week or so. I was new to using the pot, I had it 4-5 months before getting up the nerve to use it. It was fine when I used it, and I am loving using my I-Pot.
Thank you, take care…